The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-11-21

the oack.room of which lay the object 0i my search.
 "A wretched-looking woman, the mans wife, met me on the stairs, and, telling me that be had just fallen into kind of doze, led me softly in, and placed chair for ne at the bedside. The man was ly- i ing with his face turned toward the wall l; and as be took no heed of my presence, had leisure to observe the place in which found myself
 | He was lying on an old bedstead, which turned up during the day. The tat- tered remains of a checked curtain were drawn round the beds head, 10 exclude the wind, which, ho~ever, made its way into the con.fortless room through the numerous chinks in the door, and blew it to and fro every instant. There was a low cinder fire ID rusty un6xed grate and an old three-cornered stained table, with some medicine bottles, a broken glass, and few other domestic articles, was drawn out before it. A little child was sleeping on temporary bed which had been made for it on the floor, and the woman sat on a chair by its side. There were a couple of shelves, with a few plates and cups ard saucers an a pair of stage shoes and a couple of foiIs hung beneath them. With the exception of little heaps of rags and bundles which had been careiessly thrown into the cor ners of the room, these were the only things in the apartment.
 "l had had time to note these little par ticulars, and to m ark the heavy breathing and feverish startlngs of the sick man before he was aware of my presence. In h's restless attempts to procure some easy resting-piace for his head, he tossed his band out of the bed, and it fell on mine He started up, and stared eagerly in my face.
 Mir Hutley, John,' said his wife ; Mir Hutley, that you sent for tonight, you know
 "' An ' said the invalid, passing his hand across his forehead ; R Rutley-Hut- ley-let me see.' He seemed endeavor- ing to collect his thoughts for a few sec onds, and then grasping me tightly by the wrist said, ont leave me don't leave me, old fellow. She'll murder me :: know she will
 "' Has he been long so :? said address ing his weeping wife.
 Since yesterday night she replied. John. ohn, don't you know mep
 Don't let her come rear me- said the man, wi'h shudder, as she stopped over him. Drive her away; can't bear her near me- He stared wildly at her with look of deadly apprehension, and then whispered in my ear. T beat her.
 lem; beat her yesterday. and many ines before. have starved her ar the ooy too and now ] am weak and help less, em, she'll murder me for 1t know she ~lll If you'd seen her cry. as have you d know it to. Keep her of He relaxed his grasp. and sank back ex hausted on the pillow.
 "l knew but too wei! what all this meant. If could we entertained any doubt of 1t, for an instant, one glance at he woman's pale face and wasted form would have sufficiently explained the real state of the case. You lad better stond aside, said to the poor creature. You can dc him no good. Perhaps he will be calmer, if he does not see you She re- tired out ot the mans sight. He opened his eyes, after few seco ds, and looked Anxiously round
 |" Is she gone ? he eagerly inquired.
 Yes yes, said l; she shall not hurt you
 "' I'll tell you what Jem,' said the man Tn low voice, she does hurt me There's something in her eyes wakes such a dreadful fear in my heart, that it drives ne mad. All last night her large s,arin, eyes and pale face were close to mine wherever l turned, the, turned and whenever l started up from my sleep, she was at the bedside looking at me He drew me closer to hlm, as he said in a deep alarmed whisper em, she mus, be an evil spirit devil l Hush know she is. If she had been a woman she would have died long ago. No woman could have borne wha, she has,
 slckened at the thought of the long course ot cruelty and neglect which must have occurred to produce such an impress sion on such man could say noth- ing ID reply for who could offer hope. or consolation. to the abjsct being before him?
 sat there for upwards of two hours. during which time he tossed about. mur. muring exclamations of pain or impa- tence, restiessly throwing his arms here and there, and turning constantly from side to side. At length he fell into that state of partial unconsciousness, in which he mind ~anders uneaslly from scene to scene, and from place to place, without he control of reason, but siil without be- ing able to divest itself of an indescr,b- aole sense of present suffering Finding from hls incoherent wanderings that this was the case, and knowing that ID all probability the fever would not grow i'm mediately worse. left him. promising nis miserable wife that would repeat my visit next evening. ard, if necessary, sit up with the patient during the night
 kept my promise. The last four snd-tweDty hours had produced a fright. ful alteration. The eyes hough deeply sunk and heavy shone with a lus,re frightful to behold The lips were parched, and cracked in many places the dry hard skin glowed with a burning