The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1883-09-20
That Terrible Scan.

lDllCli bolCllIil tllllllc,
vet still the weary watcher sat besiHc
Hor eyes wero dim and sunkcn, her
.heeks thin and pale, her lips pinchcd
3nd purple, and her slender fingers so
,hrivelcd with the icy chill that was
last polsying her that the plain gold
ing on her wedding finger and tho
'himble that she held were every now
md then dropping into her lap. Her
iclicate form was shivcring even under
he heavy shawl that she had thrown
'h0ut her shoulders, and she looked often
with II wistful glance at the little has
ict OF fuel that stood beside The fire.
place.
Another hour passed and the clock
struck one.
"He must soon be here now" whis-
pered she i'll a holf-frightoAcd tone.
Il will lay aside my work and make
things rs cheerful as L cam"
So she brushed the ashes from the
hearth, drew the Goals together, thIrw
nn them ahandiul of the carefuliy-sa\ ed
'uel and famed the faint E;mc til it
dashed high i'll the chimney Then she
could be menGed; but the few articles it
'lClil NcLC 'tl III tIlCll "ollltNi IlltpS,
md everything as neat as the hauds of
'Ove could make it. An arm-chair was
irawn from corner close to the crack
ling fire, the dressing gown that hung
npon it spread out anew and pair of
slippers were upon the fender. The
lamp was trimmed afresh, the table
.lusted, and beside it WAS placed knife
almost as bright as though the blade had
been silver instead of steel.
81 have done tho best can" said the
pale watcher, rs again she sGnk into her
chair. ooh, if / were only sure of one
Kind word" she continued. clark ?!
She started up and listened. ::It is he
and how he bangs the gate? 1 shall
have fearful time with him."
She fastened to the front door and
gently opened it.
A man staggered in, and rcel:nG this
way and that, reached finally the room
his gentle wife had made so bright and
cheerful. But what was her reward a
COlley of oaths so foul that it seemed as
if an army of fiends had spoken with
one voice. He cursed the niggarlly fire,
though to make that she and her chill
dren had been half frozen all day; ho
swore ut the patched dressing gown,
though out of her own thin wardrobe
she had planncdit; he ravcd at the bread
and meat, though her own lean fingers
had earned them both. And when, angel
like and woman-likc, too, she gave him
a smile for every frown, an cndcaring
epithet for every oath, and would have
wound her arms about him to win him
back to reason and himself; he raised
his heavy hand and dealt her power
tul blow; aye, he struck her till every
oeryc quivorcd with anguish, cnd she
his wife and the mother of his bcauteous
children And now. when she law
PROSTATE before him, ho raised himself
to kick her from thence. Aslight young
hand pushed off the booted foot even a.
1t was falling on the trembling woman.
and voice, agonizcd in its tones, OK.
claimed:
"Forbcar, my father, FIR though Won,
wife, she is yet my mother, and / viii
save her from your rage !"
The eyes of tho drunkard quail~c g..
moment before the upturncd gaze O
his first born, so mournfully holy WAS ia,
look that bcalncd from his fearful face
then q ficndish glare burned in his OWL
and cxclaiming:
Lolij 100 !--llllISb ltNCl lily lltNSt
hold ere [ can find pcacc?" he seized tie
gllstenine knife and struck his child.
"Will he live ?" m0ancd tho poo,
mother to the surgeon, wher he haC
bandogcd the boys head. "EIo is vcr.
pale and weak"
"Itisa ghast!y and dangerous wound.
sa1d The surgeon; "only the eight of a
nch deeper and it would havo bccl
fatal yet with care he might survive
"Mother, There was n pathos in tn
tone that drow her eyes earnestly to- tn
speaker, STRIPPING of about II years
"mothcr, [ am going away"
"Away and where, Ernest ." 81
inquired.
Il cannot say" he replied Go
must direct my steps-but go from hcl
must. The curse of tho drunknrd'
son is on me. Memo will regard me-
usne even give me work. And more
mother, if l stay here I must forget m
Bible, for how can I honor my fathC
when he so dishonors himsclf?"
Very long did tho boy talk and plea
ere he won the fearful consent bat 81
gave it at length, and, With IL little kna,
sack on his back, his mothers Bible
ono pocket and her slender purse in IL
other, Ernest went forth in tho prc
I.s0sEN atgN ~ mn al