Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-03-24

that cast such richly -freighted wrecks up
on their shores. Hubert telt this keenly
as day after day, in his solitary ramblings
in the city, met the well dressed bankers
and merchants whom be knew by sight.
There in his wretched quarters, lay the
fever-stricken form of his wife, and there
were his half-starved, ragged little ones,
suffering acutely for the want OF food
and fuel. A 1.-THE, even, of what some
wealthy merchant spent on dinner
party or ball would relieve their every
want. Why should it be? Could there
be God and such injustice at once!
He sought work. and found it not. They
sought only pleasure, and, 10! it was at
hand. These reflections maddened him.
smarting over his sitting the
voice of conscience, and seeing only the
emaclated, shivering forms OF all he
loved on earth-he thought; and the deed
was conceived. An opportunity was not
long in presenting itself, and the deed
was born.
Nota penny had the poor fellow earned
the whole day not crust remained and
starvation stared the little family grimly
in the face. Goaded to despair by his
terrible surroundings, he seized his hat,
and resolutely grasping a stout staff, he
set out The night was favorable to his
fatal purposes. Dark clouds hid the
moon and stars, a nd freezing wind
swept widely through the almost deserted
streets. For hours he walked-walked
until the clocks tolled the noon of night.
Hank! step, uncertain as the tipsey
voice accompanying it to some bacchana-
liam melody. Hubert seeks the friend
ly obscurity Of some convenient alley-way
Nearer and nearer the same uncertain
step approaches; and now it stops under
the sickly glare of the street lamp. From
his hiding place Hubert sees the reveller
draw forth costly watch and consult it.
Diamonds glisten on his shirt front, and
he has every appearance Of being rich
prey.
Unseen by his intended victim, Hubert
stealthily advances. With a murmured
"Heaven forgive me!' from his lips, the
heavy staff descends, and the unsuspi-
cious convivial reveller lies stunned and
bleeding at the robbers feet!
Too late to recede. On, Hubert, on
Your wife and little ones are perishing
And he obeys the voice. Watch and money
are quickly transferred, and Hubert
turns tremblingly away from the scene
of his first crime. He fingered too long,
however. His movements had been wit
messed, and now the police were in hot
pursuit. The startling cry of "Stop
,hief!'' echoed on the night air, and the
rushing breeze bore the shout along.
Hubert ran wildly, closely followed by
the police and several men and boys who
had joined in the chase. The pursuit
was destined to be short one, however,
for Hubert fell on the treacherous ice,
| and in moment he was in the strong
grasp of the law.
The trial was over; the sentencr pro
! nounced; woman's shrek rang piteous-
ly throughout the court; and Hubert
Collins, the convicted felon-the victim
of circumstances-was remanded to jail
preparatory to his transportation to Aus
| tralia.
Still loving her, Virginia's relatives
came to her relief, and provided gener-
ously for her. But the loving wife, again
remembering her vow to take him .'fol
BETTER for worse refused to listen tc
any overtures limiting at eternal separa
ton from her husband; for, believing
him the soul of honor, and attributin9
the commission Of the crime, which he
has then expiating, solely to his love fol
her and his children, she determined
when his sentence should expire, to join
him under any circumstances, and, seek
ing with him place where they were all
unknown, to begin life anew, filled with
better purposes and hope.
Sixteen years had glided into the if.
revocable past-years frauoht with pain.
tul loneings and wretched doubts to Vir.
ginia Collins; for Hubert's sentenced had
long since been expired, and not word
of him had reached her. She knew that
he had served his time, and was discharg-
ed alive and we'll; but whittier he had
bent his steps. or what had been his en-.
ployment, she never learned. Refusing
to believe him dead, and trusting that he
would yet return to her, with little
money left her by some deceased relative
she retired to aquiet village with her chill.
dren, .and, under the assumed name Of
Greenwood (Which we shall continue t.
call her), patiently waited for him t.
come. Her daughter Virginia had de
veloped into fne-looking, inteliigen
girl Of eighteen, and she was justly PROUD
OF her; but her intenscst love centered ir
her boy. He was the counterpart of hi
absent father; and, for that, if nothing
else, she worshipped him. He was
noble lad, and entertained the highes
sense of honor-thanks to his mother; TO
she mad striven to inculcate Throughout
his early years the best princles IN him
and had succeeded.
The daughter, Virgy, as she was Gale,
had numerous sultors; but, respecting he
mothers unexplained reasons, she rejecteI
all offers, and was still heart free.
| The family were highly esteemed in tn
village, and Mrs. Greenwood was sup
posed to be widow. She never said a
much, but took no pains to correct tn
| supposition. There lives passed in on
uninterrupted current ofquiet and domes
| l., Al. L -