Louisiana capitolian., 1880-08-28
FOUND.

In small, scantily furnished apart
ment, dimly lighted, comprising one of
q number of rooms let to different par
ties under the same roof, on a bed, tidy,
bat scarcely comfortable, lay u woman,
young aud beautiful, but exceedingly
pale and haggard.
The large dark eyes rested mournfully
on babe by her side-a wee infant, who
looked out on the wretched surround
ings with what seemed half curiosity,
half indignation.
Too plainly had the mother stamped
the evidence of her suffering upon the
little ones features. Want, heart-ache,
aud the irritability born Of mental
agony, were reflected from the depths of
hazel, aud gave peculiarly wearied
and old look to the child, now held
closely in its mothers arms.
"Oh, my God. was it for this l left
my home! Was it for this | disobeyed
my parents, and lowered my mothers
head with sorrow and shame If on.
ly dared return and ask forgiveness
But dsowned, disinherited, what is left
to me but death' And, oh Merciful
Father, how can contemplate that with
this new tie to bind me to existence ?"
The poor broken.hearted woman m0a-
ned on aloud and the baby ceased its
grieving, and looked wonderingly in the
wan face.
.Tustthen a step was heard approaching,
the infant was clasped closer; a short
prayer burst from the blood less lips for
protection and patience.
"How much longer do You intend to
lie in that bed, Agnes! Nothing but
iaziness, natural and hereditary, could
keep woman inactive 80 long. Why,
that young one will be three weeks old
tomorrow, and l havn't seen you OH
your feet yet. Why the deuce don't
you speak You seem to have lost your
tongue entirely lately"
1T is no use for me to say anything
George. You have grown so strangely
cruel that words of mine have no iutlu
ence. should be only too glad to rise
aud perform my usual duties, but an
fearfuly weak: and George | am snf
fering for want of nourlshment. can
not eat bread.
We'll, ii you cannot eat bread, &C
without it till you find an appetite that
will be glad enough to come to it. lor
know deuced we'll that have no money
and no way of getting any. 1t took
every cent had in the world to pay fo
this room for your and that brat's con
iluti now YOU are tOo
to eat bread
Not another word did the wretchet
wife utter. but burying her head in th
4 pillow, endeavored to stife all emotion
only too conscious that the least trac,
OF tears would brlug upon her an ava
lanche of contumely and personal vio
lenCe, which she desired, for her littl
ones sake, to avoid.
Y The wretch left the house for tn,
corner grog.shop, and Agnes tried tt
rise and attend to the affairs of tn,
household; but it was no use. and sink
| ing back Oh her pillow she attempted t,
steady her weak brain. and think for :
few moments connectedly and sensibly
\ She perfectly realized that somethin
must be done in short time, and sh
\ must rally aud obtain employment; wa
\ conscious that her husband would neve
more be able to render the least pecu
mary assistance, for drunkenness am
the vilest associates were driving him t.
crime and exposure.
For more than week, Agnes knew
that he had been lodging the police
for what, sue had not the slightest idea
the quality and magnitude of the Grim
she being unable to conjecture. Sh