The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1888-02-16

''Jane, i Sdlsl III lily uUuiOSU ulSIlI-
fed voice. II must do my duty"
But, Lord, what a heap of mean,
cruel things we sometimes do in that
same name of duty.
When the writ of expulsion was put
into my hands, and the landlord said
he wouldn't give another day, / felt
meaner than a skunk. The weather
was just fearful. 1t was not only biting
cold, but damp and foggy, and enough
gloomy to make folks in trouble bend
their ideas to getting relief by self
murder.
Ifound the same sodden young man
in the saloon, as tipsy and slouchy
and dirty as before. Now he was
noisy, drunk, staggering about the
place, swearing and Dragging, thick
tongued and maudlin, and looking
still more disgusting than when he was
doubled up on the chair.
"What the-do you want in here?"
he yelled, as was passing on to room
six.
"You dry up, sevholmp snapped the
greasy-faced man. grabbing him by the
arm and swinging him back from fol-
lowing after me. "He's got business
with your wife. Keep still, l,-you!
you're not fit for business"
But the tipsy loafer broke away and
burst into the presence of his wife; and
when l had explained the nature of
my errand he ranted out:
Its all right, Elsie. Tvegot aplace
ready. I'll fetch a wagon and have
the things moved right away" And
out he started on run.
II am glad of that" / said to his
wife, as she held up her white, troubled
face towards me. Glow in the world
did so nice a woman become tied to a
brute like this?"
"Oh, if he only will" was the pitiful
exclamation of the heart-stricken wo-
man.
Inow learned that another suite of
rooms had been secured, only await
ing the payment of the first months
rent in advance, and that by the sale
of portion of his wife's best wearing
apparel the needed money had been
secured. l also learned that the man
was first-class workman in a business
that paid exceptionally high wages,
and that until he had fallen into
habits of intoxication they had lived
as happily and respectfully as hearts
could desire.
Would he return with team and
gain the new home for his family? or
would he continue his drunken spree
and spend the money his wife's cloth
ing had been sacrificed to secure? 1
asked these questions a score of
times, as l stole furtive glances at the
lo 3e,
and noted the terrible strain her mind
was in while he was gone.
The furniture was nearly all packed
in readiness for removal; and l knew,
though she did not tell me, that frail
wife had spent her strength in the ar
duous preparation.
had told the landlord that they
were ready to move, and would be
surely gone that day. He was not
half satisfied. He had come tearing
to the Office in great stew of anger
and impatience to have them thrust
out forthwith, he would not grant an
other hours delay, so there was no
help for it; if Sevholm did not speedily
appear l should be compelled to place
their effects on the sidewalk.
So stating to Mrs. Sevholm, I added
that 1 would heap rather take a
licking than do it. With tears of
thankfulness in her eyes, she respond
ed:
"You shan't be put to the pain oft.
God bless you for your kindly SYM
pathy. You are like the dear old
father I once had"
Then after she'd turned her head a
minuteto brush away the tears that
blinded her, she drew heavy gold
chain from the bosom of her dress,
and as she held it up for meto look at,
went on:
at cuts me to the heart to sell this.
It was present from my dear mother
the day 1 was married. can sell it
for enough to pay the rent, and have
the things moved in q little while, if
you will be so good to watch the baby
until my return"
In course understood well enough
that she had given up all hopes of her
mans return, Or of ever seeing the
money she had trusted him with to
pay for therooms. And it was curious,
as I could see as plain as plain could
be, that she was ten times over more
panied and worried about me finding
out what a miserable scamp her
husband was showing himself, than for
the trouble and.misery he had heaped
on herself.
That was womanlike.
I wouldn't listen to what she had
proposed, by no manner of means.
As good luck would have it, 1 had $40
in my pocket. Said /:
eff this will be enough will lend it
on the chain, and you can pay it back
whenever you are able. That way
you won't need lose your mothers
present, nor pay any interest"
Shecouldn't speak for thanks. Her
heart was too full.
At this very minute her husband
came tearing into the room before his
wife could get the jewelry out of sight.
''Give that to mel" he screamed. l
knew you had it all along. But you
lied; lied!'
With this he struck at her in his
drunken rage, and poured forth tor
rent of cursing vituperation.
Then I grabbed him and yanked him
backwards with a pretty rough jerk,
but before / could secure him he gave
me q clip under the ear that knocked
me over stool, and made another
savage lunge at the defenseless woman,
as she strove to get out of his way.
The blood of Constable John Frick
was now up to fever heat. Generally
he is mild-tempered man, with a
constitutional tendency to peace. He
never could stand quiet and see a
woman or child abused though, and
he tackled that madened brute with as
little compunction as he would have
trampled the life out OF a snake or rat.
knocked him down, kicked him a
time or two in the ribs, and mopped
up the floor with him in way that
sobered him so he fairly roared for
mercy. Never gave man such an un-
merciful thrashing in my life before.
And all this time his wife, her face as
white as death and holding out her
arms imploring, begged for mercy on
his cowardly hide.