Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-09-06
JUDITH: A TRAGEDY.
The Gentssman's Magazine.

hard lot 0y giving out TO her unfalllng
kindness and sympathy. Many time
he had gone without his dinner that he
might provide one for Judith. He
j brought any of his books which he fan
cied might interest her, and read them
aloud during the long hours of her
waiting, while Dick was drinking him
self stupid or malicious, or gambling
away his fortnight's pay. And more
/ than once the presence OF the younger
man had saved the woman from violence
on her husbands return. Sometimes
both these watchers and walters felt too
sad and hopeless to talk, and at such
periods they would sit whole evening
without a word passing between
them; but the very consciousness OF
each others presence, the dumb, quiet
ompanionship was something, and kept
Judith at least from becoming desper-
ate. But on this particular night some
thing within impelled her to give voice
to her pent-up emotions.
"Tired" she said, in response to his
speech. Gam I ever anything else but
tired, l wonder? Tired of life, since ii
can never bring me release, never any
thing better than this; tired OF thoughts,
that always lead to one end-an end 1
dare, not face yet; tired OF everything,
but" Here she heSitated little.
"But what?"
Everything but you, Bill, dear.f
There was infinite tenderness In these
few words, or rather in the tone in
which they were uttered. Bill glanced
up quickly, an eager pleasure in his
face, and then his head sank upon his
hands again and he made no answer.
He could not quite understand his
feelings toward Judith. The first one
Of pity was gone, and something he
could not or would not analyze, lived in
its place. He had long ceased to think
of her as poor creature whom he must
do his best for. A reStlessness possess
ed him now, which rendered him I'M
happy save when near her, though,
alas, her presence brought with 1t no
peace.
"How long will be able to stand it?"
she went on, half to herself, looking
into the fire as she spoke. sometimes
I fancy such torture must kill me soon,
unless 1t is fated that he is 10 be the
first to die! Now, don't pretend to be
shocked, Bill. You know well enough
l hate him sufficiently TO help him to it,
so far as the will goes, even If L had to
follow directly"
"Why did you wed him?" asked Bill,
suddenly. Judith gave short, bitter
laugh.
because I was a fool and deserved
my fate! Because he was big and strong
and masterful, and l liked to feel he
could do what he chose with me. Be-
cause, oh, how can l make you under
stand, boy9 You, who have never felt
that sort of thing! You, who could
never realize, with your slow, calm
blood, and your quiet nature, how love
'Seizes upon such d woman as / am, and
how it carries one out OF ones self,
ones common sense, ones reason, ones
goodness-everYthing that is life, 1t Is
bliss, it is ecstasy, while 1t lasts! But
then IL never does last!" she ended alb
ruptly.
While she was speaking, shudder
ran through the young mans frame,
and for a moment his breath came fast.
All this sounded very terrible to him,
but there was n strange fascination
about it, nevertheless.
"And vet you hate him so now?" he
said, slowly. 81 thoughJa woman who
loved like that once, loved so for al
ways"
II tell you it never lasts! Perhaps it
burns itself out quickly because II is so
intense. And think what brute he Is,
and how he has made me suffer! Bill"-
here she brought her voice TO whisper
do you know how the baby died?"
'Fell out Of the bed, and that brought
on fits, didn't it?"
Fell outr' she repeated, laying her
hand on his arm, and looking straight
into his eyes with her own, in which
sullen fire burned; ''lt was thrown out!
1t had been cross and uneasy, and got
up and walked about TO try and quiet
it, for fear of rousing him; but 1t was
no use, he heard it cry, and then, when
grew tired and rested for moment on
the bed, he took it out OF my arms, and
oh, my little baby! my darling! my
baby that nestled close in TO my breast
and comforted me, and took his hard,
cold feeling away! l could stand by
with a smile on my lips and see the
wretch die when think OF that"
Just for moment the memory OF
motherhood in the woman had softened
her, but only to give place to a deeper,
sterner hatred. Bill could not speak.
He was sick and unutterably revolted at
the revelation. There was no hope, no
comfort for q case like this. what
could he do but hold his peace?
Judith, too, seemed to find 1t impossi-
bic to speak more, and she began TO lay
the cloth for her husbands frugal sup
per OF bread and cheese. Everything
about the place spoke OF poverty,
though there was neatness and spot
less cleanliness which helped to
take away any sordid impression
il might have given. Many OF the
pitmen's cottages in the North are
almost luxurious in their comfort
able arrangements and substantial fur
niture; this one was bare Of everything
of the sort, and yet, from an utter alb
sence of the vulgar ornament they
affect, il looked greatly their superior.
As much so, indeed, as did judith, In
her simple, shabby dress OF russell
brown merino, with the flowing lines
almost antique in their simplicity and
severity. She was beautiful creature,
with a certain natural grandeur and
grace Of movement that seemed to date
back TO some early and unsophisticated
period of the world, and was as much
out of character with the present time
as an epic or symphony. 1t did not
take long for her to finish her domestic
duties, and then she returned TO the
fireSide.
Bill had followed her with his eyes all
the while, and now they rested again on
~ faca These ewes were the only