The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1879-10-28

it ne said no-that the chatn-gang was
the lowest infaTy, and he wished &c
plumb it. These were his words; he said
he would serve out bis term and then
leave the country. OF course. he said,
he could never see his wife again. He
begged me to help her along and see that
she did not suffer too much Z"
Well, / managed so that he came away
from the Jail that very day; but what
seemed very strange, from that time till
to-day never heard word from George
or, Mary, although / made all kinds OF
searches and inquiries. ~
And now I will let Mary tell her sto-
Try. After / placed her in chair she
had to GO through course Of crying
All women do that you know. She com
posed herself after while and then be-
gan: 49, z a
sYes, Mr.. Thurston, You cant think
Esw happy ] am, and will tell you all
about it. George never told me, bat /
knew all the time who rescued him from
the chain gang. don't intend to thank
you; l haven't words, God loves you
for that good act Well, George came
to our little hovel that day and, oh such
la sight; he was shaking like leaf, aud
all over 9th, and his clothes as ragged
as beggar's Tn"3 'ai. ael
ale said to me: Mary, do not be
afraid OF me. l killed your father; 1
killed your baby; / have stripped you of
Everything you had in the world. Three
nights ago I came here and found you
asleep; Istole your only frock and che
mise and pawned them for grog You
haven't been able to leave the house
since; you are starving; see how pinch
ed your cheeks are. do not come to
make excuses You have never re-
|proached your brutal husband. Mary,
give me that coral necklace and cross of
our dead baby: give them to me, or |
shall kill myself right before you.'
/ %"He looked different than he ever did
before: there was CLEAN about his eyes
that made me think be was mad. 1t may
have been from fear, but / took your
present from the string by which it hung
in niy bosom la. 81
"He snatched it as a hungry dog a
bone, and left me without another word
Somebody sent me clothes and food and
got me some sewing to do. l know who
lit was; God knows, tool and God, Land
he who saved poor wreIched woman
from starving. A long month passed
away. ie q sI59l a'il
III never thought / should see George
again; thought he could not live q
week, tor he left me so haggard, and
worn, and thin, and his eyes were blood
lshot. If he lived, thought he must. be
|mad and in mad asylum; and then
|came letter postmsrked far away in the
lmodn,ains; and the letter was from
George-my own dear George, whom
still loved Here it is; read it, q
4 And the letter was in this wise: .
/ my own dear, abused and suffering
wife, if should fall on nv knees a,
your feet. and remain there for an eter-
nifty, could not pour out sorrow enough
for my cruellies to you l can not re-
peat them, for they make me shudder; !
cannot ask your forgiveness; I only beg
your pity. have yet our poor baby's
necklace and cross took them from
you as my only hope The night was
In prison thought of them They
were the only things had not robbed
i you Of. had dream, in my filth and
rags, that night. Oar little baby came
to me; be was 50 white, and pure, and
smiling: and he nestled in my dirtv
arms. and he put bis little face to mine,
and kissed me and the little, sweet thing
spoke to me: Come along, papa, We
will go and see mamma, and beg of her
my necklace and cross; and you must
wear them next to your heart, and God
will give you strength to be good This
was my dream in jail-in filth and in
vermin And when they told me l was
free ran to our wretched hovel. You
know how desperate looked and acted
there. And tore away shred of my
coat, and arranged that the chain and
/ cross should hang right over my heart
A fearful thirst that was burning In my
soul drove me along to one of my old
haunts for ! was shaking as one with
the ague. from my old debauch An
old comrade, as low, and filthy, and rag
ged. and degraded as l, begged me 10
enter and drink; and ] had full glass
of the poison to my lips. Then / felt
on my heart the pressure Of the chain
and cross, and dashed the glass untast,
ed to the ground, and rushed away into
the street; and walked On, and on, un-
til the stars peeped out and on, and on,
until the first gray dawn. Wearied,
fell rather than lay, down-and my
sweet, white baby kissed me again, and
prattled to me. and told. me TO hold that
dear necklace and CROSS in my hand, and
to pray to God tor strength. Awaken
ing, i did pray as held them in nv
hands / am now in the mountains,
Marv; am working bard, and good
friends have come about me, and | am
i decen,ly clothed and cleanly i do not
ask you to forgive me yet. I may new
Ter ask it, ! 90 not ask you to call me
husband When l. feel my strength and
courage falling me, as it does sometimes,
l put my band in my bosom and con-
vulsively clutch that coral necklace
and that golden cross. AMI ] am brave
and resolute again l have done you
and yours too much wrong to ask you
to live with your besotted husband
again. have blighted your life, and
may the good God forgive me-, Do not
be afraid to take and use the small sum
l send you; it is the honest earnings OF
q sober man. 1t IS the pittance of the
large amount your husband has robbed
you Of, God bless YOU, Mary, and God
forgive the wrongs done you by drum.
ken husband ~ ~
j "WelI," says Mary Wiltern. as I in.
,,ished the letter and handed it hack to
ber, "what do you think of thatp Did
you ever read anything go loving and
kind Does it not pay for q world oil
suffering / did not tell you was go.
ing away to George; oh, no; 1 intended
to wait until my husband had gained the
victory. knew be needed his Mary
} for solace and strength: and went to
} the mountains and found George just at
} be wrote, working away but so sad and
} sorrv. Ard his fellow. workman did MOI
laugh when I ran up to him and kissed
hin s.nl ,.,,t ~, hand IN bso hnao-. :