The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1878-06-04

most of all at the sweet face bending 80
over him. At first he thought
it was all dream and she an angel.
"Are you better now, poor man p she
asked. - .i. - q
a. Then he remembered and knew he was
not dreaming, and longed to kiss her
hand for the sweet pity in her face; and
then a doctor came and said he must not
leave the bed for days. Then Herbert
thought of Mary and m oaned:
"Myiwife! my mitep' lrrc .,.l
But the lady asked why2 and he told
her his story, aud the plying face was
wet with tears.
So next day he knew that his darling
was not alone !; thatby her bedside, too,
there were kind faces and willing hands.
So days glided by, and Herbert saw
there was sorrow in the souls of this Ia
DIV and her husband and when they sat
beside his bed one night they told him
ALL 1,s5CZa =itcr.tEa 20 - j
They had a child-a bright little girl
of three-the Joy of the house and Of
their hearts, and she had been taken from
them i7st#ng 7te9 es7s'i '2Hst sH
"She had not died." they said, "but
some wretch had stolen her." la 8
Then Herbert kne y whose child it was
James Bradley had taken, and made the
resolve that his return for all their
kindness should be the restoring of the
little girl. aa3 nag .sTrei'e j. sil en
The last two days he was upon the
bed the lady's sweet face did not bend
over him; they told him that with grieI
she too was stricken down, and the doc.
tor said the child must be brought back
or she would die, tSr!e. i
So when he left the house it was with
that thought and purpose only; his wife
had been. provided for; he had been
found a situation-permanent in its char
acter-and)he felt his life belonged to his
benefactors. st.s@s's fTi-ett'
He knew where to seek James Bradley
i'm a lonely house by the river; at its
door he knocked one night, and after {
little time it was unbolted. ot~rll
"Oh, it's you, Herbert Y ssl
Then James Bradley raised piece o
carpet, under which was trap-door, ant
lifted q child from hole dug in thu
ground (the house had no cellar Their,
was gag in the little girls mouth, bu
the kidnapper explained:
"Don't you suppose that I'm cruel L
the child; but l must be prepared TO
visitors" na1 ai .
."Jim," Herbert said quietly, 81 mus
have that child" h .u 4
"What for 2" 3ae9 ssst'
.To restore her to her parents"
"Herbert Langley, do you think I'm
fool p L. lrsa aea. ID
"No, Jim; / wish Ibid. Listen te
me-" o. s-is1 3ssl i@E sE i
Then he told the kiduapper of th'
kindness shown him--of the mothe
stricken by grief-of the home mad,
desolate.at q s. al fs5g,rg.f i,sl..& faa,
Then he spoke Of the sin upon th,
child steaier's soul, and appealed to hin
by the holy memory of his own mothe
by the friendship Of the present, ant
by the terrible retribution of the future
But in vain the mans heart was stone
7'I will not give her upi You ma.
plead and pray till yoar tongue drop
out, but will not give her up!' qa
l"Then / will take herw ei' /
"You take her, indeed" Bradle,
laughed. "A weak lamb taking from
lion it's prey" 98 i.-d r,sesafgs7 -
81 will take ber!s Heaven will lent
me streDgtht' and Herbert sprang to
ward the child and took her hand.
James Bradley's face. darkened, ant
he stood before the door. ~ ;'a.1 =
'"Herbert, you are madt''
II am determined, James Bradley, bu
not mad."',
You, handy words; it's madness t,
be determined with me-"
"Herbert made no answer, but threy
himself ag.inst the villain striving t
force him aside.
But the other caught him by the throa
and mrttereds g.. !.
s.You are nothing in my hands! Don
| force me to choke the life out of you !!
Herbert struggled on full of his pur
pose, vet feeling how hopeless, in hi
/ weakness, it was to attempt to PHYSICAL
master this man.
Herbert felt the villains grasp grow
ing tighter and more deadly upon hi
throat and he almost lost the power c
! family struggling when suddenly Brad
/ ley's hold relaxed.
| With an awful cry that chilled hi
blood the child-stealer fell in Git.
4 Epilepsy, the terror of Bradleys lif'
had come upon him that moment like a
interposition from heaven. 1t was n
time for false pity for the man who la
j foaming there, and Herbert quickly too
4 the child in his arms and fed.
i 1t was eleven o'clock when he reache
the parents home: the servants were
bed, but the father himself answere
Herbert's ring. 'si
"Your childp' Herbert exclaimed in
broken voice.
4 What need to describe the fathers Joy
: Words are powerless.
They went up the stairs together, ft
| Herbert "must see the meeting betwee
!, father and child" the grateful faith
4 said. "a 'a f'"'i '.sf' "H
], For the first time in many hours IL
{ mother was sleeping. The child vi
placed upon the bed by her side; at th
: moment the stricken woman smiled
!, though dreaming of her darling's retur
e The little girl wakened her with kis
} The mother did not cry out nor fain
but as though the child's presence W,
] only part of the dream she poured kiss
: on the sweet young face. if.&8s ~
D Need we say how, with happines
!, health came back to herp Need we spes
of their gratitude to him who hs
brought back into their lives the o
4 joy2 ~ 'iqe
Enough that Herbert and his wi
, never knew want again; the friendsh
t begun amid so much grief, cemented /
such holy joy, will last forever. Deaf