Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-10-24
A SCAR on THE FOREHEAD.
BY G. s. A.

A SCAR IN THE FOREHEAD.
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 aud pale, her lips plnched
and purple aud her slender figures 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 We're every now and then
dropping into her lap. Her delicate
form was shivering even under the
| heavy shawl which she had thrown about
her shoulders, and she looked often with
a wistful glance at the little basket tf
fuel that stood beside the fire place.
Another hour passed and the clock
struck one.
"He must soon be here now," whis-
pere@ she, in half-frightened tone.
81 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 a handful OF the carefully saved
fuel and tanned the faint fame till it
flashed high in the chimney. Then she
looked about the room to zee if aught
could be mended; but the few ar icles it
held were all in their wonted place, and
everything as neat as the hands OF love
could make it. An arm chair was drawn
from corner close to the cracking fire,
and the dressing-gown that hung upon
it spread out anew and pair of slip
pers were upon the fender. The lamp
was trimmed afresb, the table busted
aud beside it was placed knife almost
as bright as though the blade had been
silver instead OF steel.
81 have done the best l can," said
the pale watcher, as again she sank into
her chair. "Oh, if were only sure Of
one kind word, she continued. "Hark!"
She started up and listened. 1T is he
and how he bangs the gate! I shall
have fearful time with him."
She fastened to the front door and
gently opened it.
A man staggered in, and, reeling this
way and thar, reached finally the room
his gentle wife had made so bright and
cheerful. But what was her reward? A
volley of oaths 50 foul that it seemed as
if an army of fends had spoken with one
voice. He cursed the piggardly fire,
though to make that she and her chill
dren had been half 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 own lean
fingers had earned them both. And
when, angcl-like and woman-like. too,
she gave him a smile for every frown,
an endearing epithet for every oath, and
would have wound her arms around him
to win him back to reason and himself,
he raised bis heavy hand and dealt her a
powerful blow; aye, he struck her till
every nerve qu1vered with anguish, and
she, his wife and the mother Of his beau
teous children! And now, when she lay
PROSTATE before him, he raised himself
to kick her thence. A slight young
hand pushed off the booted foot, even as
it was falling on the trembling woman,
and voice, agon,zed in its tones, ex-
claimed:
"Forbear, my father, for, though,
your wife, she is yet my mother, and i
will save Der from your rage!"
The eyes of the drunkard Quailed a
moment before the upturned gaze of his
first. born, SO mournfully holy was tho
look that beamed from his fearful face;
then Gendish glare burned in his own,
and exclaiming:
"You, too-must I level my whole
household IRE ! can find peace he
seized the glistenipg knife aud struck
his child.
"Will he live?" moaned the poor
mother to the surgeon, when he had
bandaged the boys head. "Hc is very
pale and weak"
cit is CHASTITY and dangerous
wound" said the surgeon; "only the
eighth of an inch deeper and it would
have been fatal-yet with care he may
survive
x X x X
"Mother," There was pathos in the
tone that drew her eyes earnestly to the
speaker, STRIPPING of but II years
" mother, I am going away"
"Away-and where, Ernest ?" she in
CURED.
. 81 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 I must forget my
Bible, for how can I honor my father
when he so dishonors himself %
Very long did the boy talk and plead
ere he won the fearful consent; but she
gave it at length, and, with a little KNAPP
sack on his back. his mothers Bible in
one pocket and her slender purse in the
other, Ernest went forth in the great
world to seek, not so much fortune or
fame, as that peace and joy which q
drunken father would not give him in
his home.
Years passed away: and there came no
tidings from Ernest, save that after the
first one, and each quarter brought the
mother remittance, and each success
sive quarter one of a higher figure.
Welcome, too, were they all; for, but
such generous aid, the workhouse had
claimed her and her children; for down.
ward, still downward, went her husband,
his absence no longer counted by hours,
but weeks and months.
In busting city, many miles from
his native town, stranger one night
found him in gutter, half-frozen,
starved, weary and sick. Like good
he picked him up, and as he
was too weak to walk, placed him in
conveyance and had him taken to his
own home. A warm bath. clean gar
ments, wholesome food and soft bed
were freely offered him, and passive as
q child when worn and languid, he suf-
fered them to deal with him as they
chose and soon sank into a deep, re-
freshing slumber.
It was hours ere he awoke, and then
he seemed as in a dream. The filthy |
gutter in which he had lost his con-
seriousness was now exchanged for a !
downy bed, with pillows white and soft |
as snow, with snOw-white counterpart |
and damask hangings. His rags had dis