Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-05-21
rHH WATERBURY EVENING DEMOCRAT TUESDAY MAY 2 lsse

the wild note of bird suddenly startled from Its nest.
 The voice was that of a woman, who cried aloud with all her might:
 "Father, fatherl Oh, my father help mel"
 Just then Sam Sharp noticed Noel Edwards dashing recklessly forward, regardless of his blindness, and needless of the obstacles in his way, while he waved his arms wildly above his head and exclaimed in tones filled with tender ness and terror:
 Edith, my Edith! where are you:"
 "Oh God, 1t is my father.n she cried. Father, father come to me, they are choking me to death '"
 "Scoundrels, ruffians let go my child, or will have your hearts blood," shout ed Noel. whose brain was in Il whirl. He was not quite certain but that this was some delusion of his distracted mind, yet he felt impelled forward by the pitt full call for help, which came to him in the tones of his own Edith's voice, and thrilled him with q thousand fears.
 Noel Edwards flung himself forward in sheer desperation, hoping to reach his daughters assailants and strangle them in his wrath. At length he reached the rear end of the carriage in which the struggle was taking place, and the sense of some cruel wrong. which he could not understand was borne in upon him with tremendous force. He knew that the woman had been silenced by physical effort, and he felt convinced that the voice which called out in the night so pathetically for help, was that of his daughter Edith.
 When he felt all this and realized his own utter helplessness the thought made him frantic.
 He caught the carriage and clung to it tenaciously. He resolved on clinging to 1t even if he should be dragged to death
 "Oh. father, they will kill me-" ex- claimed the woman, during Il moment that one of the ruftians took his hand from her mouth.
 In that desperate moment Noel seemed to be imbued with sight aud strength.
 Have courage. Edith. am here, he exclaimed, as he groped his way along the side of the carriage in an effort to reach the door. Edith, Edith" he said speak to me ?" but there was no reply. His mental anguish was intense as he heard the struggle continued in the car riaHe, and realized that it was an effort to silence Edith's voice
 My God" he exclaimed. they are killing her. Oh, why am blind? Why cannot l see and prevent this cruel wrong "
 As he spoke he reached the carriage
 
 riage were calling loudly for the driver who had remained behind in the house tc help himself to another glass of brandy, and who was so stupidly intoxicated already that he scarcely knew what he was doing.
 He came upon the scene at last with nc idea whatever of what was going on. and said in a reckless way:
 Whats the hurry, gentleman?"
 The answer to this aggravating ques tion was a ringing curse from one of the occupants of the carriage. who added
 "Drive ahead for all your are worth Spare nothing
 The driver did not find il easy to obey this order. His horses absolutey refused to move and he could not under stand II. lie 0lO not uotlce tnat San Sharp was holding them.
 Meantime Noel was trying hard to make his way into the carriage. Failing tI open the door, the stricken father in his desperation struck the glass window with his clenched fist and smashed it into thousands of splinters, He thrust his head and shoulders through the opening thus made and caught oue of the male occupants of tue vehicle by the throat
 At that moment the driver. becoming furious with his stubborn horses, applied the whip recklessly, and thus urged, the animals leaped forward, tiingiu@ Sam Sharp aside, and hurling him against one of the neighboring buildings with a de gree of force that made him see Il thous and stars. Sam speedily recovered him self, however and followed the rush. ing carriage up the dimly-lighted alley, wondering what would become of Noel Edwards and of the woman whose shrill cries for help he heard above the cursins of the driver and the chatter of the wheels.