The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-11-19

: the names, Eva-Oscar' AS she seems
to have preferred death to parting
with 1t, this bit of jewelry is supposed
10 have been her wedding ring, and
aHords the only clew to her identity"
The entire dispatch was hardly a
stlckful, but Collins, his eyes shining
with new light, his lips close press
ed, his fingers moving from case to
SUCK and from stick to case with a
nervous rapidity, kept setting-on, on,
on.
The last of the previous takes"
had long since been dumped" and
proved up" The last galley, except
the one Collins was using, had been
corrected, but still his nimble fingers
flew and still the type clicked into his
stick.
Britton suddenly turned to him.
Hurry, up, Thirty" he said
You're stickin' the rag
If Collins heard the remark, he gave
no sign except that his fingers moved
tri1e faster. And just as the hands
of the dingy clock over the door point
ed to the hour for going to press, he
dumped his last stick, put on his
coat and, without a word, left the Of
flee.
Three minutes later, Britton, reading
the proof, read this, set under a pony
Nooi, AOAAOWAh5 IAlO ~ CoS ulSPdISH.4
Concerning the circuns tances lead
ing up to the death of this unfortu-
nate woman, the Banner has learned
the following from a thoroughly relia.
BILE source: Somewhere in this broad
land, this woman's husband wanders,
an outcast, a miserable, drunken, bru-
tai wretch. Without honor, without
ambition, without any of the attributes
of a gentleman. he works at intervals
L., ~
eSSary to crafty his damnable desire
for debauchery. Happiness, home,
loved ones, he has sacrificed upon the
altar of Bacchus, and when he dies,
the best that can be said of him will
be: He murdered his wife by his dew
ilish neglect
"Ten years ago, in the beautiful
Cedar valley, Eva Bryant and Oscar
Collins were married She was a
farmers daughter and no purer soul,
no sweeter nature. no dearer wo-
man. ever existed. He was a printer
a good one. His services were always
in demand and he commanded the
best of salaries.
"In a few short years they owned
a home-an humble cottage, but a
home. Roses covered the porch; the
summer sunshine smiled in at the
windows; the winter storms swept
past and did not tarry. Love bright
ened the hearthsone. The rooms
echoed with that most beautiful mel
ody on earth-the song of a happy wo-
man. Thus it was for a few short
years and then-the tragedy.
Rum, and the devil within him.
made the husband a vagabond, broke
the wife's young heart. 1t was the
old story. The home was lost. To
save the family name, Eva appealed
to her parents, and the farm went the
way of the cottage. But still the hus-
band nourished the serpent at his
breast.
"Then his young wifes parents died
and Eva, with what little-what mis-
erably little-pittance oscar grudging-
ly gave her, managed to exist. God
only knows how. But her love for her
husband was mistaken. Many a night
she dragged the contemplate wreck
out of the mud and mire and led him
tenderly to the howell that she called
home. Her lovei He ridicufed it; he
insulted it, he threw it away.
'And yet, he tried-at intervals he
made an earnest effort to reform for
her sake. God alone knows the agony
he endured until liquor dulled every
pang of conscience and he was dead
morally dead.
Then he took to the road-a. tramp.
But she followed him. Footsore, weary,
without food, without friends, she toll
lowed him. She pleaded with him, she
Glove to him. and-he cursed her for
her love.
Thus. following him as best she
could, with hope in her breast and love
in her heart-love for this dissolute,
ungrateful scoundrel-she met her
death Hungry she was and cold. But
the greater hunger. the greater chill
in her heart-that it was which stilled
her pleading lips forever Peace to her
SOUL
When Britton had finished reading,
he sat for several moments in deep
thought. Then. finally
1T goes" he said, and he put the
type in the forms.
A year passed before we again saw
Thirty Collins. We were not sur
prised to see him at last, but Were as
tonished that he was sober.
i've no nails ito sell to-day" he
said. i've quit drinkin'-quit for
good"
He put his hand in his pocket and
drew out roll of greenbacks. That
for the little woman" he said, proudly.
For the little woman" asked Brit
ton.
yes" he said, sadly. For a monu-
ment to her noble memory. God bless
herr"
Several OF us went with him to Sc
lect the stone. 1t was plain marble
shaft, simply inscribed
- ." =. - i.
EVA COLLINS.