The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-08-13

The moonlight streamed in and fell in a
broad sheet across the cabin floor.
Oh, man, with heart of stone, could you
look on what was pictured there without
cry?
Between the fireplace and the door lay
the old mother, her gray head resting in
pool of blood, the ghastly white face turned
toward the open door. One hand, rough
ened 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
boys from infancy through childish ills,
lifted them high in the air in playful fash
ion, bathed them, fed them, dressed them,
and had performed the thousand labors
which wealthy mothers delegate to hire
lings, and tonight they had been stilled in
their last labor. The faithful old mother
had fallen in harness. Behind the cabin
door had stood her baby boy, grown to man
bod, and t was his and-his-which
had dealt the cruel blow. In the moon-
light 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, hun
cry and tired few moments after his
mother fell, and STOPPING over her in hor-
or to see if life was extinct had received
the death-blow from brothers hand
Bill Sprouse wiped the cold sweat from
his face as he looked on Fieud although
he seemed, he gave this sign of humanity,
and turning, fed from the spot as though
a thousand demons were pursuing him.
The nearest neighbor, Tom Tinker, was
a mile away, and the family was aroused
by Bill Sprouse calling them to come and
see how some one had killed his mother and
Jack while he was away at the shucking.
The neighbors one by one heard the news
and soon many were ON the spot looking
upon the awful scene with all their kind
ness of heart, having that vulgar curiosity
which enjoys horrors. There was not one
of those mountaineer women who could
not afterwards tell just how "poor old Mrs,
Sprouse and her son was a-layin," how
much of her skull had been crushed in,
and how far the blood had spattered, and
yet they had all liked the old woman, and
had done and received many neighborly
acts of kindness, such as sending the first
mess" of peas or potatoes or piece of
pork at Christmas. They thought "twas
awful and they were ''terrible sorry, but
they wanted to see.
Mr.. Scruggs was among the first to ar
rive and it was he who, in bending over
Mrs. Sprouse, discovered that she still
lived.
"Run, boys" he cried, "for some whis-
key, and one of you for the doctor"
When from the nearest point the whis-
key had been brought Bill Sprouse OBJ
jected to its being given.
"Tain't no use a-pesterin' her, he said,
"she can't live nohow"
'But she mought say who done it, and
that would be somethin'," answered Mr..
Scruggs.
Bill Sprouse bent over his dying mother
and put the cup to her lips.
's'Taint no use; she won't take no more, y
he said.
But Mr.. Scruggs took the cup from his
hand. "Lemme try" he said; and when
he put the cup again to her lips she again
swallowed feebly.
Five, ten, fifteen minutes passed, but
the old mother stirred not, nor gave any
further signs of life than she had shown.
Bill Sprouse was thinking that if she
had not turned her head toward him acci-
dentally as the blow from the ak fell she
would never have stirred again, as Jack
had not, but the axe had glanced slightly
and made the blow fall little less heavily
than it would have done 1t would no
doubt cause her death, but she had seen
him then and was living now, and what if
she should speak and say the words he
dreaded He became so nervously anxious
at this recurring thought that when twenty
minutes had passed by the old clock on the
shelf above the fireplace he could endure
it no longer. He knelt beside her, placing
himself between her and the few men stand
ing at the door who had as yet arrived.
He rested his hand over the heart which
had always beat loyal to him. 1t was beat
ing feebly still.
The touch seemed to rouse her. The
old eyes opened slowly and wandered va
cantly around the room and then came back
to his face, no longer yacantly. Intelli-
gence dawned there slowly and then reeog
milton. Their steadfast, reproachful gaze
burned into his heart and was craven there
forever.
"Bill," the pale lips framed with evident
effort, "you?"
The doctor, arriving a few minutes later,
found her dying. She was past all help,
he said. He knelt beside her compassion
ately.
''Do you hear me, Mrs. sprouse ?" he
asked
"Yes," came low in response.
"Listen, he said, "who struck you?"
Slowly and disticntly it was spoken, and
the stiffness of death followed, as all the
little company leaned forward waiting for
the reply.
Rill Snronse had moved To the door of