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Show THE OLD STOHY. A young woman with a babe at her breast, came into the police station and asked for a lodging. She was thin and poor, and the frozen Bnow hung in masses about the skirt of her dress. "I walked in from the couutry," she said, when tho usual question was I asked her. "My husband came in to look for work. As ho did not come back, I made up my mind that he fell in with some of his old cronies and got a little too much. He was "'""j" vi n; who a neavy sigh. "So I came to look for him. Mother offered to keep mo, but I know she hasn't more than she need? for herself. I havo walked ten miles since breakfast. Cm I stay until daylight?" The officer said she could. As she was passiitg through the corridor, she caught sight of a man standing behind be-hind the bars. He was unshaven and haggard, and his red eyeB told tho cause of hia being there. "Why, Jim!" The man glanced up. He brushed hia hand across hia eyes, looked at her again, and it ia to his credit that bis voice trembled when he said: "How came you here, Martha?" "Oh Jim!" and the poor wifo began be-gan to eob; "I was afraid of this and came after you. I know you wouldn't j go lodo it of your own accord but them cronies, Jim, them croniosl I knew what it would come to." j ics, wife," andtheyoung fellow's I oyea filled with tears, "I know it's so, but I never knew it so well before. But. if I get out of this I'll give you my word it's the last time; it's the last anil you know I never have promised you that before." The mother leaned against the bars and let her tears flow for a moment bhe then straightened up and went . directly to the clerk. "How much does ho owe?" she asked. Tbroe dollars and forty cents." The woman took from her pocket a solitary five dollar bill, and paid the hue without a murmur. The door was opened, the young man passed out, and in a moment was marching down the street with (he babe on one arm and hia wife close to his side it ia hoped to a better life and to a fulfillment ful-fillment of the solemn promise he had made.- Cleveland Leader. |