Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-10-06
into his mind. flo saw the wood.pile with


death-like Need he go IMP To be quite
sure, yes. He pulled the string OF the
latch aud the door creaked upon its hinges.
The moonlight streamed in and fell in
broad sheet across the cabin floor.
Oh, man, with heart Of stone, could You
look on what was pictured there without "A
CRY?
Between the fireplace and the door lay
tho old mother. her gray head resting IN
pool Of blood. the CHASTITY white face
turned toward tho open door. One hand,
rOughcrcd by constant labor for the son
who stood IN the doorway. still grasped
her apron half filed with chips.
Poor old hands They had nursed the
boysirom infancy through childish Ills. lift
cd them high IN the arr ia playful fashion,
bathcd Thorn. fed them. dressed them. and
had performed The thousand labOrs which
wealthy mothers delegate 10 hirelings, and
tonight they had been slilled in their last
labor. The faithful old mother had fallen
IN harness. Behind the oabin-door had
stood her baby-boy, grown 20 manhood,
and 4 was his hand -hjs-which had dealt
the cruel blow. In the moonlight lay the axe
covered with his mothers blood. Beyond
the mother. partially in shadow, lay the
body of her eldest son. He had come from
the distant town. hungry and tired, few
moments after his mother fell, and stOOp-
tinct had received the death-blow from a
brother hand.
Bin Sprouse wiped the cold sweat from
his face as he looked on. Fiend although
hc seemed. hc gave this sign Of humanity,
and turning fed from the spot a. though
thousand demons were pursuing hin.
The nearest ucighbOr, Tom Tinker. WAS
a mile away, and the family was aroused
by Biil Sprouse calling them 70 come and
see how some ono had killed his mo-
Their and Jack while he was away at the
shuckiuc. The neighbOTs one by one
heard the news, and soon many were
on the spot looking upon the awful scene
with ali their kindness OF heart, having
that vulgar curiosity which enjoys horrors.
There wac not ono of those mountaineer
women who could not afterwards tell Just
how poor old Mrs. SprOusc and her son
was alnviu'." how much of her skull had
been crushed in, and how far the blood
had spatterod, and yet they had all liked
tho old woman. and had done and received
many neighbDrly acts Of kindness, such as
scndiug the first mess" of peas OF pOta-
toes or a piece Of pork at Christmas. They
thought twas awful and they were
terrible sorry," but they wanted 10
see -.
Mr.. Scruggs was among the first TO ar
rive. and 1t was he who in bending over
Mrs Sprouse discovered that she stil
lived.
Kun. boys" he cried. for some whis-
key. and one of You for the doctor
When from the nearest point the whls-
key had been brought Bill Sprouse OBJ
jectod 10 its being given.
"'Iaiu't no use a-pcsterln' her," he SAID,
she can't live nohOw."
q" But che mought say who done it, and
that would be sOmetbin'," answered Mr..
Scrugcs.
Bll Sprouse bent over his dying mother
and put the cup 10 her lips. ..
"'Daint no use; she won't take no more, "
lac sand.
But Mr.. Scrugrs took the cup from his
hand. "Iemmc try" he said: and when
ho put the cup again 20 her lips Sue again
swallowed fceblY.
Five. ten, fifteen minutes passed, but the
old mother stirred not, nor gave any fur
thor signs of life than she had shown.
1911 Sprouse was thinking that if she had
not turned her head toward HIM accident
ally a. the blow from the axe fell she would
never have stirred again. as Jack had not.
but the axe had glanced slightly and made
the blow mll "A little less heavily than II
would have d0uc. IL would no doubt
cause her death, but she had seen him
then and WAS living now, and what # she
should speak and say the words he dread
cd. He became go nervOusly anxious at
this recurring thought that when twenty
minutes had passed by the old clock on
the shelf above the fireplace he could en-
dure il no longer. lie knelt beside her,
placing himself between her and the lew
men standing at the door who had as yet
arrived. lie rested his hand over the
heart which had always beat loyal 10 him.
II was beating ieebly still.
The touch seemed TO rouse her. Tho
old ewes opened slowly and wandered va
cautlv around the room and then came
back TO his face, no longer yacantly. In
fellircncc dawncd there slowly and then
recognition. Their stoadiast reproachiul
paze burned into his heart and was en-
craven there forever.
Bill, the pale lpstramed with evident
effort "Ulot2"
The doctor, arriving a few minutes later.
found her dying. She was past all help, be
said. Heknclt beside her compassIonatcly.
"Do You hear me, Mrs. Sprouse2" he
asked.
Yes" came low in response.
Listen. " he said. Who struck you?"
Slowly and distinctly it was spoken, and
the stiffness of death followed, as all the
little company leaned forward waiting for
the reply.
BiU Snrouee had moved to the door Of
the adjoining room. Should he hy, he was
questioning. while he had time, or wait
Flight meant guilt, and she might be un-
able TO speak after all. He held himself
r.adv to tiv if the words were spoken.
There came no answer TO the question. IL
WAS slowly repeated, still no answer. The
Doctor mOistcned her lips with the whlskey
and tried again.
"Do YOU know who struck you Z" he
asked, and bent his head low to catch the
answer 1t was heard 10y al III the stllIhess
Yes"
"Who?" he asked.
No reply. lie moistened her stltenlng
'Tlv 10 say who struck YOU, he repeat
cd. but the lips moved not. Was 1t that
She co,dd not, or that she lrOVd not say the
words winch all save one wanted 10 hear Z
ON the day on which Jack Sprouse had
gone t. town Malcolm, I'm lmkers little
SON of seven or eight years, had seen INN
ae he passed his fathers shop and had
asked him. handing him q few cents, If he
would buy some fish-hOoks for HIM. Jack
had promised with q smile, for lie was yet
Young, and q small boys delight IN tlshIng
had not faded from ms mind.
Iato iu the afternoon. after the cows
had been driven up, Malcolm had deter
mined to 20 over t. Mrs. SprOuse's and get
his hooks from Jack and be ready FOR an
early fishing eXcur -lOu Wlln MS IdNoIltc
friend next morning. 1t was nearly dark
when his small legs brought HIM to the
door Of the cabin.
There were two rooms TO the house, with
an entrance door facing the north on one
side and the south on the other, and a.
there was no particular front TO the house
visitors might enter at either open door
and pass through into the adjoining room
without the ceremony of knocking.
Little Malcolm's bare feet entered noise
Ies.ly through the door facing the north
lust as Mrs. SprOuse crossed the threshold
of Inc adjoining room from the south side,
and in that moment, 10y the light from the
omen door. he saw Bill SprOuse step from
behind the door aud stain his hands with
his mothers blood. The child was toe
much terrified TO cry out, and, following
an instinct of sch-preseryation, which was
wise. rapidly and noiselessly crept under
the coverlid Of the bed close at hand, an d
IN the rlmOtcSt corner lay still.
Had he fed through the open door be-
hind INN the murderer, turning from the
bloody deed might have caught sight OF
him, and There would have been three
fold murder IN tho sweet October twilight.
4 chnd's feelings are infinitely keener
than those of a man OF woman, not as last
in, but more acute. They are more utterly
lonely in their loneliness and Their dsap-