Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1888-09-19
Meg's Deliverance.

eyed vagabonel" fairly shrieked tn
hideous old. bag into poor Meg's cal
"An' that's my thanks fur raisin' y
up! That's the thanks gets flu
givin' ye Twin an schoolin', whin
might let We die in the gutter aloni
O. yer worthless fool O. a mother. +"
81 wish you had-oh, how | wisl
you had :" broke in the girl, YEARLY,
but in the passionless calm of des
pair. But you were not mercifu
enough for that. You wanted me t.
live, that you might beat, scold, ant
make out of me thief like your
selfp
The woman's bleared eyes glarec
upon her, full of furious hate. A
moment she remained silent under tn,
white heat of passion.
Could she never conquer this girl
who stood there slim as a hazel wand
How dared she look upon her with
those great, proud, scornful eyes, a.
if she, her grandmother, were the
very dirt under her feet Even the
tattered rags of her attire could not
quite hide the natural grace and
beauty, which maddened the old
woman's eyes.
1t was so like the magnificent beau.
ty of her father the man who had
secretly married her granddaughter
and after a few weeks deserted her
and the unborn babe.
At its birth the mother had died
broken. hearted; but the babe lived,
despite all her hate and beatings
lived to wonder YEARLY why she had
and to wish a thousand times every
day that she had not.
"Ye-ye brat" Kissed the bag,
springing toward her with the fury
of tigress. whether We like il or
not, We will marry Dick DAILY, an
that tomorrow, me fine lady. Will
We ever agin rise up ter call me a
thief in my teeth ?"
One fang alone adorned her gums,
and the ludicrous side Of the question
drew a wan, scornful smile from Meg
Carruth
Poor child. Seventeen years pass.
ed in abuse, neglect, and stormy tears
had not yet killed the refined sarcasm
Of her nature. nor yet the nobility
which made her shrink from this cid
beldame's vulgar cruelty.
TO the woman's fury that smile
added fuel.
aye jade" she cried, clawing and
striking her victim. Mock me, will
ye? Take that, and that. and that,
and
Hold. on there, my friend" cried
a stern, rich voice, md the woman's
uplifted hand was caught in al iron
grasp. "How dare you beat Young
girl in that inhuman fashion p
Meg lifted her beautiful eyes to the
face of her deliveier, then crept deep
er back in the shadowy old cabin, the
better TO hide her shame and horrible
rags.
For the face che encountered was
not only full Of strong, tender pity,
but strangely handsome and noble !;
the face of gentleman such ms che
had dreamed once, and through her
passionate repressed heart shot wild
thrill.
In the seeing, she loved this strang-
err just as eighteen years before, her
poor, innocent, pretty mother-the
grandchild OF Dame Graham, who
kept sort of miners clearinghouse
had loved Harold Carruth with
the love that was her doom.
With a snarl and savage glare
the old womau turned upon her res.
cuer.
"The gals mine," she cried shrily.
What likes o you have the right to
come atween herself and grapdam ?"
THE right of every man TO defend
the downtrodden, my strange friend,
he returned sternly, pushing her into
an old chair.
Don't you know that if | report
ed what | have but now witnessed TO
the officials in the city they would
como and take you to the asylum!
Even if the child was your own, you
have no license to beat her inhuman.
ly as you did.
On the threshold of the old house
stood another stranger, and now Dame
Graham saw him for the first time.
One keen, startled look in his fine
patrician face, and although her wick
ed eyes flashed hungrily, her manner
instantly changed to baser servility.
1.-THE gal is bad" she croake,l
apologeticall' limping to place chairs
near the old fireplace. 81 have to
beat her, sirs, as any q the miners
will tell We. She'll lie. and she'll
steal, and"
Deeper into her dark corner shrunk
poor Meg, shamed to the heart.
Oh. that thus she should be malign.
ed before this handsome stranger--in