The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1884-03-14
SKETCHES FROM cIRcLEvILLE.
BY RE n A r A Y.
Sketch Fourth.
RIPPLEs, WAVES, BREAKERS.
Only a tiny Ripple"
(noaa.1,./Jo/} \


RIPPLEs WAVES, BREAKERS
Only tiny cripple"
(Concl,1ded)
The guests departed. Mrs. Bowers glanced
uneasily at her brother, who threw himself
on the sofa and in a moment was sleeping
soundly. Soon his breathing became labored
and heavy, now and then muttering lnco-
herently.
"Burt, I wish you would rouse Wilson and
get him up stairs Don't let him lie there
all night, as he did once before, the servants
will gossip about it next. I wish you would
talk to him. I think he drinks too freely.
Just think, how terrible it would be if he was
brought home drunk"
Drunk. How the word rings in her ear.
How her cheeks, even the tips of the small
ears Jingle with hot, red flush of shame
How her heart aches at the very thought
How it brushes her high hopes for her noble
and only brother!
AS she sits there watching her husband try
ing to arouse him from his heavy stupor, how
her eyes strive as it were, to pierce the mists
of futurity. Oh, what if he should become
drunkard! Lose reputation, friends, home,
all all! Will they all be lost :? Shall he, per-
chance, sink into an untimely grave; who
knows perhaps unwept and unhonored?
| Long after midnight she lay awake think
ing of the threatening storm-clouds hanging
DER her dear brother How they had played
together! How kind he had always been !
Now he seemed slipping away from her."
Alas, poor child, the waves are growing
larger and stronger.
1.-THE wave behind impels the wave be-
fore" They are rushing out Now they rise,
then fall, then rise with crested tops. The
sea is becoming yeasty and seething. Thy
ship is frail; no chart, no compass on board.
If the storm-clouds burst, night falls dark and
starless, God help you you cannot help
yourself.
crowd is gathering on Broadway. Men,
women, girls, boys. The rich and the poor
jostle together, all bent on seeing the sad
sight Two policemen clear the way, two
follow and two more bring up the rear bear
ing bleeding form.
"'Ow did it 'appen % inquired a portly
osity than pity
"Vy, de yung mon vas bin dakin' zu
mooch lager. Make him shtorm in de kup.
I'm he vip dot horse SO like he be mad and he
runs and shumps. De young mon he falls
out Dot is vot Sees"
"Och but the Lord save us. The poor
mon, and a young un too. Its clane out O.
him the breath's afther goin', sure. And SO
purity, too, wild them yaller curls O. his'n fall
in round his 'ead," and the woman moaned
and muttered and crossed herself.
Many blocks away, in quiet street. i'll one
of those handsome dwellings you see there, a
fair woman is futtering about her daintily
appointed room. The quiet is broken by
! loud, sharp ring at the door. How it echoes
through the halls 1t startles her so.
Gle II Yrocapfimap+ Of ooyoi,,p evil
Fudge How nervous am 1 will wait and
see most likely it's one of those boys with
advertisements that Ann complains of so
much. They ring with such vengeance
one would think them intent on pulling han
die, wire, bell and all out together"
A tap on the door and servant enters.
" It's some gintlemin as wants you shure,
ma'am"
sight of that white, terrified face, hearing
that muffied tramping below; her heart
seemed like lead. She almost gasped for
breath as she grasped chair for support.
The kind-hearted girl placed her arm
around her.
An don't be afther being SO scairt, place.
It's nothin' but the kerridge upset and Masther
Wilson it was as was spilled out, and they're
bringing him home jist."
6 Let me go. Oh, if it's too late, my dar-
ling." Past the frightened girl she few
Down the stairs, two steps at time. The
men stepped up, startled at the white, rigid
face, but she pushed them aside.
Oh, there lay her brother, her noble Will
son, the fair hair matted and stained with his
lifes blood. The bright sunny eyes had lost
their CLEAN of love light, and stared fixed
and stonily at the ceiling. The lips were
speeches.
Flinging herself across the lifeless body
with heart-rending wall,
"Wilson. O, my God, it's too late!"
| The policemen, one by one, turned from
the sight, wiping their eyes, blowing their
noses and staring blankly into space. Hard
ened and accustomed though they were to
such scenes they felt uneasy Something
stirred them beneath their badges, and the
tears aoouId come into their eyes.
| The doctor arrived. The men, with un-
covered heads, slowly file out. The doors are
closed. Let the curtain fall The third act
has ended in tragedy. A life has suddenly
ended its probation. A soul has gone before
the great judge unprepared. The echo of
that wall comes back, too late Lost. eter-
nally lost
! The grief stricken woman energies from the
fire, but another grief is gnawing at her heart
strings. The silent moon and the midnight
stars are the only witnesses, but the tears fall
hot and scalding To all outward appear
ances she is the same pleasant, calm digni-
fed lady, but the storm clouds are gathering,
thick, dark and angry looking The sea is
dark, its depth cannot be measured; the
winds blow, the waters splash, and, alas for
L. i i