The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-01-07

Polly.


You'll stand by the poor children,
Polly? You'll always stand by the poor
children"
God knows I will, GEAR"
II should not mind leaving them
so much If they were boys. But girls
just at the age when they most need
n mothers influence, and with jim
what he is--oh. it makes me feel ter
ribly anxious. But if you promise to
stand by them, Polly
II do, Sis. l promise faithfully
THANK you dear. Bend down and
seal the promise with kiss Polly. l
know I can trust you. Other people
forget their promises. but not you,
Hush here comes the children. Yes,
let them in. I shall not see them man,
times more. Let them with me now as
much as | can
A dying woman and her sister or,
rather her adopted sister for Polly
was no blood relation-were the speak
ers. Mrs. Hooran, who lay now upon
the bed from which she was not again
to rise. was the wife of James Hooran,
the well known outside broker. James
Hooran was so public character in
his professional capacity that 1t Is
scarcely necessary to say more about
him from that standpoint than that he
made great income, not always by
the most scrupulous means. But his
personal character and his domestic
relations demand a more intimate de-
scription.
e was a coarse minded. coarse
hammered. selfish yet. in a certain
sense, good natured man. After a
fashion, he loved his wife after fash
ion. also, he was fonG and very proud
of his two little girls. Yet the animal
nature was strong within him. in fact,
dominated him: and. under its intlu~
cnce. he often behaved cruelty to his
Wife. and thoughtlessly toward his chill
dren. 1t was, indeed. a great pity
that Mrs. Hooran had ever married
him; for she was woman cast in a
far finer mould than he, and his nature
was quite impervious to her elevating
influence. The consequence was that
when hcr physical strength began to
decline, and her personal charms to
fade. her husband took to neglecting
her for more cOngenial company.
And. in truth, no laly-like woman
ever was. or could be. congenial to a
man Of his stamp. He was far more in
his element when associating with bar
lltt'S VI bUl'ti SllIS, IDl IL toui't ull
derstand their ways Of thought and
their lire Of ideas; and they could be
delighted With his fulsome gallantry
and his rowdy chaff. With such, there
fore. he Frequently consorted, and al
though in his better moments--for he
had better moments--he was fun of
remorse for his neglect of his wife,
and showed many tokens of repentant
affection. Yet his worse nature invari-
ably reasserted itself. ana he lapsed
once more into his old courses.
Mrs HOoran could not fail to see how
i'll her husband was using her. But
she never thought of protecting herself
by any legal remedy For the sake Of
her girls alOn" she would have ignored
his conduct. But apart from that. she
was not the woman To assert herself
under any circumstances. There are
some delicate. sensitive natures, which
are maic to bc tramped upon by the
coarse Nulgarians of the earth. Mrs.
liooran was one. Sne seldom COM
plaired: never made Il scene; always
affected, before outsiders to be ignor-
ant of her husbands evil ways. More
than oEce. when h. was in drink, he
had struck the poor creature. Tha
blows We're given when they werc
alone. They remained y secret between
th"m.
Yet as has been said above, the fel-
low did. after a fashion. care for his
wife. He would have done almost
anything cX"ept deny himself - tC
make her happy. He loaded her with
money, With giits. She had the pret-
ti"st pair of cobs to drive that gold
could buy. She had jewels. dresses
luXuries in abundance A dozen ser.
wants We're at h"r beck and call. She
mad only to state a wish for any mater,
iai good thing. and il was Gratitcd
H"r two htt'a girls, also. We're nurseo
in the lap of luxury. The most expen
sive attendants anI governcsses wcrt
engaged for them. Did one of then
seem sick or ailing. til" best physician
in London WAS summoned to prescribe
for her. They We're deluded with cost
ly TOYS surfeited with all childish de
lights that gold could procure. Their
rocks were the envy Of all their lttl,
paymates. Not a child in the plac,
but longed, with all his little soul, t,