Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-04-07


the sentient heart-strings of all those
who heard, for it told them that the
"Jewel of the Atlantic was holding out
hands, and praying for life
that over the beautiful island stalked the
grim skeleton of famine, converting it
into vast wine-press, though the GRIM
son, oozing fluid was not wine, but blood,
from those who are among the noblest OF
the sons of earth.
Starving!" We who live in land of
plenty with it's immense storehouses, its
great granaries filled to overlooking with
golden grain, hardly know the meaning
of the word, and God grant that the
hunger wolf may never step over orr
thresholds-that we may never be OBJ
hged to refuse the demands of hunger
till it scorches, withers even the great
passions of life by SITS incessant calls fol
food.
And famine forgot not the home of the
Clarys. The rounded form of Aileen
grew thin and wasted; besides gray
pallor her face had q wan, pinched look;
the lips, always 80 brilliant and laugh
ing, became rigid and ashen hued, and
every feature bore the trace of intehse
suffering, but not word escaped her,
tor the pain of witnessing the agony OF
her parents as they saw their children
wasting to skeletons, as they beheld the
younger children, begging vainly, mute
ly, with little, chaw-ike hands for food
that they had no strength to ask for,
numbed even the pangs of hunger.
Then, in those days of wretchedness
and woe, came new trial of the brave
hearted girl She never forgot the thrill
of terror that caused her heart to beat
with great frightened bounds, as she be-
held the dark face of the agent in the
doorway one cold morning. He came
into the cold room, laughed triumph
antly at the evidences of want about
him, took cool survey of the face over
which settled a shadow of fear, and said
In sneering tone:
$50, my deer Aileen, you haven't
slipped out of my hands as easy as you
thought for.
Then he tainted the family with their
poverty-goaded her father almost to
frenzy by threatening to turn his starv-
ing family out in the snow to die. At
last he said, tantalizingly:
"Keep your temper, Mr.. Clary! l
merely called to tell you of way by
which your family could be lifted above
want"
"How?" eagerly, imploringly asked
Clary.
"f will provide way if Miss Aileen
will consent to become my wife" and
his eyes rested gloatingly on the shud-
dering girl.
He said it in loud tone and at the
conclusion of the sentence every MEM
Der of the family turned an eager, FAM
ishing look upon Aileen. She could not
bear their intolerable gaze, and with
slight cry she threw up her hands and
covered her face But she said, firmly:
"No no; L cannot be so false"
Not another word was said until the
agent, laughing scornfully, left the cot
tage. He knew that the faces and forms
about Aileen would be more eloquent in
his behalf than any plea or threat that
he could make.
"A1een," groaned her father, '1s
your heart turning to stone? Have you
no compassion on those who are dying?"
"Aileen," moaned her mother, chow
could you say no, when you see the chill
dren starving before your eyes?" and
feeble cry arose from the children that
went to the very heart-core of the suffer-
ing true-hearted Aileen. She arose,
crossed the floor unsteadily and opened
the door. A woman staggered up bear
ing babe in her arms.
"Bread !" she gasped, "my child and
/ are dying, dying for food"
The despairing look in Aliens face
told the woman that her prayer could
not be answered. The woman gave
cry of anguish.
ooh, girl you cannot let my baby die
See how pale and thin he is.'i
Aileen started back In horror as lit
tie dead face was placed close to hers,
and then for the first time she noticed
that the fires of insanity blazed in the
woman's hollow eyes. The poor crea-
ture turned and staggered off, leaving
Aileen to make a resolve that she imme-
diately carried out.
She left he cottage and started in the
agent lived. She walked slowly, for
aside from hunger weakness sicken-
ing agony sped through every pulse, and
her very limbs seemed chilled with an
guish. She reached the house at last
and raped feebly. A servant admitted
her and led the way into the agents sit
ting-room. An evil leer disfgured the
face of Morris Leinster, as he said:
"Ah! how do you do, my dear? Will
you please be seated?''
Aileen dropped into chair without a
word. Her torture was too intense for
words at the first moment.
At last, through lips that quivered
painfully, came the family uttered
words:
"Mr. Lenister have called to inform
you that-that [ have changed my de-
cision. [ consent to become your wife
if you will keep my family from starv-
ing"
How utterly dreary and despairing
was the pathos of her voice! but Morris
Lejnster did not mind her, but smiling
said:
every well, Aileen! [ will bring
priest over to your house this afternoon
to perform the ceremony. Goodbye
for very little time, my dear little wife
IN he p"