The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1897-02-13
CHAPTER vi,
OUT AnAVN


Hush2" Naomi hold up her finger
think she is In sleep"
-, AT last you havo her again" said tn,
librarian.
Yes-at last. They let her 90 be
cause she was Ill, and tho time was s:
close at han1 when she would have he]
ucket- of-ieave. l brought her home
yesterday. She was a good deal excited
poor. child, but at night she grew com
posed and told me more than knew
He was her husband-her husband
think Of that! The man went into the
witness box and sent his own wife To
pepal servitude. She did not stab him
IN her misery because he had deserted
her-she wanted TO kill herself. | will.
tell you all presently. He knew that.
too. Oh, villain!-villaini"
Villain! villain!" echoed tho Ii
brarian.
You shall see her directly. But she
frightened me this morning. She does
not know me. She thinks she has got
her baby in her lap-it was born in the
prison, and died in the prison. But she
IS a married woman, remember. She
thinks her husband-oh, her husband
is with her. Tell me what 1 should
40. Come in Her eyes are closet.
think she is sleeping"
IL was a Sunday morning in mid
WINTER. Outside, the church bells
rang, but it was not q quarter
where the call to prayer is needed, AMI
the feet OF the people were not set
churchman's. Within, a bright fire. n
clean room, and in an easy chair the
prisoner set free. She had put off her
prison dress; they had suffered her hair
TO grow, her beautiful light hair curling
about her forehead; her face, refined by |
long suffering, seemed in its delicacy |
and palo beauty to DO the face of some |
Christian saint who spent her days in
holy meditation; her eyes were closed. !
but at the sound of the voices and the
shutting of the door she awoke and LOOK
ed around.
Naomi, DEAR" she said, smiling.
Thank Godl She was once more in her
right mind again.
have been asleep, think. 1 forgot
that was released, and thought was
in my cell again.
Dear, said Naomi. Forget the cell.
On! Try to forget 1t. See, l have
brought you my friend-my best friend.
Oh! my dear, he knows all; he will ad-
wise us and help US. He has been very
5oou ana klnd 10 me, dear-while we .
were Parted. Because it was lonely
without you-and when one thought
10, no, it Is all over. Oh! my dear
ny dear-it IS all over and we are to- )
yether. and can bear anything now ..
anything.
The librarian tried TO speak. But he
urned away his face, and the tears
oiled down his cheeks even to his great :
ray beard. Twas a soft-hearted IL !
rarian. l
You have got to grow quite strong !
nd well again, my DEAR" he said, taxi
1g her hand and holding it while he sat
own beside her. Quite strong and .
'ell before you think about anything.
DOR child"
L shall never get strong or we'll q
gain, she replied. Il heard the doc .
'r In the infirmary say so. That mat -
srs nothing, except that shall be such a
trouble to everybody. Obi Naomi, .
ear, what q trouble have been to you'll ?
hat dreadful trouble. l have spoiled y
our whole life, my dear" q
Not you-not you, Ruth, !" Naomi an n
vered, hoarsely. But that villain ~
! that villainl" "a
Don't, dear. 1t hurts~me that any, ~
'dy should call him names. At first ".
rs hard upon him for the sake of my a. u.