The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1896-05-07

| MORSE unu uishHtHTopy uouoiou hi'H
necessarily, and he could not help re-
peatlng to himself that his life had
been an utterly useless one. There
fore he had finally come to the delib-
crate conclusion to end his worthless
existence in the waters of the river
Thames.
The laborer was dumbfounded.
Never in his life had he listened to
such queer tale.
GLOW incomprehensiblel" he ex-
claimed. 'My life tells exactly the
oppoi K story. am very poor, have
an ailing wife and seven children, and,
alas, no food for them; thus far
have honestly and tirelessly tried to
make the two ends meet--in a manner
by hard work, but a few days ago
lost my place in the factory on ac-
connt of the dull times. Icannot wit
ness the misery at home any longer:
it tears my heart to look Mt my starv-
ing loved ones and though my poor,
suffering wife tries hard to console
me and to give me courage, bidding
me not to despair, / see no escape. l
have no hope left and am resolved to
put an end to my miserable existence.
May God in His infinite mercy have
|
pity on my family!"
"Poor fellow!" The rich young
mans countenance was full of deep
felt pity and unbidden tears gathered
in his eyes, Such tale he had never
heard, never dreamt of amid the aff1u-
ence of his surroundings.
"Now I know that there are people
in this world who are a great deal
more unhappy than considered my
self to be, fool that 1 was," he re-
fected
'But cheer up, man, there is help
in case like yours. Come, lead the
way, take me to your house. 1 guess
I can end your troubles, aud as far as
the-the-!umping into the Thames
is concerned, l think there is no
special hurry about it, do you? "
A cab soon brought the two former
candidates for self-destruction to the
dirty narrow lanes of the working
mems quarter in Southwark, where it
stopped in front of tumble down
cottage. Poverty and want stared at
them from every nook and corner as
the master of the house and his young
companion entered small but tidy
and scrupulously clean room. A group
of children of pronounced blonde
type had hardly recognized their
father when they ran up to them and
pitifully begged for bread. Her eyes,
red and swollen from crying, her body
emaciated from want and sickness,
the mother painfully tried to rise from
her work, MS soon as she beheld the
ar1stocratic looking stranger, aided by
her 17-year-old daughter Mary.
The young man was shocked when
he beheld this scene of what appeared
to be unmerited but great misery
But when his sympathetic and aston
ished gaze full of pity, had fastened
itself upon the face and figure of the
beautiful blue-eyed, slender blonde
girl he gave start of genuine sur
| prise. Full of generous impulse
and quickly resolved, he grabbed the
laborer by the hand, exclaiining:
"Cheer up, shall be back in an
hour" he explained, and left before
the family had time to recover from
their astonishment over the unexpect-
| ed visitor.
| All the father was able to do in re-
| ply to the many questions of his wife
and children was to console and cheer
them in half-hearted manner. But
he said nothing about his suicidal in
| tentions or about the strange meeting
that had prevented their consumma-
| ton.
Suddenly the door opened once
more to admit the man who was upper
most in their thoughts. Behind him
appeared two servants carrying bas-
kets filled with choice eatables, which
they deposited upon the table and at
once withdrew.
The young man walked up to the
astonished and speechless laborer,
saying in tremulous tones:
my friend, tonight you have saved
my life. Let me offer you and yours
a small token of my gratitude. Do
me the honor to acceptwhat brought
,n. also fhia sup, of ruonou And