New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-01

nasty Belle Ryder.
Mr.. Marsh had fallen into his ordinary home
mood of duh, cowed silence. lie sat with his
slippercd feet their wooden cricket, and hung
his head pulling his beard slowly and wondering
what he was living for
lie supposed men never hated their wives lie
supposed there was no man in the world whose
wife was such good cook, who kept her husbands
clothes so we'll mended and so clean as Drindy
did but he said plainly to himself that he'd
ruther be fiogccd than 10 be where she wasO
Often, as he sat there. pulling his beard and
WATCHING, Drindy she made everything painfully
clean, he ted himself that he must have been even
more of a fool than most young men TO have fallen
in love with girl who could turn out 10 be such
"A woman aG that lie also asked Of his own soul
how il would be with him if il were possible for Il
man to haze his wife
When he walked slowly through the mud of the
main street he was conscious that there was more
than the ordinary bitterness in his heart. lie
stamped down his heavy feet with an air of bra
vado when he reached the store. lie took in
large quantity of mud, and lie talked so loudly
and spat so cmphaica!ly that the storckeepcr
winkcd at the man next to him and said iii
whisper that D'rndy must have been caTTyn an
uncommon high hand with Reuben that day.
But for all this extra swaggcr Mr. Marsh was
aware that he was greatly depressed IT. did re,
seem to cXhlaratc him to have his heels on Tx
stove. He did not understand himself to-day. and
he left the store much earlier than was ns custom
One of the men actually got up from his broken
backed chair and went TO the window 10 watch the
retrcating figure.
Something or others the matter of Reub
Marsh he said ptyingly. Il never seen him
miss his aim a-spittin' before, N he missed IT
every time to-day"
The storckecpcr was chopping of a piece of TO-
bacco. lie nodded his head. lie said he was
sorry for Reub. lie sposed he was goin' mp to
them graves now. He hoped it want wicked but
he did think 'twOuld be Jest as we'll if there was
sixth grave in that row. and Drindy was laying i'll
it. For his part he'd like to help trig up Drindy
Marsh's grave, whether twas wicked or not
Then they fell to talking about Tom Ryder, and
of the fact that he had been gone week. nobody
knew where, on a worse spree than ever.
Il guess they'll have to take the little one 10 the
poorhouse this time and no mistake. Somebody
ought to speak to the secctmen, m have her seen
to-
Mr. Marsh walked on mechanically up the road
He did not know why it was that he could not
throw of his wfes influence when he had left her.
as he was usually able TO do
Some strangely desperate mood was upon him
He put hi; hand to lis head and sad If he didn't
know better he should almost Think he had been
| drinking.
Just before he reached the cemetery he passed by
the Lousc where the Ryders lived, an old place with
low caves that looked if they would awal drip
with unhealthy moisture. Some of the window
| pancs were stuffed with rags, cat walked with
| ostentatioUs misery among the puddleS near the
| lroGt door.
Mr. Marsh wished he had brought some bakers
I lad, !,
went ON staring vainly about in the hope OF seeing
| Belle.
In a few minutes more he was standing by the
| row of graves and looking sharply down At the
| sOddcu tur1 Tor the snOWdrOps There were the
| green leaves. He knclt ana pushed ABIDE the
| brown, wet grass. His heavy lace took on
pathetic look OF cagerness. No. II was TOO early
| the sun had not been warm enough There were
| no bossOnis-nOtc even buds.
| It's too bad-too bad! he muttered. How
she would err liked cm!'
| lie stood up lie brushed a mist from his eyes
that made the headstones look as If they were not
Something that felt cold and wet, like ice.
| touched the hand that hung down by his side
| But lie did not notice the touch until 1t vas re-
! peated. this time accompanied by a whine.
| Mr. Marsh reused himself and paitcd the lean
| unhappy looking cur that stood beside him.
Huilo, Jack, he said, where's your little
mistress? ?"
Jack wagged his tail and made if he would
| trot back home. but as Mr. Marsh dd not follow
| him he returned and licked his hand again. He
|
| that the man at last walked after him, the doG
| continually looking behind, until he had led hls
friend to the back door Of the Ryder house This
| door stood open.
on q spree. and he expected every moment to be-
| greeted by the owner OF this place, whom IA" de
| spiSed and whom he always wanted 10 KICK every
| time he him.
Instead Of a masculine voice. however. piping.
feeble treble sounded from one of the front rooms
oh, JACK, don't you leave me, too! Don't
1 M lIqN~ Ton
| Reuben Marsh stood suddenly still from sheer
| weakness. His great, tender heart seemed 10
choke him. lie heard the dog winning loytnIiy
| and scuttlinG about the room hc had entered. lie
breathcd long breath and pushed the door iurthci
OPEN apparently taking but one stride from the
door TO rundle bed, which was IN q corner
! On the bed was a child who stared wildly for an
| instant at this intruder. then flush OF JOY over
spread her face. She put out two bony arms to the
uan bending over her. She laughed.
| Eve lest ben pr2yln' for a friend. she crlcd
| fccbly. +" KEEP prayin SO hard that God had to
Mr. Marsh gathered the child TO his breast. His
| heart gowcl His eyes sparl;lcd as he lelt Inc
| frail form leaning conidlnslX against nm;
lie took a frayed blanket from the pea ana ana
! wrapped her up until she was like mummy. lie
| was smiling all the while he was doing this
| where's your father?
Il d know. Hes been gone ever so many
| days. guess.
81 was hungry after / ct up oil there was some
bread N sausage. Then got faint; then was
| so awful kind OF sjciu .
| The child leaned her head on the mans shoulder
and SIIt her eyes He held her yet closer
| III take We right home he said. >,
lie stepped out into the mid. damp AR. lie
held his head very high and his eyes sparkled more
| iban ever He walked down and into the village
street as if lie had been a soldier coming ifoih a
victory. lie nodded al The few acqu'lnlaIcrs T.,
saw and who looked at him wonderingy, but he
| would not stop to speak TO any one.
| The storekccpcr saw him and said TO customer
| chat there was Reub Marsh with Ryders little
oirI m he guessed Reub ID ketch it when he got
| home , Ia ~,
Mr. Marsh still held his head up whcn ne en-
f mud as he did So for lie did not pause at the
Lusk mat, nor yet at the rug by the Kitchen