The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1879-07-25

| Puucu,auu Tue Uan WIS u great SUCCESS.
| watched poor Tom, with my heart in
my mouth, as he moved uneasily about the
table upon which the liquors were displayed.
1t seemed to me that some subtitle attraction
kept him in that part of the room and at
last, urged, aud ridiculed, and laughed at by
Nell he went up and drank Roman punch;
and ten minutes later glass of cham.
pagne.
The ball ended, after the fashion of balls,
in weariness and wanness, and pallid day.
dawn. Tom and went to bed, out did not
get much sleep, and at half-past nine he
was due at his office. noticed how pale he
looked when he kissed me good-by, and there
was a curious, furtive look in his eyes that
| did not comprehend. But he went away,
and | spent busy day putting my house in
order By dinner-tme all was tidy and ba-
by had on fresh frock and we sat down be.
fore the window to watch for papa but pa
pa did not GOMEZ
Hour after hour passed, twilight fell, and
the stars came out, but no Tom yet.
4 want my dinner said Nell, coming
down in full dress "Mr. Arbuthnot will be
here to take me to the opera in an hour.
Come, Janet, ring for dinner to be served,
and for goodness sake act like sensible wo-
man. Where's Tom ? Why, about his
business, no doubt. Why should you care
| should think you had enough of him
Come and eat your dinner, you silly girp
A mouthful would have choked me. But
Nell dned, and went off to the opera in her
pont-lace and diamonds and baby and
kept our watch.
Eleven o'clock, and no Tom Never
since the day of our marriage had such a
thing happened, save on the occasion of
those awful club.dnners, and my heart told
me now what was the matter And it was
all my fault had suffered the temptation
to come under my husbands eyes. What.
ever happened, the fault was mine.
By-and.by Nell came home, and went up
to bed, trilling bit of operatic song.
JAMIE she called from the upper
landing, looking down through her blonde
curls Il forgot to tell you, we saw
Tom at the opera =
what do you say, Nell You saw
Tom 2?
Yes but don't make such a fuss ovel
nothing-t is so ill-bred, Janet. We saw
Tom he dropped into our box fol about ter
minutes. There, don't stare in that way, fol
mercys sake. There is nothing wrong ht
is only drinking ittle,as all gentleman do
Il You d better come to bed, Janet
But sat there. hushing baby in his era
die with such bitter pain at my heart
Midnight came, one, two o'clock, and ther
there was shufiling step on the porch,
rattling movement at the door. | knew i
was Tom with his latch-key, and sat Their
while he vainly tried to get it in the lock
with a sinful, unwomanly anger kindling il
= my breast was so tired, so vexed at wha
had done, that it was relief to get indig
nant at Tom. | rose at last, ,and opened tn
door, feeling very stern and relentless.
Poor Tom came stumbling in, cropping
about with his hands to keep from falling
piteous, vacant look on his dear, handsom
face The tears rushed to my eyes, and
longed to clasp him in my arms, and tel
. him it was all my fault, for suffering tn
" temptation to come in his way ; but instea
moved by some perverse impulse, | dreN
- myself away from him, as he caught a
me.
- Now, jamie, dear, don't get mad, he faI
tered
1T is enough to make me mad erie
= y out, kept up all night, to see you com
W home in such a plight as this. Go away
10 i, Tom; can't bear to lock at you. wouldn
~ ~ care if l never saw you again.
VI Wouldn't you, then? All right Her
" we go again, and we won't come home ii
morning next time
- He reeled away from me, and out at th
W open door. and heard him blunder dow
the steps, and cross the street. Then m
~ pettish anger gave place to fear, and | rushe
~ after him, but he was out Of sight an
= hearing babys voice within, was oblige
-, to return without him.
~ All! merciful Heaven, what / suftere
- through the remaining hours of that awf'
10 night, and through all the following da,
: which did not bring him home to me
1t was growing dusk, and Nell was dressir
y for party, while sat at the window, husi
Il, ing baby to his evening sleep. The poo
> little boy had called necessarily for his par
= but papa did not come. Would he ev'
;" " come again? l felt like going out into IL
IN dark. rainy street to find him, and was VOL
~ dering if / might leave baby so long, whe
group of men below attracted my atte
", VI ton, looked again, and my heart grew
w stone. Four men bearing a stretcher upC
=. which was a PROSTATE form
~ In minutes time there came rap at Il
~ door, and hurried out. There he lay, Il
ii' cold, cruel rain beating down upon b
Al white face and clotted hair-my Tom, Il
" !, husband / loved so well.
Ho 'Oh, for Heayen's sake, don't say hi
"T dead-don't say he's dead, sir cried,
= my agony.
Ia well, madame, / hope not said t
officer who accompanied the mournful pl
.ed cession, but he's very badly hurt. He "
40. shot in drinking house this morning, a
81 was left for hours without attention. If
,', is brought round it will be a miracle
most
And it was more than a mirscle-it v
,'n.' Heavens own tender mercy that broug
MS back the fluttering breath to his lips,
'eu life blood to his ghastly cheeks He liz
again, but suffered through long months
'all low fever and wearing torture-lived to lC
me and forgive me tor my weakness and
.er, unwomanly anger,
en- Since that time of sore agony we hi
All given our pretty Nell not only birth mig
the but bridal balls; but we never had Ron
and punch Touch not, taste not, handle nc
Tha: is Toms motto and mine. And,
nty the many who are like he is-nobe, gen
IA at on. mar, nnfortunatsly nossassed of a cr