Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1878-02-27

Regardless OF the astOnlShment
Of his companions, the gentleman
rushed after her, succeeded in over.
taking her Mt the first corner, and
with an almost cruel clutch ON her
arm, he Detained her, saying:
"Lorie, Loire, is it indeed Lorief"
zoo your way l beg; in the name
Of the sacred past, permit me to 60
my way" she exclaimed.
"Never! 10 help me God!7 he said,
with settled resolution.
"Then come, in Gods name, to
the first drug store, il it 10 not
already too late to help q dying
wretch
Recklessness seemed to lend haste
to her feet, and before a half hour
had passed the two stood at the
door of dingy little back room on
the fifth floor of q miserable build.
ing, where FURNISHED Rooms to
Let" was q perpetual door plate and
where the homeless, houseless hu.
man beings might find shelter on
extortionate terms while the tempo.
rary dollar lasted.
The interval had passed in per.
feet silence, he asking and she vol
unteering no explanation.
A dim light displayed to this
man, accustomed to life's luxuries
only, q scene that the author Of
"Ies Miserables7 might have done
justice to. An apology for carpet
on the floor, two rush. bottom chairs,
table covered with O faded green
cloth, Q stand ornamented with q
cracked bowl and n bandless pitch.
er, a little pet" stove with q long,
rusty pipe, losing itself in a smoky
pipe. hole directly below the web
festOoned ceiling above the dirty
walls, upon which was strung a
picture of dear little bright.faced
"LOtta," under fly speckcd, broken
glass in a once handsome frame.
Wis avis to this hung cheap chrO.
mo "a young lady preparing to re-
tire, in the act of pulling down the
curtain to keep the man in the moon
from blushing, while vile man.
creature is peeping in at the par
TALLY closed door, In one corner
was a wall-cupboard, containing a
few i'll assorted dishes and cooking
utensils, and the only window in the
room was draped with an extrava.
gance of real old lace tits age and
color would have set cOnnoisseur
mad with envy curtained back with
u piece of shoestring. In the mir
ror(!) hanging opposite the comfort
less bed was reflected the haggard
face of q man in the last throes OF
life and physical struggle with
death.
1t was evident the greater portion
of his life had been devoted to cnl.
tivating the animal TO the detrinent
of his spiritual nature. He was an
unpleasant dying subject, and before
the two just arrived could apply
any of the medical restOratives
they brought lie had become an
extremely ugly corpse. There was
no weeping or wailing over it. The
woman stood like a picture Of utter
desperation, lips compressed, eyes
glaring with An insane stare, every
feature rigid, as if frozen with an
agony that could not find vent.
Her companion at last said,
hoarsely:
sis that thing" pointing to the
dead. "is that thing Harry Harneyf
She turned her gaze full upon the
speaker, whispering:
"He is dead. God have mercy
upon his SOUL Then holding on,
her hand towards him, with pite
ous cry, she said, in u faint, moan
ing voice:
"Oh, Will, Will, l have been pun
ished, oh, SO punished, help me
help me!'
"Poor Loire, poor child; come, VI
will 60 home, 1 will take care o
everything"
Like one who had been sadl,
hunted, cruelty treated, she gave /
sigh of ineffable relief, and dropped
the burden of her cares by quietl!
fainting.
When she returned to conscious
ness she apologized by saying tina
she felt weak, not having tastet
food for three, nearly four days.
, 81 pawned my wedding ring. th
last thing We owned, to secure thi
room for poor Harry 10 die in. TIC
, night, when saw him going, wa
driven to my mad act, hoping t
, ooso his laat hour oh. il ia lOrr