Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-03-08

come-armed.
".Un-English !, shouted Langton, strid-
ing over 10 Him sThere's nothing human,
not to say English, in your corrupt car
cass. Get out, man, or they will be hang
ing you for killing me, or putting up a
statue TO me for having killed YOU. Get
out ! They pay for killing reptiles in In
dia-why, not in England toop. Get out,
man, 4 say, or 1 shall be claiming blood
money before night.
With the revolver held across his waist
coat, and pointing at nothing in particular.
Ryland backed out of the. door and was
So far as there was anything Of moment
connected with this affair, heard nothing
more from Baird that night.
did notsee Baird again till the week
after Christmas. He then continued the
history as follows: ..,,.-....-..
For some weeks after these scenes in
Langton's Office they heard no more of
Ryland. During the time his unhappy
wife continued in the same mental leth-
argy,grepestedly asking forher baby, but
betraying no emotion and giving no sign
Of violence. I looked in at her lodgings
about twice week. Her doctor, DR..
Sherwood Freeman, and Iquite agreed as
to the case There was little or no hope
of mental rally until either the child was
restored or her mind received some shock
which should counteract the one oeeasioned
by its loss. Inthe meantime Langton had,
as soon rs possible, instituted legal pro-
ceedings against Ryland. don't know
whaf tie manure Of the proceedings was,
but be held out slight hope of speedy re-
lief; the case, it seems. was one full of
difficulties at best, and the block in the
courts flled him with despair. nl'
I'm about six weeks from the day was
in Langton's office, Ryland wrote to say
the child was i'll, and that he would deliver
it up on condition of getting thousand
pounds. {nf tsvt1 NJ 8eTn NN
"'Ah said Langton to me the evening
he got the letter, so the threats of law
hare beaten him down two hundred The
illness Of the child is a lie to force US to
terms. I shall not answer that letter
well, Melton as you may guess, i was
by this time greatly interested in the cases,
legal and medical In, week / called
again upon Langton. and TO my astonish
ment saw Mrs. Ryland there. j. od'a
1.-The explanation was very simple. The
child had really been i'll of scarlet fever,
aHApossibie care had been taken Of It, but
nevertheless. it had died, and was to be
buried that day; and Langton and the va
cant-eyed woman were setting off now to
the cemetery. 't7
'Ryland would not allow the mother to
approach her dying child, but when it was
dead he seemed to think he might run
soneugly risk if he did not allow the
mothers attendance at the interment, and
Langton and she were now going. ex-
amined her closely, but could observe no
change; the channels of her reason were
frozen up, and in the same condition as on
the day of her bereavement
May go" l. asked. ''a
Certainly said he; and in little
while the three of us got into cab and
drove to the cemetery Ryland had named
THE same unbroken shadow Of mental
gloom hung over the unhappy woman
D1ring the whole drive she never spoke
word. Her eyes were east down most of
the time. Of the few occasions. when size
lifted them they sought Langton's face,
but there was mo excitement IN them. 1t
was plain from heir. appearance that rea-
son was an exile, Int the land reason had
lef behiRd; remained still unoccuped by
apymd1g aave thespirit of the void.
When we, got inside the gates of the
cemetery, we ascertained that the body of
the,child had not yet arrivcd,~1 ~ y
ttbangtonturneatome and asked, ''W'hat
do you think will be theresult to-day?'
think, answered, that it will bring
about the crisis. followed by perfect sanity
or violent Insanity; but there is no telling
which
AFTER while a mourning coach drove
in. will not drag you through all the
small events of the interment. 1t will he
sufficient for you to know that the father
of the child was not present, and that dur
ing the whole time it occupied she never
altered in the least. r-,.-r.- ..,-...
u felt greatly disappointed. I had been
c6e6dent Of the lining or developing of
theehection now paralyzing her brain.
when 1t was all over we returned to
the cab as sober as could be. had been
greatly deceived, and l could see that
Langton's last hope was gone.
when we had got about half way back
she shs sudds9lyElo0ked up into LAngton's
1--WE have left something behind u.s.
"Langton and / looked round the cab
The three umbrellas were all right.
"'No,' answered Langton; Il don't
think we have left anything behind
% In the cemeteryr she asked.
!" No. said. No. $3.50. SIX
1--we have she said i know it, feel
it. As We drove away now, / heard my
child cry All, gentlemen. let us 90 back
and take my child up out of the wet grave
IL you give him to me and let me hold
him against my breast he will get warm.
An, gentlemen! Let us 90 back for my
darlingi My baby son! My own MY
ownpSs.sg ~
.sGShe threw her arms out toward us
with the anguish of mothers broken
heart on her face. and the knowledge of
her ehildless fate in her eyes. Then all
at once her body began swaying slightly,
and with q low moan she buried her face
in her hands and burst into tears.
She had lost her child, but had re-
gained its image, and her brain was healed.
She had lost her child and regained his
image, and her heart was broken. The
mad live long and howl about our paths
the broken-hearted creep quietly into the
shadows and silently dig their own graves.
and In while crawl into the earth with
gentle sighs and gentler smiles.
There is now no heat in her moor
breast to warm her poor babe. She has