The South western news., 1888-01-18

turbed my repose; but when it was re-
! peated aud l heard the words "Helu +
help !" IN a voice which was neither
coarse nor vulgar, itoccurred to me that
instead OF coming from the lips of some
drunken brawler, as / had at first SUD-
! posed, 1t might be that of some innocent
being in distress, and without a mo.
ments hesitation hurried on my clothes
and dashed out of my room and into the
street.
Here I stood staring about me with.
out seeing anyone. The street was de-
serted and utterly dark, save for the
blue and crimson CLEANS from the win
dow OF druggists shop on the corner.
but | heard the screams again, and this
time discovered that they came from
the house next door. and hurrying into
the public entry which was quite I'M
garded, | came at once upon the scene
of action. A woman was struggling in
the arms Of filthy and degraded look
ing brute, who reeked with whiskey
and was clad in rags that were scarcely
deserving of the name of garments.
"Let me go p she cried. ''Take the
money-take all | haye--but let me
go |"
And the next moment [ had levelled
uhe brute to the ground with blow,
ana had stood between him and the
woman.
Apparently had not hurt the fellow
much. After lying motionless for
moment he scrambled to his feet, gave
me furious look, appeared to medi.
tue an attack upon me, changed his
mind, and staggered out at the door.
lie is gone, [ said to the woman.
"lon are safe; but has he robbed you2
Shall L follow him and detain him
ohe answered by clasping both hands
together as though in prayer.
"Ah, no, for Heavens sake, "she said
Let him go. The farther the better.
He has taken only WHAT mean he
has taken nothing. Thank you, thank
You; you have been so good, so brave,
so-Oh, thank you'll"
And with these words she turned
from me and hurried up the stairs. AS
she passed the Pickering gas-iet in the
hall its lights fell full upon her face. and
h l saw that it was the girl
had watched all day through my study
1t window.
"Stay" I cried, "Madame. please
" permit ne. One moment" but she
was gone.
Iaw her again next morning, how
ever
She sat at her window again, but this
time she gave me smile and bow,
i 1t was not etiquette, know. It was
perhaps very wrong, since we had no
! introduction whatever, but we soon
" became friends. From smiling we came
to speaking; having spoken [ begged
leave to call. After that love had his
own way with me. To win and wear
my treasure became the hope of my
life.
She was, as l had fancied, of Cuban
descent At once so soft and spirited,
Y she WAS Ill for which [ had ever hoped
q in my ideal wife.
One day resolved that would no
longer delay my happiness. [ would
ask her to be my wife, and if she accept
ed me, as | had little doubt she would,
We would be married at once. True.
We would be poor, but we had youth,
health, and industry, and we need
not fear but that all would be well with
u.s.
1t was calm August evening; the air
was sweet and sensuous; floods of white
moonlight lay across the pavements and
mellowed the city streets into certain
beauty.
l had bought handful of red roses of
an Old woman who sat at the corner. and
was taking them to my love. ASH held
them IN my hand their fragrance hoated
about me. [ shall never forget those
! hgnrc in yxrl,i,l, Ill 1
concentrated
L sought her presence. I gave tho
roses into her hands. / sat down be.
side her. The only light in the room
was that of the moon. There was nc
one near to listen; and there, holding
her white hand in my own, l told her
OF my passion and asked her TO be N,
wife,
She listened to me without q word,
and when l had done speaking she lifted
up her black eyes, swimming with tears.
and looked me in the face.
Henry, she said, 81 have done very
wrong; l have allowed myself to be han
Ply; have tried to forget how it must
end, l love you even as you love me,
but cannot marry you. am already
married. have been wife since I
was sixteen years of age, and | am now
twenty-five. My husband is the man
from whom you rescued me on that
night when [ first learned how brave
and kind you were. He comes to mo
now and then to take my earnings from
me. On that night he " Is more lnOt.
icated than usual, and had endeavora3
to beat me-
"Oh, Henry, pity me, pity me Do |
not blame me if [ have given you grief.
suffer more myself, far more
How altered the night seemed as 7
went out into it It's beauty was gone.
It's sweetness wants he'd. / wandarad |
along the street which led riverward,
and came to the loag wharf at the foot
1t was late, and the place was deserted
by the thron2 of poor people that hob;t,
Eally came there in the early evening
Tor fresh air. sat down upon its clge
and looked into the water. How loHo
and weary seemed the time before me
And perhaps, after all, there was rs
hope. The wretch to whom TsahaiI.
was tied might outhye her.
=, Was it not better to end ALTO dc
then and there and I've done with law,
and PAIN forever! II almost seemed
SO. And below NE the river, dark deem
ana silent, swept on toward the sen. If
death We're only long slumber, AZ
some men believed, why not
My thoughts We're disturbed by q
Stumbling step. l looked up. THROUGH