The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-05

AoN OAuoA Gu . ana COE4Q not uuJ NouucL
how long IL mad been since old Elizabeth s
had rested in one which had pulsed 10 il
in compositions gentle touch. Then he eX-
cltedly proceeded
Ar ye single mon, Ye ans'er ay, We
ken"
answered ay.
Ar We single wumman2 Spak oop.
moo he yelled fiercely at the pitifully
smiling old guidwife beside me. 'Ans'er
We ay, moo"
Deaf as she was. she seemed always to
nave an lntuitive knowledge Of ner brutal
masters commands ana she gurgled and
cacl5led assent.
u ge ken ony reason why We shudna
tax THIS wumman tae be yer Lawful
weeded wife, he demanded Of me "Te
gle IN tae that, We ken - he insisted I'M
patiently, and 1 answered:
Dye ken, )" this to his wife, s'ony rea-
son why We shudna tax this mon tae be
yer Lawful weeded mon Spak Oop, moo,
ye aud boho Gle in tae that
She gurgled and cackled again.
1e bath gle in tae a o. that,'
We both assented.
Then, "said the old wretch savagely and
triumphantly we've bund yersel's mon
and wife afore thae wutnusses an" he
added IN an ugly undertone, as he seated
himself from lCng habit at the ia bic to till
out our marriage certificate, "th' dell TAX
bath O. ye"
The blowsy-faced woman signed the pa
per, received a 'saxpenCeo and left the
cottage.
The Bishop of Gretna" also signed the
document, and put it carefully in my
pocket, as the helpless old creature still
stood beside me with pitiful look of in
decision IN her wrinkled face.
A strange resolve instantly seized me.
IL must have been inexplicably conveyed
TO the mind of the reprobate before me,
for he instantly eyed me with a look of
anxiety, inquiry and alarm.
Yes" said, after returning his gaze
unfeelingly for time. Il think we at last
understand one another"
I'VE wud na-2' he servilely gasped.
"Well-no; not exactly. AS a reputable
attorney, would hardly use this docu-
ment to secure your discharge in disgrace
from Her Majesty's service as postman
and as you are an old man, very near your
grave, would not just like to have you
pass your few remaining days in prison
for the criminal offense of joining in mar
rlage those you knew to be already wed -
Laird! Laird !-ha' mercy!" he
groaned.
oh, yes, PHI have mercy, of course 1
Will. Particularly my good man, on ac
count OF your many tender mercies to
this helpless, patient, loving old body"
Here l drew her thin arm within my
own, stroked her shriveled hand kindly
and looked assuringly into her foolishly
smiling face.
See here, you pitiless wretch" 1
Numbered. Jpn not take your commits
sion from you, or Jail you now. But I'll
tolerate no further interference from you
with this poor woman She's minew
The miserable being squirmed and
TUNED, writhed and stormed, for a little,
and finally set to snivelling ruefully.
l felt that my face was flaming, my
eyes blazing and that my whole being
was tiercely aroused in behalf of the dod-
derlng creature upon my arm.
No one can quite reveal the swift, al
most unbounded and almost lawless, ac-
tlY1tY OF the human mind in moments of
intense excitements but l have since fire.
quently reflected that there is no length
to which | would not have then gone, in
my purpose to alleviate the sufferings of
the halt-demented woman at my side as
now had her tormentor in my power.
Whether or not he realized this, he
was completely cowed; and he soon whin-
ingly begged OF me what l would have
him do
Get out of this house frst;'' l inexor-
ably demanded. GO to my room at the
Maxwell Arms. Occupy it, if you like,
and will pay the reckoning; but l shall
remain here with Elizabeth. Your filthy
old records will be safe with me- So will
Elizabeth; for this poor old body, whom
you have outraged all your misera BILE
life, shall not know what peace and ten
derneSS are-rigEt here in Gretna for a
little: and then perhaps, with me, in Lon
don :"
Grotesque as was the situation, il pos
sessed some elements of purpose and
tragedy. Whatever my dimly-formed
determinations might have beeen, my
words were accepted with irrevocable
inality.
Old Elizabeth seemed to understand
that some blessed change was being
wrought, and as her husband cast fur
tive and appealing glances upon her, she
gurgled and caCkled and smiled, but still
chung tightly to nv arm.
In few moments he had donued his
postman's garb, and, gathering his let
ter bag and a few trifing articles to-
gether with look of dispair, he left the
cottage and trundled feebly away up the
grass-grown village street, while my
heart smote me for the blow | had so re
morselessly struck. for it seemed to have
yisibly shrunken the frame of the ogre in
blue and red to but half its former dimin-
utive stature.
The strangest series of humble Incl
dents it has ever been my fortune to ex-
perience, now followed. Old Elizabeth
mended in her feeble mind the moment
her brual master had left the door She
was as docile with me as she had been
slavish with him. She seemed to COM
prehend that had in some way relieved,
if not saved, her very life.
Her remaining powers responded to
gentleness, to consideration and, above
all, 1t seemed to me. to simple physical
rest. | aided her in the little duties of
the cottage; made my own bed in the
loft; attended to the fire and brought the
water for the tea from the near tumbling
Sark. From Carlisle l secured a huge
hamper of provisions and dainties l
nour1shed her starving frame with whole
some, life-giving food, and l took pleasant
walks with the now happy-faced old
creature, out of whose existence the
dread presence and spirit of her brutal
companion seemed to have wholly faded.
byihedge and field and stream.
All this time the Bishop of Gretna"
was so thoroughly vauquished that he re-
NAMED silent and alone with his shame
and his agony I would not listen to the
blatant villagers about him and responded
to all cunning inquiries; He knows why
he is absent Ask him" The bravest
expression of his humiliation was his
endless wrathful haunting of the locality
at a respectful distance. But l senti-
neled the cottage like savage Cerberus :;
and if his skulNing form ever came too
CLOSELY | had only IN wave the fatofr1