The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1883-10-06
THAT TERRIBLE SCAR.
-Harper's Weekly.

Midnight had tolled its solemn chime,
yet still the weary watcher sat beside
the hearthstone plying her busy needle.
Her eyes were dim and sunken, her
cheeks thin and pale, her lips pinched
and d'purple, and her slender fingers so
shrivelled with the icy chill that was
fast. palsying her that the plain gold
ring on her wedding finger and the
thimble that she held were ever now and
then dropping into her lap. Her very
delicate form was shivering under
the heavy shawl that she had thrown
about her shoulders, and she looked of.
ten with wistful glance at the little
basket of fuel that stood beside the fire.
place.
Another hour passed and the clock
struck one.
"He must be here soon," whis-
pered she, in frightened tone. ST will
lay aside my work and make things as
cheerful as can."
So she brushed the ashes from the
hearth, drew the GOALS together, threw
on them 8 handful of the carefully saved
fuel and famed the faint fame till it
famed high in the chimney. Then she
looked about the room to see if aught
OOutQ no m0AuOu1 Dut Tile I6W AEb4CloS III
held were in their wonted places, and
everything as neat as the hands of
love could make it. An armchair was
drawn from a corner close to the crack
ling fire, the dressing gown that hung
upon it spread out anew and o pair of
slippers were upon the fender The
lamp had been trimmed afresh, the table
busted, and beside it was placed knife
almost as bright as though the blade had
been silver instead of steel.
II have doue the best cam" said the
pale watcher, as again she sank into her
chair. "Oh, if were sure of only one
kind word" she continued. ssHarki'
She started up and listened. "It is he
and how he bangs the gatel I shall
have fearful time with him."
She hastened to the front door and
gently opened it.
A man staggered in, and reeling this
way and that, reached finally the room
his gentle wife had made so bright and
cheerful. Bnt what was her reward? A
volley of oath 80 foul that it seemed as
if sn army of fiends had spoken with one
voice. He cursed the niggardly fire,
though to make that she and her chill
dren had been ha frozen all day; he
swore at the patched dressing gown,
though out of her own thin wardrobe
she had planned it; he raved at the
bread and meat, though her lean hands
had earned them both. And when angel
like and woman-like, too, she gave him
smile for every frown, an endearing
epithet for every oath, and would have
wound her arms about him to win him
back to reason and to himself, he raised
his heavy hand and dealt her g DOW
erful blow; aye, he struck her till every
nerveIquivered with anguish, and she
his wife and the mother of his beaute
Gus childreni And now, when she lay
PROSTATE before him, he raised himself
to kick her from thence. A slight young
hand pushed off the booted foot even as
it was falling on the trembling woman,
Snd..s voice agonized in its tones, ex-
claimed:
"Forbear, my father, for though your
wife, she is yet my mother, and I will
save her from your rager'
The eyes of the drunkard quailed o
moment before the upturned gaze of his
first born, so mournfully holy was the
look that beamed from his fearful face
then fendish glare burned in his own,
and exelaiming:
'You, tool-must level my house
hold ere I can find peace?" he seized the
glistening knife and struck bis child.
"Will he live?" mourned the poor
mother to the surgeon, when he had
bandaged the boys head. "He is very
pale aud weak?"
1t is CHASTITY and dangerous wound" !"
said the surgeon; ''oDly the eighth of an
inch deeper and it would have been
fatal-yet with care he might survive. .
Mother, there was pathos In the
tone that drew her eyes earnestly to the
speaker, STRIPPING of about II years
mother, I am going away"
"Awayl-and where! Ernest?" she in
quired.
''I cannot say," he replied; "God
must direct my steps-but go from here
I must The curse of the drunkard' s
son is on me. None will regard me
none even give me work. And more,
mother, if stay here must forget nv
Bible, for how can honor my father
when he 30 dishonors himself?"
Very long did the boy talk and plead
ere he won the fearful consent; but she
gave it at length, and with little KNAPP
sack on his back, his mothers Bible in
one pocket and her slender purse in the
the other, Ernest went forth in the great
world to seek, not SO much fortune or
fame. as that peace and Joy which a
drunken father would not give him in his
home.
Years passed away, and there cane no
tidings from Ernest, save that after the
hrst one, and each quarter brought the
mother remittance, and each success.
sive one of higher figure. Welcome,
too, were they all; for, but for such
generous aid the workhouse had claimed
her and her children; for, downward,
still downward, went her husband, his
absence no longer counted by hours, but
weeks and months.
In bustling city, many miles from
his native town, a stranger one night
found him in q gutter, half frozen,
starved, weary and sick. Like good
Samaritan, he picked him up, and as he
was too weak to walk, placed him in a
conveyance and had him taken to his
own home. A warm bath, clean gar