The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-04-17
The Anarchists Wife.

| noOd, whose slave he was, should overlook
| him. Here with Mary, his wife. he would
| lead peaceful life. the like Of which
he had not knewn for years. He had once
had money, and he sought to make her
rich; he was honorable and never suspect
| ed Of dishonesty those with whom he
worked, but they robbed him; and yet the
law could not touch them, for they were
| his partners and had not gone beyond the
limits allowed by the law.
| The first bitterness came to his heart
when Mary had 10 work 70 keep them.
and when work was refused TO him. Then
the daily insults that come to the poor
because of their lot stung him to desper
alton; those who sought work were bat
| slaves TO those who had enough money
10 employ them; these could hold the
bread of life to the lips of the poor and
then snatch it away insolently, If the slav-
| ish condition of the hungry was not appar-
ent enough to please them. He could
have borne the degradation himself, but
to see Mary in bondage was too terri
Bile.
1t was for this that he joined the Broth
erhood of Men, who, like himself. hated
the letters which the rich place upon the
poor, and whose doctrines prepared their
members TO give up all. even life itself,
in their crusade against the shareholders
who torture and torment the helpless
Once member of this brotherhood he
was slave again, with letters faster and
heavier than he had worn before, and
with masters without pity or honor. Too
late he discovered that most of his com
panions did not desire to aid the poor.
but only warred against the rich. like
assassins, in order to help themselves to
the wealth they had never struggled to
I r--s- 1. IL as.s.
even more than his former slavery.
He was to go to the opera where the
wealthy cOngregate. and from a private
box to cast a bomb which would scatter
death among the enemies of his order
Now that he had drawn the lot it SEEM
ed to him that there had been unfair
ness in it, that he was to be the catspaw
and the sacrifice OF those who feared to
strike Again and again he thought of fly
ing from the country with the small fund
of money placed at his disposal by the
brotherhood. but ne was watched; he
knew that.
Once he had tested this He had taken
a ticket for town hundred miles away,
and when he had entered the railway car
rage seeming stranger came and sat
opposite TO him and entered into converse
ton with him, and pretended to have ia
ken a great liking to him, so that it was
impossible to shake him off, and at last
gave him the sign and password.
Another time he had paced up and down
the Thames embankment and stopped to
look at the vile waters that rushed with
their burden of mud toward the sea He
had wondered if he should seek liberty
in the silent turmoil below him, and even
as he thought one of the brothers came
from some hiding place and laying hand
upon his shoulder said:
Soon the tyrants shall seek the river
as their only means OF escaping our ven
geance. Keep up brave heart, brother.
for with your help there shall be a new
day dawnIng for the oppressed"
He had heard this sentiment expressed
over and OYER again and he knew that it
was all empty talk. So far from giving
the poor liberty, the wealthy would in
their fear tighten their bonds and load
them with letters. He knew all that now.
Tomorrow night was fixed for the dee,
and every nearing minute added to the
load that was expressing him. until it
seemed more than he could bear. He went
home where Mary was waiting for him,
seeming cheerful. when he was near, de-
spite her troubles; always a helpmate
such as few men have.
Tomorrow she would be pointed at as
the wife of an assassin. Few would be-
lieye that she knew nothing of his plans;
that he had lied to her about the money he
had brought home: he had kept the truth
from her. knowing that she would grieve
so sorely. He had wished to ward sorrow
and trouble from her life, and yet IL was
he who was to be the cause of her great
est misery.
She embraced him as lovingly as when
A.
had never grown Indifferent. their strug-
giles together had strengthened the COM
radeship and if their love was quieter
than at first it was deeper. 1t was terri
BILE TO part with her forever that alone
would be a cruel blow to give her. but
that she would in time recover from, and
her grief would blossom into hope when
its winter was over
Late again. dear she said. Tho days
are long without you"
He did not know what TO reply, and so
kissed her and sat down silently.
You are depressed tonight" she said
Come. dear, cheer up, and all will come
right in the end. We need not despair
while we have one another"
No; not while we have one another"
he said; and then his thoughts wandered.
and a new light came to them, SO that
after tea he went out again and called
at the club, where a number OF the an
archists met and asked that meeting
should be held the next afternoon, so
he could address them for the last time
And the next morning he stayed at home
and watched Mary sewing. and could nos
take his eyes off her; his heart was cry
ing to her. yet he did not dare let its
voice be heard. When he left her he long
ed to kiss her again and again, and TO
press her passiona-ely to him; yet hs
fought with his desire. and hoped that his
manner appeared as usual But when he
had gone downstairs he could not resist
coming back with an excuse that he had
left paper behind him, 50 thar he might
have one last embI ace--the very last.
What a waste OF life and love, he
thought as he walked toward the club;
life now seemed TO have brightness that
he had never noticed before. What was
poverty but little discomfort when love
shone upon his world. And before him
was night, and the terrors Of darkness.
At the club he found the bomb he had 70
use: a small pressure on a tube and an
acid would fail where Il would work such /
that the explosion was certain. (
The acid would take effect In Just one /
minute from the time the tube was bro |
ken He took Il and waited until most Of /
would soon awaken and find It but . 4
the brotherhood were present
How strange & all was; perhaps he /
dream but the hard eyes that locked CT i
him seemed 20 belong 20 a more dreadful !.
world than this. Had death come 20 HIN !
already. and was this place MS doom2
He thought OF Mary and her kind face: (
ne remembered her last look. and then /
ne turned his face 20 The ur.knoSSa- There 4
was silence as he rose. AID. speaking /
slowly. he began: Brothers Il inieui;y'- +