Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1882-10-14

heavens not dry thread on it As
cold as ice, and eating its fingers up !
And you," catching hold of Patience's
wrist, "are freezing, too. Well, what
else could be expected
"I believe, doctor, that some wood
came for us yesterday 1t was left ont
the back porch, and if I only could
have made the Chinaman hear me call,
perhaps he might have built fire for
me-"
The Mongolian was soon summoned,
and, when the room was warmed to q
comfortable Temperature, the surly doc
tor proved himself not quite as heart
less as he had tried to make believe.
The infant was tenderly stripped,
bathed and made comfortable, while
the servant went for refreshments for
its mother.
"Tll ask the landlady to call in
occasionally as I go downstairs" said
he, in pleasanter tone, giving the babe
into Patience's arms again.
"Oh, no, doctor; please don't do
that. She would drive us out at once
if she knew the state of affairs"
"Well, then, I'll report your hus.
bands doings to the police" said be,
with renewed impatience in his voice.
"The drunken scoundrel was raving
through the streets last night like
madman, with dozen of his clique
following at his heels, and all bowling
like pack OF wolves"
"Oh, for mercy's sake, doctor, don't
do it |" cried the despairing wife. "It
would do no good, and Barney don't
mean to be ankind to me. You won't
do it, doctor, will your"
"Well, all right then, WON'T" was
the angry reply. "If you like his
treatment, I assure you I shan't envy
you your lot; but this is my last visit.
I have got no business where there is
no one to carry out nay instructions.
Women are fools; natural fools Good
day." and before Patience could speak
again the irate doctor was gone:
Early in the afternoon Barney stag.
gered into his wife's room with eyes
half closed, face bloated, and the fumes
of brandy enveloping him like cloud.
With a delirious look and thick tongue
he made an effort to say
"How is our boy, Patience Is he
getting big and fat? Here is rattle
got for him to play with. Lets give it
to him. He's fine fellow Let me
Kiss my little son."
With that he lowered his head over
the infant, now in quiet slamber Oh its
mothers arm. 1t fell heavily, and in a
drunken stapor tie father lay insensible,
the weight of head and shoulders on
he frail little infant. Frenzied with
fright at the danger of her child, Pa.
tience shrieked for help; her every
nerve was strained to hold him off, and
the strength of her arms was superhu-
man in one in her condition. After q
few moments struggle she cast the
murderer upon the floor. Then, look.
ing upon the lifeless body of her child,
she walled as if bereft of reason.
=
With the grief-stricken mother two
months passed somehow, no one knew
how she did not even know herself, as
the greater portion of that time she had
been in kind insensibility. She remem-
bered some one beside Barney had
made efforts to care for her, culored
woman, who for few weeks had been
hired by him to attend her. This
woman's nursing had brought Patience
back to live. Barney was overjoyed to
see his wife improving, and he poured
into her ears his repentance but it
savored much Of his natural shallow
ness. However, had it had firmer
foundation, it was too late. She loathed
him as she might snake that had
stung her child. Never could she look
upon her husband without a fapcied
recurrence of that awful hour.
Daily the invalid gained strength un-
der the devoted but ill-paid care of the
colored woman, who persistently con-
tinued to call couple of times day.
Her husband had long since gone to
his work again. At last she felt herself
able to walk out of the room, the very at.
mosphere of which seemed impregnated
with waking nightmare. It was the
dusk of evening Patience Trodweighty,
attired in her best robes, bade fare we'll
to the MacFlaherty domicile, descended
the stairs, ST. pped into the street. and
went-but it don't matter now where
she went.
Barney found abundant sympathy for
the loss of his Patience in his fellow.
1 r.I.