The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-25
A LILY OF THE FIELD.
a Christmaa sketch.
Robert Bridges, in N. Y. Commercial Advertiser.


They lived on the outskirts of Flower City,
beyond that indefnable region where single
plank walks melt into foot-paths on the sod.
The street itself had become roadway through
field. On one side was an old apple orchard;
on the other an autumn cornield, tented with
brown shocks. Not far from the roadway, on a
hillock, stood shanty which the Rudolphs
called their home Low, square and weather
stained with broken window-papes, and rick
ETY. shed slopng from the rear, it's general appear
ance was dilapidated and forbidding.
Rudolph was ostensibly peddler, in reality a
thief, Through the rich farming region he
made many trips at night in a shalSy, old covered
wagon, drawn by an angular and spawned horse.
Many people had seen him start his excur-
sons in the late afternoons few had ever seen
him come home. For in the dark hours of the
morning he generally arrived at the shed, and
the load of farm products in his wagon was out
of all proportion to the amount of tn-ware and
other articles which he had bartered
Mrs Rudolph was ostensibly his wife; in re
atty she had no right to the title. They con
tnued to live together not because of any affec-
ton for their child or for each other. 1t simply
seemed the easiest mode Of existence under the
circumstances.
Mrs Rudolph had ! lover III q little higher
walk Of life. He robbed small stores and
aspired III time, to be u bank burglar. Mrs. Ru-
dolph sympathized with his aspirations. She
possessed something of the spirit which makes
French woman leader III q salon, and the ad-
wiser of statesmen. In her fondest dreams she
saw the rickety old house a rendezvous for a
Well-OrganiZed band of BURGLARS of which her
lover should be the chief and she the inspira-
ton. Together they talked over the plan dur
ing Rudolph's nightly excursions. The pedder
had no suspicious Of the lovers existence or the
womans schemes lie would have deliberately
murdered both of them had he known these
things. They knew it, and just as deliberately
decided to xiii him and prevent any possible
catastrophe through an unfortunate discovery.
Thus fate deCreed that there should be two
murderers and one victim, rather than one muir.
der with double crime to answer for. 1t would
be fine problem in moral philosophy to calcu
late which would be the greater crime
II.
1t was rainy night in October The storm
was beating upon the thiefs shauty, rafting the
door on its loose hinges, driving in through the
broken panes, and pickering the candle which
stood a deal table in the center of the only
room which the halfsotten walls inclosed On
one side of the table sat Mrs, Rudolph; on the
other the aspiring burglar, her lover. Now and
then he would reach forward and spread apart
the wick of the Pickering candle with the point
of long and villainous- looking knife which he
held in his hand. The fame would flare up
brightly for few minutes, showing more dis
tnctly the poverty and wretchedness of the
room. When the wind died down for time
and the fame burned steadily, the fair and rosy
face of little girl sleeping ON a rude bed, came
beautifully out of the semi.darkness framed in
an aureole of golden hair. The rain-drops. now
and then, dashed through the broken window
near the bed and warmed themselves upon her
cheeks
Just as peacefully two doves were sleeping in
their cage on the wall, with their heads tucked
under their wings. In a dingy frame hung
cheap and gaudy prlnt-a rude portraiture Of
the tall stranger in seamless robe" with out
stretched hands blessing the lilies of the field
Occasionally through the half open door, lead
ing into the she'd could be heard tho sleepy
chipping of the many species of fowl which the
predatory peddler had collected in his nightly
wandering The little girls pet lamb, which
Rudolph usually fed on his return in the early
morning, began to beat showing that the night
was wearing away.
Joe" said the ill-favored woman, ''he'll soon
be here now 1t might as well be tonight as
any other"
Joe dexterously clipped the burnt and nod ling
wick from the top of the candle with the point Of
his knife, and assehted
There was uli in the storm and they heard
the creaking of wagon wheels along the heavy
road There was futter among the animals
in the she'd and the lamb bleated atfectonately.
Joe calmly picked up the candle and walked into
the shed through the inner door. His eyes fell
upon cleaning ak blade, and, putting his knife
back in its sheath, he stopped to pick up the
surer instrument of death. The lamb was near
him and affectionately licked his hand He
gently stroked it for moment But the wagon
stopped creaking; he heard the peddlers heavy
footsteps on plank, and soon after the rafting
of the chain on the outer door of the shed. Put
ting the candle on The ground he suddenly
jumped toward the door with the ak uplifted
The woman, standing at the door of tho inner
room, quietly gave the word.
NOW, Joe!"-and it was done
Together they carried him to the field Of corn
and laid him beside one of the shocks. They
made no effort at coneeaiment they only aimed
TO get rid Of an unpleasant object. They were
familiar enough with crime to know that where
there is least coneealment there is the greatest
mystery.
Then they put the old horse in the shed and
fed the bleating lamb Satisfied with his
achievement, Joe started across the orchard to
his home.
The woman pushed the child to one side and
lay down to heavy, cohscepceless sleep.
Wind and rain had ceased. and through the
window the morning star reached in its si!very
fingers and touched the faces of the child and
its mother Down among the corn it touched
the face of one IN deeper sleep than the limo
cent girl or the hardened woman.
III.
Then the star drew in the slender silver wires
along which it had heard the hum of an awaken
ing world. For the sun had sent forth its
myriads of golden-winged messengers to start
the wheels in great factories, to paint the earth
with brighter coors, to softly touch the eyelids
of the sleepers And one glittering spirit tripped
across the shocks of corn, and the brown tassels
became golden as she passed Looking down
she saw blood-stained, staring face in the
shadow of the corn With shudder she darted
toward the house and i'll at the broken window
The dust in dark corners sparkled at her coming;
the cobwebs glistened like spun gold and the
dingy walls were frightened. Fondly she lin.