The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1910-05-24

"
you knew / told you If 1t happened
again you'd have to go. The work
demands clear brain and steady
hand. You had neither this morn
ing"
I've held out for eleven weeks.
sir. am cutting 1t out. If you'd
give me one more chance-there amt
a scrap of work anywhere else to be
had till spring, you know that y'self
and there's Jennie and the little
one. It won't happen again, swear
It'll"
Il must keep my word, Peter. And
don't put it as If I were responsible
for your trouble"
You will be If my baby starves'
II deny it. You should have
thought of your baby last night when
you we're out with the boys
You won't give me another try?"
Can't
Holding the door for Peter to pass
out, he was touched in spite of him
self by the despairing misery in the
mans face, although his self-upright-
ness admitted of no relenting. But
when Peter turned and shook his
great fist in helpless rage, Denton
merely laughed as at a petulant child,
kindling the first spark of hatred to-
ward his fellow man that Peters
kindly nature had ever known
Denton's way to his car led past
Peters cottage, and in the doorway
stood Peters young wife, a frail girl,
holding a fretting child wrapped in
an old blanket.
Hush, honey" she was saying,
sDadda's comm soon; mamma an
baby'll watch The child's wan,
tear-stained little face puckered into
a laugh as he jumped and crowed in
her arms, and her own patient face
frightened as Peter came into sight
down the path. But his head was
bent and his step tagging.
Denton had queer sinking feel
Ing at thought of that home coming.
The plight of these two had appealed
10 him simply as an added phase of
mental discomfort to Peter, deserved
at that, not as the actual physical
suffering and need of girl and a
baby.
He thought of them again when his
little daughter Hazel climbed into
his lap to repeat her English lesson.
His child had never known the
thwarting of a childish within.
1.-THE quality of mercy is not
strained" she recited. 1T droppeth
rs the gentle rain from heaven 1t
blesseth-it blesseth---
You're not listening, father!'
"Oh! 1t is twice blessed" prompt
ed Denton.
1T is twice blessed. 1t blessed
him who gives and him who takes
Mercy" The word irritated Dem
ton. Justice was his fetch, and he
could not reconcile the two.
When mercy seasons Justice"
Hazel went on.
Denton ended the lesson with I'M
usual Impotence.
Falling asleep in his chair later,
he dreamed of little white casket
In which lay Peters child; and then
1t was Hazel's face that was pinched
and cold and still, and her little body
that had starved, and Hazel's dead
mother was there, moaning and
wringing her hands; all his fault
somehow.
The mental agony awoke him, his
forehead damp, his throat aching,
just as the telephone rang sharply.
The Waterman reported a gas leak at
the works and Denton hurried to the
place to investigate. First entering
the roundhouse where the infiamma-
Bile celluloid was kept, he found the
place sitting. Turning hastily to
leave and notify the gas plant he
found the exit blocked by Peters big
form, revolver barrel staring him
in the face.
"Ye don't leave till y promise me
the job back" he said. excited, but
determined. IN y can't breathe
here long. en- shoot
You dare not. Out Of the wayi"
cried Denton, wrathfully With a
quick blow he struck up Peters arm,
oCAuAA6 thC ACFOAFSA Vi dSAlaS OnIO
the cement floor yards away, splitting
up shower Of sparks. There was a
glaring flash, a roar of ignited gas
and exploding celluloid, and the glass
roof lifted entirely off and fell in
shattered atoms about the swaying
walls.
Hours later, lying in Peters bed,
where he had been carried cruelty
bruised and burned, Denton came
slowly back to consciousness, and it
took weeks of Jennies nursing be-
fore he could move.
Peter had escaped with nothing
worse than a broken arm and blis-
tered face.
IT suppose it's jail for mine, he
said grimly one morning. He knew
little of law
Denton looked thoughtfully at his
enforced host He had been doing
lot of thinking while lying there
helpless, witnessing the simple home
life of these people, which called
forth unselfishness, forbearance and
self-sacrifice, qualities somewhat over
looked in his own self-indulgent, lux
urious existence And to find the
lack of the price of quart of milk
an actual reality was shocking nov
city
1T was only by the mercy Of God
you both escaped said Jennie to