The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1885-07-11

L
more disgusting than when he was
doubled up on the chair
what the - do you want in
here?" he yelled, as | was passing on
to room s.
"You dry up, Sevholm" snapped
the greasy-faced man, grabbing him
by the arm and swinging him back
from following after me. He's got
business with your wife. Keep still,
you you're not fit for business"
But the tipsy loafer broke away and
burst into the presence OF his wife;
and, when had explained the nature
of my GRAND, he ranted out:
ITS all right, Elsie. I've got a
have the things moved right away
And out he started on arun.
''I'm glad of that" | said to his
wife, as she held up her white, troubled
face towards me. And Just then the
thought was forced upon me:
"How in the world did so nice a
woman become tied to brute like
this?"
"Oh, if he only will :" was the pitiful
exclamation OF the heart-stricken wom-
an.
| now learned that another suite OF
rooms had been secured. only awaiting
the first months rent in advance, and
that by a portion of the wife's best
wearing apparel theneeded money had
been secured. / also learned that the
man was a first-class workman in a
business that paid exceptionally high
wages, and that until he had fallen in
to habits of intoxication they had
lived as happily and respectfully as
hearts could desire.
Would he return with a team and
gain the new home for his family, or
would he continue his drunken spree
and spend the money his wife's cloth
ing had been sacrificed to secure?
asked these questions a score of times,
as | stole furtive chances at the troub-
led look in the woman's eyes, and
noted the terrible strain her mind was
in while he was gone.
The furniture was nearly all packed
in readiness for removal; [ knew,
though she did not tell me, that the
lrail wife had spent her strength in the
arduous preparation.
! had told the Landlord that they
were ready to move, al d would be
surely gone that day. Fe was not
half satisfied. He had CO ne tearing
to the office in a great stew of anger
and Impotence to have them thrust
out forthwith. He would not grant
another hours delay, so there was no
help for it; if Sevholm did not speedily
appear | should be compelled 20 place
their effects on the sidewalk.
So stating to Mrs. Seyholm, | added
that | would heap rather take lick.
ing than do it. With tears of thank
fulness in her eyes, she responded
you shan't be put to the pain oft
God bless you for your kindly sym
pathy. You are like the dear old
fatherI once had"
| Then after she'd turned her head a
minute to brush away the tears that
blinded her, she drew heavy gold
| chain and cross from the bosom OF hel
dress, and as she held it up for me to
/ look at, went on:
at cuts me to the heart to sell this
| 1t was a present from my dear moth
| er the day was married. | can sell il
for enough to pay the rent, and have
the things moved in a little while, i
/ you Will be so good as to watch the
baby until my return
| In course | understood well enough
that she had given up all hope OF hel
mans return, or OF ever seeing the
money she had trusted him with tC
pay for the rooms. And it was curl
Gus, as ! could see as plain as plair
| could be, that she was ten times owe,
more panied and worried about ms
| finding out what a miserable SCAMP
her husband was showing himself, thar
| for all the trouble and misery he haC
/ heaped on herself.
/ That was womanlike
| wouldn't listen to what she had
proposed by no manner of means. As
good luck would have it | had ten dol
| lars in my pocket. Said /:
.'It this Will be enough / will lend il
on the chain, and you can pay it back
whenever you are able. That way
you won't need to lose your mothers
/ present, nor pay any interest"
| She couldn't speak for thanks. Her
| heart was too full.
At that very minute her husband
| came tearing into the room before his
wife could get the iewelry out OF sight
Give that to meI' he screamed. Il
knew you had it all along. But YOU
lied; hed!"
With this he struck at her in his
drunken rage, and poured forth a tor
| rent OF curslng yltuperation.
Then | grabbed him and yanked him
backwards with a pretty rough Jerk,
but before | could secure him he gave
me clip under the ear that knocked
me over a stool, and made another
savage lunge at the defenseless woman.
as she strove to get out of his way.
The blood OF Constable John Frick
was now up to fever heat. Generally
he Is a mild-tempered man, witha con
stltutional tendency to peace. He
never could stand quiet and see a
woman or child abused, though: and
now he tackled that maddened brute
with asllttle computations as he would
have trampled the life out OF a snake
or rat.
/ knocked him down, kicked him a
time or two in the ribs, and mopped
up the floor with him in a way that
sobered him so he fairly roared for
mercy. Never gave a man such an I'M
merclful thrashing in my life before.
And all this time his wife, her face
as white as death and holding ont her
arms lmploring, begged for mercy on
his cowardly hide.