The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-05-04
SKETCH OF CITY LIFE.
.E's INHUMANIry AND woNAN's
DEVOTION.

by, Will SWEEP lips anu gOOQ JeeJn.
Q was one of those privileged votaries
iich Providence has sealed from their
Eth to obscure missions of sacrifice
d suffering.
Charles was a dissipated hanger-on
the New York press, thin, pale,
Oily clothed, a precocious ruin, a vic
n to the passion for whisky.
The dirge of her sewing machine
IS heard from morning to night. His
ticles were not accepted. She had
support him. 81 will save him."
g thought, 81 will raise him up to
nat he used to be-" All this pity,
this care, all this love, could it save
h? She hoped so. He improved in
alth; he stopped drinking. He re-
vered a little strength and courage,
d then he felt like his old self; he
tilted his books and wandered through
Q streets. Those who only knew him
his fall felt for him less compassion
an contempt. Those who knew his
telligence and learning still loved and
lied him. They had watched him
scend step by step the fatal decline
alcoholism; yet still remembered
W brilliant that degraded soul had
&c been. The neighbors usel to
ar him coming home, hear the sound
blows and curses, and her cries of
ror and stihed sobs. Then came
ence. He slept; she wept. She was
raid of him, with a vague terror, but
r tenderness redoubled. Then he
IS repentant, and she dreamed she
d gained the victory. He returned
his work, and for a month all was
IN and peaceful.
Ole morning she awoke him with
Kiss. Listen, Charles" she said,
boping over him. "Here are S.. 1t
my birthday. I have saved some
Dney. l wish you would buy me a
49,"
He rose, dressed himself and went
When he returned it was midnight.
3 had not bought the ring; he had
emit the money in whisky she had
yer cen him in such a state. He
tered without saying a word, and
t astride of a chair and stared at
r with his dull eyes. She remained
thout motion, her bosom was heav-
&, a heavy tear was gathering in
r eyes, and when she looked at him
was with a look of pity, love and
rrOr.
Have you nothing to say to me
is evening, Charlie ~ she said.
" What shall l say?"
She burst into tears.
=" Always the same thing" he,cried,
|cking the chair to the other end of
e room. clears, tears, 1 don't like
hrs: do you, dear?" He came up to
r furiously. Il want something to
t." he said. She placed on the table
cloth, and the remains of the poor
inner of yesterday. He sat down,
ok the knife and began affectedly to
|ok at the point, turning his eyes
casionally toward her.
What was passing in his mind? In
at drunken brain there arose a thirst
r blood, an irresistible desire to kill.
"Give me some whisky, he shrieked,
piping on the table with the handle
the knife.
81 have not any, my dear" she re-
led.
81 want some," he answered, shak-
G the knife in his fingers.
Where can L get it now It is
psf midnight long"
81 want some, | tell you"
He rushed to the trembling woman,
ho sank into her chair, exclaiming:
"Do you want to kill me?'
Yes !"
"Then kill me !"
Here goes then"
And like a flash the knife had en-
red and left her bosom. She sank
It'll a terrible cry, her head dropping,
er hand on the table as if seeking in
inctively to grasp something, pens,
lper or books.
He rose up; a blood-stained cloud
assed before his eyes, and with his
lnds over his face he rushed away.
e descended the dark and dirty stair.
Ese, t%raverSed the streets where nc
Wing soul was passing, and hurried to
be river. He looked at the waters as
icy splashed and dashed against the
ers. A chill "a through his frame.
he idea of suicide frightened him; as
B became sober, he became a coward;
walked up and down, talking t.
mself, weeping, raising his hand to
eaven. Then came the thought
Perhaps she is not dead" Then he
Wv again the terrible scene; the
cody knife, the bleeding wound, tht
looping head, the c~utslretched arm
be glazed eyes. He was frozen with
prror. He returned to the street ht
we'd in, mechanically and uncon.
iously. The door was oren. He
counted the stairs. Nothing on the
rst floor, nothing on the second, {
Dliceman on the third, then up to thu
burth; policeman and neighbor.
Deaking in low tones.
Charles ru shed through the crowd
nd, rale as death. entered the room.
The body was laid on the bed, and ;
9th covered the fare. He flung him
elf on it, and, tearing away the veil
bvered the brow and lips with kisses
One of the persons present laid hole
him Uentlv and pIaoad hin, -