The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-09-13

Oh, and Yet Is Always Hungry.
Six years ago 1 rlat Joseph Kenna.
He was q good-looking young fellow.
Often l watched him pass down the
, street on his ice-wa2On. Every night
| he came to see me. Money was moth
| ing to him then. He was making $12
week. He bought me everything. 1
was happy.
"Oh," used to say to him, you're
| too good to me; don't deserve it. All
l can do is to love you"
did love him with my whole soul.
] thought of him ill day. Such fine
fellow be was!
After a year be asked me 10 marry
him. / was the Eappiest woman Oh the
East Side. ] was proud Of Joe. So
we were married. and for short time
| things went well.
| One night Joe came home late. /
thought he acted queer He kissed me.
His breath smelled of beer: My heart
| turned sick. l felt what was coming.
True enough, knew there would be no
rest for me after that Joe didn't say
much, and I didn't scold him.
The next day he told me he was
sorry. ! forgave him. l hoped once
more in q few nights he came in
again. 1t was midnight. where's
| dinner:' he yelled. His eyes were
bloodshot and fierce. ! was sitting up
| for him.
Here it is. Joe. DEAR" I said. He
| glared at me and swore terrible oath.
| Then he dashed fhe dishes on the floor.
I began to cry. Shut up!" he shouted.
III choke you"
! trembled with fear. He fell on that
lounge there and dropped to sleep. 1t
made my heart bleed to look at him.
Oh, it was terrible! The next morn
ing he went away and never spoke to
me. 1t was the first time.
After that it got worse. Little Joe
was born. o. His father cursed at him.
when he cried, and threatened to kill
him. He never came, in till late at
night. All the neighbors were afraid
| of him. They wanted to help me, but
! they were scared.
For five years night after night he
came home drunk. He would slap me
| sometimes and strike the children. But
| ] loved him in spite of it ALL
Little Joe was five and Julia TWO
| years old when baby was born. She's
thirteen months old now. From that
| time Joe went from bad to worse. He
| lost his position on the ice wagon. He
gave us nothing to eat.
II wish you were all dead" he would
growl.
How he got liquor, I don't know; but
get it he did. One cold night there was
| no fire in the stove. I was freezing. l
wrapped my one shawl round the baby,
| and Julia huddled up near me on the
| bed. Little Joe came in. His hands
were red with cold.
Mamma" he cried, "heres quar-
ter big man gave me-" His father
stood in the doorway. He saw the
quarter. Give it here" he growled.
II won't" answered little Joe, rum
ming to me-
His father picked Up chair and hit
the boy-his own son. The quarter
rolled on the floor. The little fellow
| did not move.
You've killed my darlingn 1 cried.
He muttered out an oath and SUNK out.
He always had a heavy whip. With
this he beat me and his little ones.
When they cried lie laughed. Poor
little dcars! When they heard him
coming their faces would go all white
and they would tremble all over.
Joe's clothes got all ragged. lie
didn't care. Whisky was all he want
| ell. At last I got sick. l had to lie
| down. l was trying to sleep on the
sofa, not n month ago, when i'll stag
gercd Joe.
"Get up he roared, and struck me
| with the butt of his whip. l Shrunk
away. Stop hitting my mamma" l
heard little Joe cry. He turned around
and threw the boy OH the floor; Then
he struck the baby and stumbled out.
NV body was all black and blue where
he'd hit me. ! was sore all over. l
hugged the poor baby. 1t kept looking
at the door and screaming.
Joe didn't come back that evening.
/ kissed the children and tried to keep
awake, but my eyelids were too heavy.
Little Joe was crying for something 10
eat. My head was dizzy. There was
nothing in the room. I was faint. L
tried to nurse baby III vain.
Then I tried to get up. was too
weak and sore. looked at the picture
Of the Virgin there and prayed.
I could not see clearly. put my
hand over one eye. All was dark. MY
cup was full. but ! hoped for the emil
dren. / told them to be good and hon.
est and to love their poor mamma.
For five days lay on the bed. The
DOOR children cried for food Joe came
in once. For Gods sake, dear," sald,:
eight the fire and give. the bairns
something to eat" He scowled at me
anu broke a rocking chair on the floor.
II did not see him again.
! Finally a man from some society
came in. He took me and cared for the
children. The next thing knew was
in Bellevue.
Joe has gone now. ] am sorry for
him. He meant to kill me. He tried
to, but that was because he was drunk.
Perhaps he'll reform ard be good after
he gets out of jail.
Perhaps he'll be glad to see lis boy
and girls growing up. / am praying
he will. l must support them till they
get big somehow.
If only my eyes!ght would come back
to me.
This is the way New York daily
paper winds up the trial Of man for
cruelty to his wife and three small
children: Yet who cares: the rum
tiger must be fedH-The National Ad-
YOcate.
Temperance Notes.
Cheerfulness is the bright weather OF
tho heart; strong drink withers IT.
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