Year: 1876

back-fetch her back I" And meant
to save her from him, with Gods help,
that she might go home to her father.


If l could have met Dick Green then
would have strangled him, and crushed
my foot down upon his head as would
upon some foul snake that had bitten
me; while, rs for her-there was only
one thought. and that was for my past
love, and of what she was-I would not
have hurt hair of her head, for it was
his doing-and mine.


81 ought never to have left her," l
said always. And 1 said it for six
weary months, as 1 went from place to
place, working, and trying to find her,
but in vain. l went all over England
in those days; for knew that I should
hear of Dick Green somewhere; and
then-the blood used to come into my
eyes as 1 thought of him, and my teeth
would get firmly set; but, for all my
searching, we never met.


/ took but little count of time in those
days; but it must have been after seven
months that one night stood again in
our court, and thought I'd ask Mrs.
Chadds if she had any news, and what
she had done about the furniture; for
she was as honest as the day. l felt very
low; for, as glanced up, there was a
light in what used to be my window,
and thought of some happy couple
living there as 1 had lived in the days
that seemed to be years and years ago. "


"Any news for me, Mrs. Chadds2" l
says, as L went in softly to her room;
when, old as she was, she leaped at me,
and threw her arms round me, holding
me tightly as she shrieks OUT


"Lizzie-Lizzie He's come at last P'


A great trembling came over me, and
that dizziness again, as l heard rush
on the stairs-a step 1 knew-and the
next moment the door was dashed open;
and as I stood cold as stone, one of
Lizzie's arms was around my neck, and
with the other she was forcing some
thing to my breast-something soft, and
round, and tender; and as I looked
down, two little blue, wondering eyes
stared up into mine, and a baby smiled
in my face.


/ groaned as tried to push her away;
but no as Mrs. Chadds took the baby,
another arm was around my neck, pair
of lips were covering mine with kisses,
and laughing, sobbing, crying, all at
once, Lizzie whispered:


Harry-Harry, darling, how could
you think it of me My own-own hus-
band. He told me you were lying in
iured at factory where you worked,
and that you had sent him to fetch me
to see you before you were taken to the
hospital; and I believed him, and went,
till 1 found out by his manner that he
was liar and cheat. And oh Harry
Harry darling, these long-long, many
months |"


She broke from me then, before I
could stay her, for the scales had fallen
from my eyes; but she was back directly,
with her little one, so proud and moth
erly; and in that one moment all the
past was forgotten, and I was down on
my knees, with my face buried in her
lap, crying-yes, I, q great, strong, six
foot fellow, crying like child.
How she must have worked, poor lit.
tie thing, to keep home together; but
she had done it-God bless her and for
give me for my doubts toiling day and
night with her needle. The neighbors
had helped her through her trying time,
when the little one was born. But
there, the black cloud came, and il
passed away; for, upon presenting my.
self the next day at the old factory, ]
was took on again directly, for l found
all things in full work; but it was after
twelve months stoppage.


We let the past rest, Lizzie and 1,
never even thinking of it; though it is
hard work sometimes, when [ am toss
ing that babe up and down, to keer
from brooding on the days when hc was
born.