Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-09-17
aSardv,, ebo murmpred

quired. "and who took your husband
away?"
The boy shuddered and orept close to h e
motber's side. She hesitated.
"Here, Jenny" Ihastened to say, stake
this money and 60 to the nearest shop. Your
mother will tell you what to buy"
He was gone, but, nevertheless, I was
haunted by those solemn, pleading, wistful
eyes-eyes in which the glad light of happy
childhood had never lurked; eyes which
looked out upon life shadowed by the wing
of poverty and hopeless misery.
| "You msy remember, sir" began his
mother, s'the great strike of the miners in
this region in the year 188-. Sandy, my
husband, was agin il, sir, from the first.
| Well, SIR" she continued, ''the men bad
been idle for mouths, but still they c!ung
| to the hope that by hoidin' out their future
would be bet;ered. 1t was bitter cold aid
Sandy had gone out to get the trust of a pail
of coal. He was very white, sir, when he
came back and there was that in his eye
which made me shudder.
"'Why. Sandy, cried, my man, why DO
you look so?'
"For answer he pointed to the empty
pail.
"'They would give me nane,' says he
slow-like and husky; they will nae trust US
more.'
"'And why?' I asked, all of a tremble
"'They mean to turn us out of the house
tomorrow he answered bitterly. New
men, my lass, are coomin' to take our places
at lower wages the day.
"'But the bairn, our sick bairn?' cried.
She has been cryin' for sup of broth since
mornin'. She is dyin', Sandy-dyin' for
| the lack of nourishment.'
"'Ye maan get chicken, Sandy cried
granny; try it, mon. The darlin' is starv.
| ing; can ye no see?'-
"'A shickenp cried Sandy, with bitter
laugh. 'Ye maun as we'll ask me for the
keys of heaven, granny. They would nae
gle me trust of pail of coal the morn. A
chickenl They would call me mad an 1
should ask for it-mad!'
"Well, SIR" continued the woman, after
a painful pause, ''the next day was cold and
raw. A fine, drizzling rain set in, which
froze as 1t fell. The little one was worse.
She lay quite still now and moaned no more.
sThey wills never turn US out in this
storm, Sandy, with a sick BARN, said,
| they can never be so cruel as that
"'The new men must have homes,' he
answered, despairing like.
Gust then came knock at the door,
Granny looked out the windew, then turned
with white face and set lips and grasped
Sandy by the arm.
"'Be a mon,' she said, in low, deep
voice, 'be mon, Sandy, and dinna let them
turn US out this awful day. Think O. your
dyin' BARN and be mon.'
Sandy shook in every limb, but answered
not word. There was a louder rap now
at the door. Granny wrung her hands in
agony, for just theu from the bed came a
low moan.
"'Broth,' cried the BARN; granny, bro'hp
Open the door, Sandy said granny,
and taking the little one in her arms, she
stood like figure turned to stone in the
middle of the floor. There was silence for
moment when the door was opened, then
one of the men laughed.
Come he said, make ready to be out
of this by noon. You had your orders yes
terday, Sandy, and we mean to enforce
'em.'
But the BARN is near to DYING an
swered Sandy, choking like, and sure you
will not turn us out in the storm?'
We'll, if the brat be near dying said
an officer, brutally, she may as well die
outside as in.'
"Then," continuedth the woman, shielding
her eyes with one hand, 81 heard a growl
as like from wild beast, then q cry of
mortal agony, and then"
Her voice broke and she half arose from
her chair and looked with a fixed, stony
gaze straight before her.
s'And then," she resumed, with white
lips, 'sthe man who had uttered that cruel
speech flung up his arms, swayed to and
fro and fell at Sandy's feet without life or
motion. Then the rest sprang upon Sandy,
who stood there dazed and horror stricken,
| kbo I,
Is L did nae mean to kill him. he said,
solemnly, with uplifted hand. God above
knows I did nae mean to kill him. But the
BARN is the light o. my eyes, and if any of
ye be fathers, ye maun know hoW-how-'
HE could say no more, sir, for the tears
which choked him; tears wrung from his
great noble heart-a heart as tender as q
woman's.
"'Come,' said the dead mans friends,
savagely, come. We don't want any more
of your whining. You'll get halter for
this days work, never fear.'
ga halter!' exclaimed granny, dazed
like-'a halter for my Sandy!"
"Then she looked at the dead mans face
and laughed, such horrid laugh, sir, that
it curdled the blood in our veins.
"The child no longer moaned, but lay
quiet within her arms. Sandy shook off
the hands which held him aud stopped to
kiss the BARN.
"'She's dead, he said, quietly; my
Jenny, our pretty bairp, is dead;' and,
without another wo d, turned and went
out of the door, never to enter it again."
"Surely," l stammered, she was not,
not
/ could not bring myself to utter the
horrible word.
e.y NsI Oh .afl G,,1l t,a
was sent to prison for life."
"And you and the boy and granny"
inquired-"what did you do2'
"The neighbors helped US to move here, !"
she said, YEARLY, "and helped to bury the
child Granny reason fled that dreadful
day and, as you see, she still nurses the
BARN and ever in her ear rings that mourn
| full cry, Broth! granny, brothP p"
The door opened suddenly at this juno
| ture and in sprang Jenny, with look
upon his face that brought us both to our
| feet.
"Hes comen' he gasped, she's come !!
Granny was nae mad when she said he'd
come the day"
"Who?' cried his mother, wild hope
cleaning in her eye. "Quick, Jenny,
tell me. Who has come?''
"My boy Sandy" crooned granny,
| aroused by the confusion. tits my Sandy
come back with the broth for the BARN."
SAY, mither,'' cried rough, manly
voice at the door, "God be thanked, it's
thy boy Sandy come back indeedW
The wife stood like one turned to stone.
''Escapeds" she gasped, with shudder,
as her husband held out his arms, ''es-
caped?"
mae, my lass" he cried. "Never fear,
| 1f;c not oooopo1 r on, b1t rfiOuoI Iappv
-pardoned."
That meeting was too sacred for a
strangers eye to witness, and so l silently
stole away and left them; the strong mau
shaken with emotion, wife and child SOB
bing upon his breast, and granny, with her
"bairu" tenderly clasped in her arms,
smiling upon the group in placid, sweet
content.
The Constitution as we'll as the rules of
the U. S. House of Representatives provide
a. IL, g 1bnr nf hot f,,J