The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-05-02
Written for the Sunday Sentinel
A RED RIBBON.
BY MRS. sALLIE A. RAMAeE.

There were tears in the little girls eyes as
she came into the church; her cheeks were
flushed, hot with shame and weeping, and
the quivering lips were scarcely quieted
after the long, heavy sobs. She slipped into
a corner and looked out from under her
hood fearful lest some one would notice her
and ask her why she was crying, and in
her heart she had determined she would not
tell, for she was sensitive and proud, though
she was so young. She had left her mother
at home weeping, clasping her baby close
to her heart. while the tears fell
fast on its head pillowed on
her bosom. She had sent little
Emma to sunday-school, praying that she
might, if only for an hour, forget the dis
grace that had crushed even her poor little
soul But as the child threaded her way
through the crowd that stood on the corner,
one boy, more brutal than the rest, cried
out: There comes En- Lathrop; her dad is
in the station house for getting drunk"
while the loud laughter that followed this
cut her like a sword thrust. 80, Bill, let the
girl alone; she amt to blame if her father is
miserable drunken wretch. She would be
better off il he was dead"
She ran swiftly past them TO avoid hearing
more of their loud talk, but the words
were burned into her brain-"A drunk
en- wretch" That was what the police
called him too, she remembered, when they
took him away. He was trying to kill her
mother; her head was all bruised now, and
vet she had not screamed for aid, poor wO-
man, she would rather have died than have
had the world know her terrible sorrow-a
drunken husband He had long since lost
his position, and had stripped the house of
everything he could pawn or sell to buy
whisky. His own heavy winter clothing
had disappeared, his wifes cloak and
Emma's shawl, and the last things he took
were some little trinkets that had been
given TO the baby. He had grown violent
and morose, and the least thing would
irritate him and send him into a
rage when all would have to flee before him.
Once in the night the baby, cold and hungry,
had cried piteously when he struck it
twice, but the other blows had fallen upon
the mother as she covered her child with
her arms TO keep il from his cruel abuse.
Emma no longer met him at the gate, or ran
far down the street to carry his dinner
bucket home at night; she was afraid of
him and would shrink out of sight when he
entered the door. Mrs. Lathrop tried by
hard work to get food and clothing for her
family, but so deeply in debt for whisky did
husband keep her that of late only the
simplest food could she procureJ and their
ew articles of wearing apparel were
hin and old. She loved her hus-
band, the father of her children, and
as long as it was possible she had kept from
her neighbors his condition; but he had
fallen so low thai she could no longer con-
ceal the fact that she was the wife of a
drunkard, the mother of children worse
than fatherless She had never asked for
protection when he was raving, but she
would send Emma and the baby away, and
then undertake the task of getting him into
bed to sleep away his passion and rage.
What she suffered then only God knew, for
he was brutal and strong, and his fist had
left marks upon her body where he had
beaten her.
Now the worst had come; her husband was
in the station house; Monday he would DC
sent TO the workhouse. for she knew it would
be impossible for him to pay his fine. She
remembered when John Lsthrop was said to
be one of the finest mechanics in the coun-
try, and his wages kept them comfortably.
He was loving and kind then, never leaving
her without good-by kiss never coming
home without a loving word. Saturday
night when he would get his pay he would
surprise her with some little present, new
ribbon, calico dress, or remembering some
hasty desire expressed. When she was at
work, he would buy tinware, a bit of
china, or anything to please his wife or
adorn her home. She kept the home dainty
and clean, and he was glad 20
get TO il and sorry to leave
only the treat of walk with his wife and
child ever tempting him from it after work
ing hours. An old acquaintance got him To
drinking, first glass of beer, then two or
three at time, then light wine or ale, then
whisky and water, at last the strongest liq-
uor that he could find. A hundred times
he promised bis wife to stop, and for q day
or two the sunshine would steal from be-
hind the dark cloud, only to be hid in
deeper darkness than before. Scores Of