West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1888-12-20


in's wuss than anything else. There
Libbie; take it. 1t was very nigh a. goin'
as everything else has"
He held out the little gold ring to her
and turned his head away. In an instant
the woman was on her feet. Her long.
thin hand clutched the bauble and hot
flush showed itself on her pallid, suuken
cheek.
Father, she cried, "would you daref'
In her indignation she was speechless
for moment but then she broke down
and the tears came
ut is all / have left,n she moaned,
''all have left 10 remind me OF him =
all Of his fathers the child NAV ever see.
How could you think of it, fatherY IL
was cruel-cruel.
"'Twas all wrong yes twas, Libbie, y
the man asscnted. ''But IL bruck mo
heart to think o. you aud that leetle 'un
sittin' here supperlcss. heerd the bella
tollin' up in the city and the horns
a-blowin', and / knowed that everybody
was havin a good time on ehrsniss Eve
night, while you was starvin'. / couldn't
stand it. sneaked away with the ring
TO pawn IL or sell il, didn't care what.
till heard the little creetur's cry, aud il
brought me 10 myself agin 'His childr
/ says TO meself. His child And 1
right about aud comes back here with the
ring to you, Libbie--to you, me poor
gal"
He sat down on box aud ran his hand
through his tangled hair and saw the
woman dry her eyes und look at him
kindly and pityingly. Once ortwice he
bit his lips aud shook his head, as though
a struggle were going on within him and
then, IN broken voice, he said: "I.ibbie.
I've somethin' & tell you, but I've been
ashamed Q open me mouth about it.
There's times now when look back q
the days when you was Il bright gal, and
poor Ned-yes, poor Ned never called
him that before, but now must-when
poor Ned was maxim love g you aud
was maxim brute o. meself Z him. lie
wus good. lad, but / wus so cussed
stuck up with me shop and the loafers
about il that used Z brag about mo that
wouldn't tstand his marryin' you. When
you tuck him, and hunted him away
with me abuse and me drink. / didn't
think the day would come when I'd be
sorry for It. But il has, Libbie, IL has.
Hes gone. Maybe gone for good"
The woman was crying again, but she
wiped away her tears at this and raised
her pale face again.
''Oh, don't say that, father, don't say
that, she cried. "Ncd will come some
time. He will find us yet. 1t seems so
strange this long waiting But he said
he would come to claim me as his wife
when he was able to support me, aud
he'll do it. ] remember when he went
away. He said to me; 'Libbie, your
father forces me TO this. Come with me
~ IN xpff t.I III.
but depend upon IL that | shall be back
soon 10 claim you, my little wife, aud
when j do I'll come like n man, will
ing aud able to take care OF you and
take odds from DO onc' Then he said !;
Whenever you see that ring think of
me and remember that will be working
hard to keep my word He went away
then and have tried never to doubt
him. But it Is so hard TO wait aud wait
and hear nothing He may be dead. He
cannot be untrue. Disappointed and
perplexed as / am ] will not believe it.
But no word, no word. IL is that is
Killing me"
Old Tom arose and walked the length
OF his cabin, then turned about and came
back TO the seat on the box. Then he
leaned over to her and said
I'm agoin' to tell you somethin' Lib
bic, It's somethin' l oughter told you
lcDg ago but didn't have the courag .,
me gal, to own up TO what scoundrel
wus."
The woman dried her tears and there
was look Of interest in the pale face
that encouraged him to 90 on. But he
still hesitated aud said to her with a
trembling voice, "You won't cuss me.
Iibbie, will you bad as may be you'll
forgive me now that I've come around
and mean to do better"
she remained impassive and only said
'fGo on, father. +"
81 will. ] will, II il kills me. Libbie.
don't You worry yourself on account o.
Ncd's stickn by you. lie wus true to
you ell along. lie wrote to you. lie
sent money to you. lie never forgot
you, poor boy, and II tuck letters,
money and all.