Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1904-12-31
WHEN THE OLD YEAR DIED.

Christmas had come and gone There
were few evidences of the visit of Santa
Claus, but they were very few The
toys We're cheap. but the little one who |
nestled in his crib in the corner of the
poorly furnished room thought they were
OF the finest, and the mothers eyes light |
Cd up with a glad light as she saw the
little fellow gloating over his treasures
he sat now at the table, still Uttered !
With the supper dishes Her hands, once
white and soft, were rough and chappel. |
Her hair strcakcd with gray was drawn
plainly back from a high, broad forehead
on which sickness and care had left in
dchble marks.
The face in another setting would have
been declared handsome. As it was it
bore all the marks of refined, high
strung nature. A washtub in one corner
betrayed the reason for the roughness of
the hands. but it formed no part Of her
vision now. She looked out and beyond
her cramped quarters. In the whirling
| snow falling SO softly without there ap-
peared picture of large and brilliantly
lighted room throngcd with men and
women upon whom want had not stamped
its seat She was among them. Along
side of her walked a man who. whispering
IN her ear, drew hel aside and out into
the conservatory.
1t was the old. old story so often and
so sweetly told. She listened. and lis
tcning yielded. \ glittering ring was
| later placed upon her finger and her fate
was sealed. She vas his through veal or
woe. The scene changed. 1t was a small,
but comfortable home, and she sat by
the table rocking with her foot a cradle
while she awaited his home coming. The
old light of laughter had left her face,
and in its stead there was an expression
of anxious apprehension
step was heard on the stairs. 1t
was as she feared. For second her
head was in her hands. Then she
/ brushed aside the tears and raised her
face to bravely face the ordeal The
step came nearer, and it was very UNI
steady. John entered the room, but saw
her not, and made his way to his room,
where she later found him. still dressed.
lying upon the bed in drunken stupor.
Sadly she went TO her own bed. but
not to sleep. She had reasoned with
him, pleaded with him. She had begged
/ him for the sake of their child to let
liquor alone, and he had promised. but
had broken the promise almost as soon
as made, time and time again
All this passed in review before her
now Then came the successive steps
each on the downward path \ bitter
quarrel with her parents because she
would not leave him; the loss of his
position and the ensuing struggle for
| bread IN which he had taken only a minor
part. AftoTward came the breaking out
OF the war and the sight of his name at
one time an honored one. among the Ell
| listed men who We're to face sickness in
southern camps, and later the chances of
ambush warfare in the Philippines I he
months OF anxious waiting for news fol-
lowed 10y the receipt of brief letter tell
ing iaeT that ne was well and would re-
turn to her new man; all these forced
themselves on her m>moTy.
Then came months of silence and as
she sat there by her lonely table with
the God bless papa" of the little one
sun ringing IN her ears, a feeling of DESC
iatlon almost like despair came over her
1t was we'll that the little life was dearer
thai' hcr own. 1t was her salvation in
her extremity. She had left the town Of
her bIrta and marriage, and was now al
stranger IN a strange city She found
1t easier to fight the hard battle of life
away from the plying looks of her
former friends
Where was he tonight? 1t was hard
tor her TO tell whether she hated him
or not. For some reason her trials and
hardships seemed to fade. and in her
loneliness she only recolected The kind
affection he had always shown in his
sober moments. Even on the fateful
night when he failed to come home he
had no hard words for her. He looked |
at her, then silently left the house The |
look haunted her many times 1t was
rot a glance of reproach. it seemed ony |
to express soTowful despair.
A. she broodcd the night wore on and |
she broke down under the lonely silence. |
Tired physically and mentally, her head I
sank 10 the table and tear glstened !
upon her eyclash. She dreamed -h5 |
heard the old familiar step It was 10 |
longer unsteady but firm and heavy.
Her name was whispered in her ear |
and in ncr sleep she murmured his name /
and begged him TO come back She |
started. There was breath Of cold air |
and a she raised her head from the table /
IN beWildcrmcn she found herself looking
INTO his knees beside her His arms wcr,
around her. Again she looked into mis-
eyes They were clear ard in them wa.
The old love light
a pair of soft white arms crept M
about his neck and her head. in which
the silver was mixing with the gold
sank upon his shoulder.
The mellow tone Of the city clock rang
out on the wintry air with new sound
t. The tireu woman as it struck the hour
of Paul Lcake in Detroit Tribune.