Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-05-07


spoke my mind freely to you. Had act
ed basely by her, you would have been
lenient to me. i acted honorable, and
you discarded me for the act. She died
in my arms, having enjoyed brief
spell Of happiness, the memory Of which
brightens even this cold and bitter
night. ! did her no wrong; am thank
full for i'll Life is short, and to all men
comes day when there is no to-mor-
row. 1t is coming fast to me, and it
comforts me to think that did not COM
init the sin to which you would have
urged me, and for which you would but
too readily have pardoned me-" .l
lie paused exhausted. and Mr.. Ever
sole pointed sternly to the door.
go"
Mr. Richard paused moment before
the colored photograph Of monument
which Mr.. Eversolo had ordered to be
placed over his wife's grave.
"Men OF your stamp" said the young
man, with scornful smile, "torture
their women while they live, and by
way Of advertisement to themselves
raise monuments over them when they
are dead. They even shed tears, so
that the world may see and applaud.
Miserable impostors.
White with passion, Mr.. Eversolc
started from his chair and said: "Will
you go; or, shall l have you turned
from the house?"
"Restrain yourself, said Mr.. Richard.
"Sudden excitement may be fatal to me
and inconvenient to you. Should any
thing happen, spare me thatV' M
He pointed to the pictured monu-
ment on his mothers grave, and slowly
left the room and the house.
His road lay through Regents Park.
the trees in which we're quantity beauti-
full with their pure white fringes Of
snow, which was still falling lightly.
Memories came to him as he walked
slowly on, huddling himself close in tho
vain attempt to keep out the cold
memories Of merry youthful frolics in
this very park, when falling snow was
TO him an exquisite delight
From then to now" he muttered 50
slow and sure descending. 1t was on
the Alpine ranges l plucked flowers
from ice-bound clefts, and now I am In
the valley Of the shadow. But still. 4"
he said, frightening up, "the air is sweet,
and so may be the hour"
He felt in his one sound pocket, and
took tLerefrom all the money he had in
the world-ten shillings and few cop
pers, which he had obtained shortly be-
fore his visit to Mr.. Eversole by selling
the last Of his possessions wedding
ring Of his dead wife and a few favorite
books to which he had clung with al
most human love through all his
troubles These ten shillings spent,
certain destitution was his portion.
On his way towards one Of the mar
row streets which branch southward
from Whitechapel he had noticed how
gradually the snow which lay on the
| paths had changed its aspect, till from
lovely white It had become sullen
gray. But in his heart he felt more at
home in these narrow thoroughfares;
there was in his nature some spiritual
kinship with the poorer life which here
abided, and which, despite the sordid
surroundings, was sweetened by hu.
man affection and chastencd by human
sorrow. His step grew lighter, his eyes
brighter. 1.-THE stars shine every
where" he thought, ION rich and poor
alike" And then he cried aloud:
"What, PollyW
A girl about fourteen, but looking
much younger, as poor as himself. the
sister Of his dead wife.
Precious cold, amt it. DickP' she
said.
Precious things are generally scarce.
Polly" he said, "and as for cold. we
have plenty Of it."
"a like the snow," said Polly. III
only it didn't got into your boots"
Polly" he said, touching her eyes
with his fingers, you've been crying"
"Oh, you don't know, Dick,' She
said, her largo eyes growing larger.
Poor Mrs. Pink died in the hospital
his morning"
Poor creature! It's happy release
She had more than her share Of suffer.
ing. And the children"
His hand sought the wall. He had
lost bis breath, and he was compelled
to cling to something Tor support.
YOU'RE awful bad" said Polly, pres
entity. That's just how Mrs. Pink
went on. A church-yard cough, Dick. 4"
II fear SO. Polly" n @
You'll be better when summer
comes"
"Yes," he said, with bright smile;
"I shall be better when summer comes.
= think it will come soon,
II hope so. Dick"
'Thank you. Polly. But Mrs. Pink's
children-tell me Of them"
They're in dreadful way. They
amt got friend in the world now.
And Dick, do you know don't believe
they've had anything to eat the live
long day. Why, here they are!''
There they were indeed, at Mr., Rich
ards knees. He looked down and saw
two mites, pallid. hungry, ragged, their
lips quivering from yearning desire.
their eyes filed with bewildering de-
spair. He stopped, and placing his
hand beneath their chins, raised their
faces TO the light t5i7
80 poor mothers deadP" he said.
They nodded vacantly. There minds
, were o blank. They had something fal
more pressing than death to trouble
| them-their stomachs.
"And you're all alone, little onesp"
They nodded again as vacantly as be-
fore. Bitterly cold as was the nigh
I they were obvious of it. They did no,
feel the snow falling upon their whits
, upturned faces. The fight within theil
: little bodies was so absorbing that. like
Aaron's rod, it swallowed up all minol
, evils. The loss of mother--a goot
, mother so far as health and means per
| mitted-the grave which lay open il
/ their young lives. their being orphaned
the desolate futurethat stretched hefor,
3 thcm-all was nothing to them. II wa!
the present which Oppressed them, th,
, terrible, tearing, hungry present, Grea
+ heavens! Why had these innocent littl
G creatures been born with appetitesa Wha
0 wrong had they committed that mai
: and nature should be so cruel to them
II they could only bite the air. The,
2 opened their mouths and gasped.
!; "Children;" said Mr.. Richard. in
g gentle tone, "what would you like bet
3 ter than anything in the worldp"
Wide awake now with all their intel
e lectual forces sharpened. with hand
s imploringly stretched forth. with eye
;. that shOne with keen desire tho,