The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-08-11


 tore her away, had been one from which he could never recover.
 CHAPTER II.
 Three years had passed since the mar- riage of Matt Harriati and Mollie Hobart. and Brookheld was again wildly excited. As before, Harrat; was the cause The man who had made miserable the life of the woman who had given up all for him. ruined his own. and disappointed all who were neares; and dearest 10 him. had now raised his hand in violence against another. and the result had been murder In drunken bout 8 dispute had occur red angry words and blows, and then though the two men had long been friends-the shedding ot blood had fol- lowed. Harria,t. still dazed and bewil- dered. had been thrown into laii. The next morning found him sobered and n the widest state of excitement. During the days tha; followed ms refnorse q. what had passed, and surferings for wha. was to come. were frigh:fui. 4; tunes. often trying IF vain :o control himself. ne would sive away. and cry and sob like child: aga,n. strong man ;ha. he was. ne would rave wildly. and cai. upon God b curse him: often his mind seemed waver- ing on the dread borde..aud of reason and insanity.
 The ac; of Matt Eatr!a.. had been | sudden and unprecedented one. but tor aii that |, was murder. and in the tirs, wild wave of excitement. as Is always ,he case, there was loud talk of vio,en, meas ares. but when the public rage had cooled. law and order were allowed 10 take thei. course. 50 strong, however. was the feeling agains: the murder .ha, many days passed ere sympathy was shown fo. the wife. Then l, was that several of her old companions soggh. her ou: and ten- dered her their friendship and assistance : bu; they were surprised 10 ind ,ha, she who had once been the .irst to protfer assistance, now tirrnly refused help from those sils s511 5e..:.:-.dei She said she wanted nothing. needed ard only wished 10 be let alone with her baby and her sor- row. And so th ,se who had called epon her-all of them women-lef, her. and wen, no more to see her. Yet ever after they marvelled much that she whom they had regarded as helpless. ard ever ready 70 lean on others. now. Tn her sorries. need. refused all proaered assistance. They could no; understand why I. was so: II was one of the contradictions of Mollie HobaE's lite. Meanwhile. lei; to herself. she did no; rlurmur but though frail and weak. telled hard ,ha, she might win bread tor herself and child. She saw and talked with no one; and the only time that she wen, ou:. save when she went to her daily work. was when she visited her husband a, the lail.
 Her li;;le one always accompanied her IT these visits: and she. to whom :he portals of speech were slowly opening. and who was Jus: beginning to pratt,e in q pretty babyish way. would ask why ,he vi-ied men had locked papa up. and why ,hev would not let him come home with them. Then II would pause and gaze with ehiii- ish wonder II the strange sigh: e: seeing plpa 1T ;elgs. Children never seem half 50 innocen; and lovely IS whei. they are thrown ln eon.act and compared w:th a.sery and crime !. would have toach- ed and sof;eneJ inc ha.dcst hearts could they have seen the murderer as he eiasDeS his child 10 his breast. and ra:aed stormy. repen,ant tears upon i,s up,urned. wondering face. The conduc; ot the wife towards the guilty man was also infinitely touching. From her small earnings she bought him delicacies. often depriviag herself of food. that she might better minister to his comfort. She never re- preached him for what he had done. Instead. she ever strove to show her deep love for him, and to help him throw of .he desponding and fearful moods we have described.
 olswly the days-in agony and sorrow. years to the wretched rian-wh!ch should bring the s,ial Of Matt Harriat, dragged on Oliver Hobart, who. since the mur- der. had sep, himself in close seci-sion had. 10 the surprise of all who knew the mans nature and iron-wiii. employed an able criminal lawyer 10 defend the ac- cused and the attorney was working un,iringly 10 save his clients life Har- ria,,. however. had given up all hope. and gloomily looked upon his trial as the time which should decide the day of hs death
 l, was the nigh, before he trial The sun had gone down ia the wes.. and the shadows had begun tp broaden and deepen insiie the Btoosneld lail. Even with the nooniay sun shining down upon !, he prison was a ;arb;diing looking building and now. with the darkness oi evening hanging over l; ike d shroud. |: was dark. gloomy and awful. The pris- oners had been gwen their evening meal. and the turnkey had gone his rounds. locking into their cells those who durlng the day were allowed 10 roam the cor riders a, will ObIec,s along the stree, were growing dim and indis,inc, in the gathering darkness; and within the hall way of ,he lail i, had grown 50 dark. tha, when the turnkey. in answer to a sharp rap from the little hammer which hung without. opened the iron door, it was sometime before he could distinguish from the heavy shadows abou, her. the woman, with a child hugged closely to her side. who was waiting for admi,;ance When she spoke, her voice was recos- nized as ,ha, of Matt Harria..s wife. who. during the months of her husbands i'm prisoamen,. had become familiar to all rhe prtSou off .-taix The door .,,a,aj ,