The Black range. (Robinson, Socorro County, N.M.) 1882-1897, 1897-05-28
HER FATHERS VICTIM.
Continued from 6rst page,)

VIM '1 JCNAo muh dilN hlu tultTtu
n claim. 1t is useless to recount the
hardships and disappointments we
underwent, for you are all but too well
acquainted with them. Last fall nv
son took the fever, and after an illness
that lasted through months he died.
My wife, already feeble with age, fol
lowed soon after with a long spell of
the malaria, and yesterday she died.
In the meantime everything that |
could sell to raise money was sold, and
everything that | could mortgage was
mortgaged; and yet, gentlemen, l have
the sad consciousness Of knowing that
she died of want. But she is dead,
and 1 thank God for it. never
expected that | should live to see the
day when | would rejoice at the death
of my loved life companion, but such is
the case. | rejoice over her death be-
cause | know that she is now beyond
the reach of want, and that the pangs
of hunger can never affect her again.
Yes, | rejoieed at her %death-the death
of my dearest friend, because in hat
l saw her only hope of relief, To-day l
came here to try to borrow a few dolz
! lars with which to bury what remainV
of her, but he" pointing to Mills of
fee, refused to let me have it. and
now l must go to the county and ask
to have my wife buried as a pauper.
The farm and everything on it is under
mortgage, and tomorrow all the house
hold things and the farm tools are to be
sold, and | will be alone and penniless
in the world, with no money, no home,
and no friends. Would to God, men, l
had never lived to see this day, and
now having seen it, l have nothing to
look forward to but death. That is the
only hope and the only consolation that
is left me-"
Not a mar in the room but what
would have gladly given the old man
aid if it had been possible, but the fact
that none of them were much better off
made that impossible, so all they could
do was to sympathize and pity; and
though they attempted to offer words
of consolation, they felt that it vas but
a mockery,
AS they remained about him looking
Upon his bowed form, his head dropped
lower and lower upon his breast, his
nervous hands became more quiet and
composed, and at last it appeared that
he had fallen asleep. Some one so re-
marked, and John Green stepped for
ward and laid his hand on the wrinkled
brow.
Eyes," said John'in a low tone, she is
asleep, and his sufferings are all passed.
Hunger, want and cold will never affect
him more, and never again will he feel
the force of mans inhumanity to man."
And it was even SO. The poor old
mans broken spirit had fled from its
worn-out, emaciated tenement and
bounded up and away to that bright,
immortal glory, the inheritance of the
pool and the lowly who have, like the
Master, suffered the pangs and sorrows
of this life.
"He is dead" John went on, land 1
thank God that he is. 1t is better, far
better, that such as he should die than
that they should live to become wan
derers on earth Or objects of public
charity. In calling him away God has
shown His greatest mercy"
st is V e So" said an elderly gentle
man who stood near. This world has
no fitting place for such as he, save the
grave, and it is a thousand times better
for him to sleep there than to live out a
few more years of wretched existence
here"
No one doubted the justice of these
remarks, and not one of all the men IN
the room felt that it was not a matter
of rejoicing, rather thau sorrow, that
the old mar was dead.
While the men were still standing
about the silent form, the c'or to the
private office opened and ~nls came
ont He saw at a glance that some.
thing unusual had happened, Ihe
cordon Of men shutting out the slgnV'
he approached the group ana III rousN'
gruff tones asked: =,
whats the matter hereP"
The ring about the old man parIeu
showing to Mills the lifeless 1orm' pu.
for an instant no one spoke AT ,as
hhe elderly gentleman who hao spoNe'
ITO be Continued)