The broad ax., 1896-12-19

dred and abused man. He was 30
4 hghteously unapproachable on tneSe
occasions that Sadie against her win
was invested with apologize atm0S
phere.
Life had begun to branch on IN
strange pathways that bruised ner
willing feet. wrinkled her foreheao anu
dragged down the corners OF ner onS
curving mouth. When her boy
and the twins came. her eyes nHu
them the sullen. hopeless look VIZ
comes to pretty. Eighty creatures unu
ted for the buffeting they invarisOH
receive. Her gowns were OF cahoo
long faded; her hair struggled, sue
was Is and looked a bent ~. EAIst-
ence was but endurance, uncompialh-
ing because unavailing. The DARK I'M
age which had disturbed her mind pc
came a reality; at times, when sne
looked at ner husband, stripped OF TO
nance. churlish, lazy. rough, animal
loungfng, and thought Of herself orok-
en- spirited, mechanical, old. there was
q bewildered feeling in her heart thar
/ ~ AhC anu hCI uucOduu . NCAN
continuance of her life in her shiftless
childhood's home. Her girlhood, which
had been bright in its thoughtless way
appealed to her now as a story long ago
dead and nearly forgotten.
Then there dawned a day when Gus
came home with a darkly flushed face
and sodden eyes In spite Of his worth
less life. drunkenness had never been
numbered among his sins. and today
he was not drunk. He stumbled up
the steps where sat the oldest boy.
Clear out" he growled, pushing tho
child aside with his foot. He SUNK
modify into a chair and stared into
corner, glazing II Sadie or the children
crossed the room.
What is 1t GUS" his wife finally
asked, reused from her absorption BY
his unusual manner. He did not an
swer, for at the moment there came
into his eyes CLEAN Of fear; he bent
forward. ready to spring. and listened;
on the gravel walk could be heard ad-
vancing steps. and with an inartic-
ulate cry he gathered his forces aud
sprang for the back door
On the sill sat the twins at play, bab-
bling in meaningless baby fashion, but
only with self-preseryation, and with
heavy feet he thrust them violently
apart against the unyielding door.
A half-hour later he was led back
across the green meadows and between
the rustling stalks Of green corn, past
startled him into fight. He was white
now and his lip was bitten between
his teeth. He did not once glance at
his home. In the door stood Sadie,
with drawn face and piteous, staring
eyes. with arms. tight against her
breast, she clasped the cold, stiffening
form Of one Of the twins-the one that
had been nearest the hard door. Her
white lips moved dryly; she could not
speak, for these moments of terror and
suspense had paralyzed her throat
Tie sheriff paused a moment In dis
tress. "He-he hit a man, Mrs Brad
ley" he explained. uncomfortably.
And the mans dead. 1t was about
some horses"
Then the grim little procession moved
on.
Months afterward Sadie Bradley
stole up to the cemetery in the dusk to
lay a few poor flowers on the tiny
grave Of the dead twin.
1t was very quiet and peaceful there,
with the sun setting behind the dense
trees and the crickets chirping in the
short, soft grass. The woman stood
upright on little ridge looking down
the valley; her thin figure showed pa
thetic against the crimson sky and her
flower laden hands hung listlessly.
There was a wordless, sad bitterness
in her soul, the rebellion of an I'M
tutored nature-that sole emotion was
all Of which she was conscious.
Up the winding road outside the GEM
etery fence sped a light buggy, and the
two persons seated therein were smfl-
ing at each other, the man was a reck-
less young fellow and the girl a pretty
harum-scarum who worked In the same
shop that had been Sadie Bradley's
stay in the old days Their marriag,
license had been issued the day be-
fore.
AS the woman by the grave looked
after them her lips formed into a slow
line Of anguish. Poor girlr' she
breathed, poor girlr' and then abe
suddenly dropped down in the grass
and tore her heart out in sobs such as
had never before shaken her frame,
for these were mingled with pity for
another.
And In the birth Of that new emotion
the old one OF blind bitterness was
crowded somewhat aside and life was
made possible for her.