Show THE HUSBANDS NEW MEV lay by sf S COBB JR JKo it was a bitter cold ni night lit on the twenty fourth of december the snow tay lay deep upon the frozen earth and the bright moon riding half way up the heavens heave ns lent a crystalline lustre to the scene in the high road a snort short distance from a quiet reposing village stood the form of a human being 11 chisgar his garments were scant and tattered by far insufficient to keep out the biting frost his frame shook and trembled like ike the icebound ice bound boughs ot of the weeping willow that grew near him and his as the moonbeams moon seams beams now danced upon it exhibited all the fearful footprints pi ants of the demon intemperance poor wretched and debased he looked and such in truth he was before him at the end of a it neatly fenced and trellis elised ed enc enclosure loure stood a small cottage it was elegant in its simple neatness and just s such h an one as tae humble lover of tra comfort and joy would seek tor a home trie tears rolled down the bloated cheeks of the poor inebriate as lie he gazed upon the colta col tage e and at length as he clasped his hands in a gony agony h he e murmured 0 thou fond home of my happier days thou look est like a heaven of the past beneath thy roof I 1 was married to the idol of my so soul uland and within thy peaceful walls god gave ave tome two ble blessed sed children then peace and plenty were mine and lovi love and joy were mine mine my wife god bless her gentle soul was a 9 h happy apy then and my children may heaven protect te c t tl them it J laughed bed and played in pleasure G gladness le e smiled upon us then and evemy hour boar was a season of bliss but I 1 lost thee as the fool loseth his own salvation six years have hanle passed since the demon that I 1 took to my heart drove us from your sheltering roof arid and tho those se six years 0 what misery whiz I 1 and what degradation leg al a I 1 on have aney not brought to me and my poor t family ILY home health wealth peace joy and friend sare gone all all 11 gone crone 0 thou fatal r cup no I 1 will not blana thee it was 1 I I 1 who did it year after year I 1 tampered with thy deadly sting when I 1 knew that destruction lurked in thy bihy smiles but bat but bat and the poor man raised his eyes to heaven as he spoke there is room on earth for another man and I 1 will be that manal man within the only apartment of a miserable bli and bro ken down hovel sat a woman and two children a boy bov ani a girl irl the cold wind found its entrance th I 1 ough a li andred crevices and as its binim biting g gusts s wept swept t th brought rought r them the room the mother and her children crouched ri nearer e i to the few embers that still should ered upon the hearth tue ane only furniture were wei e four poor stools a rickety table and a scantily covered bed while in on nearest to the fireplace fire place was a heap of straw arid and tattered blankets which served as a resting place tor for the brother and sister pai pait t of a tallow candle was burning upon the table a id by its dim li light 9 lit one might have seen that wretched mothers s countenance it was pate pale and wan and wet ath tears the faces of her ber children were both buried in her lap and they seemed to sleep peacefully under her prayerful guardianship at lenth length the sound of footsteps upon the snow crust struck str bick upon the mothers ears and hastily arousing her children she hurried them to their lowly bed and and hardly had they crouched away beneath the thin blankets when the door was opened ind and the man whom we have already seen before that pretty cottage entered the place jaee with a trembling beai tul fal look the wife gazed up into her husbands face and seemed ready to crouch back from his approach when jhb mark of a tear drop upon his cheek caught her eye could it be thought she that that pearly drop dipp was in truth a tear no perhaps a snowflake snow flake had fallen jallen the e and melted once or br twice thomas wilkins seemed upon the point 0 tit of speaking some word to his wife but at fe length nath he turned slowly away and silently lau undre undressed sed hin himself iseff and soon after his weary limbs had d tou cled the bed he was asleep long and earnestly did mrs wilkins gaze upon the features of her husband after he had tallen fallen asleep there was something strange in his manner something unaccountable surely he had fiad not been drinking for his countenance had none of that vacant wild demoniac look that usually rested there his features were rather sad and thoughtful than otherwise and 0 0 heavens is it possible a smile played about his mouth and a sound as if of prayer is sued from his lips while slept A fagut hope like the misty vapor of approaching I 1 morn flitted flirted before the heartbroken heart broken wife but she could not grasp it she had no foundation for it and with a deep groan she let the phantom pass she went to her children and drew tile the clothes more closely about them then she knelt by their side and after imprinting upon their cheeks a mothers kiss and uttering a fervent prayer in their behalf she I 1 a bought lit th the e repose of her pillow I 1 bohrig long e ere e the morn dawned Thomas wilkins arose from ins his bed dressed himself and left the house bouse Us chis poor wife e awoke just as he was going out and she would have called to him but she dared not ashe she would have to told ld him that she had no fuel nor bread nor aDyth anything irig with which to warm and feed ithe chialdi children chil dien en but he was gone ani and she sank back I 1 I 1 u upon on her pillow and wept trie li light tit of boenin morning came at length but mrs wilkins had not risen from her bed nor had her children crawled from out of their resting place A sound of footsteps wis was heard from without accompanied by a noise as though a light sled were being dra dragged wed through the snow atie door opened and her husband entered he laid lad upon the table a heavy J I 1 wheaten loaf a small pail and a paper bundle then from b his s pocket be took another pa paper parcel and again he turned towards the door when hen next he be entered he bore in his arm a load of wood and three times did lie he go out and ret return urn with a load 0 op the same s t description ayn then he bent over the fireplace fire place and soon a blazing fire snapped and sparkled ruled on the hearth As soon as this was accomplished thomas wilkins bent over his children chi adren and kissed them then I 1 he be went to the bedside bed side of his wife and while some J powerful emotion stirred up tip his soul and made his chest heave he be murmured kiss mp me lizzie 11 T tightly ghaly that wife wound her arms about the neck or 0 lier her husband and as though the love of years were entered centered in that chati one kiss she pressed it upon his lips aps there no more he uttered 5 as he gently laid the arm of his wife from his bis neck 1 these things I 1 have ave brought are for you and our children cn ildren and as pe e spoke lie left the house bouse mrs wilkins irose arose from her bed and tremblingly the she examined the articles upon the table she found the loaf and in the pail she found milk one of the tapers contained two smaller bundles Zone one of tea wd one of sugar while in the remaining parcel she a nice lump of 0 butter buffer 0 O murmured the poor wife and mother as she beed upon the food thus spread out before her whence came chese can it be that thomas has fole ozeia no heite iw did that arid and then that ok that kiss those kind sweet sweet words 0 ly poor poor poo heart raise not a hope that may only ul md cruh crash mother at this moment spoke poke her sou son who had laifed himself upon bif elbow is our father gone yes chaales Ch axles I 1 0 tell roe me mother diether diche not come and ad kiss me sd ad little abby this marnina morning P 6 yes yes ye s he fie did he di did died cited the m mother ther as f he ae flew to lo the side at f her boy and wound her arms about him and mother said the child in low trembling accents while he turned a tearful look to lo his parents face will not father be good to us once iti more ore that mother could not speak she could only press her children more fondly to tier her bosom lind imd weep a tto theia tears upon them was lizzie wilkins happy as ab she e sat with her children down to that Is meal at last a ray of f bun bunstine shine was struggling to gain eruti entrance en tiance ance to her bosom TO towards wards the middle of the afternoon mr able walker a retired sea captain of some wealth sat in a comfortable parlor en engaged in reading when one IT cf f liis li is servants informed him that someone some one at the ioor boor wished to sei see him all if him to come in then returned walker abut but it Ws itis Is that miserable wilkins ns sir never mind 5 said the captain after a hesitation show him in poor fellow 12 he be continued after the servant had gone 1 wonder what he wants in truth I 1 pity him with a trembling step and downcast look thomas wilkins entered captain walkers parlor I ah wilkins said the old captain what has brought you here the poor man twice attempted to speak ak but his heart failed him do you yon come for charity ino I no sir 11 quickly returned wilkins while his eye gleamed with a proud light then sit down and out with it said walker in a blunt but kind tone captain walker commenced the poor man as darain he t 00 the proffered seat 1 I have come to a sk ask you if you still own that little cottage beyond the hill 1 I do and is it occupied I 1 no Is it eng engaged agede no 11 returned the captain regarding his visitor visitor W with ith un uncommon common interest but why do you ask 2 captain walker 22 said wilkins in a firm and manly tone even though his eyes glistened and his lips quivered 1 I have been pooi poor and degraded deeply steeped in the dregs of poverty and disgrace everything that made life valti valuable able I 1 have almot almost lost my wife and child children rn have ed and 0 god only knows how keenly I 1 have long wandered in the path of sin one after another the tender cords of friendship that used to bind me to the world have snap sunder ink my name has become a byword and upon earth I 1 have been but a foul foal blot but sir from henceforth I 1 im am a man inan up from the depth of its ion long I 1 grave I 1 have dragged forth my heart and love still has its home therein I 1 have sworn to touch the fatal cup po more arid and iii hi my heart there is no lie my wife and children shall shail stiffer no more for the sins they never committed I 1 have seen my old employer at the machine shop and he ims has given give m me as a situation nation it and is even anxious i that I 1 should come back and sir ir he hs has even been kind enough to give me ra e an order in advance for necessary artie articles les of clothing 7 food and furniture tomorrow to morrow morning I 1 commence commence and you come to see if you could obtain your cott collage age back agin again to live in i said capt walker as wilkins hesitated yes sir to see if I 1 could hire it of you replied I the tha poor man 1 c wor wilkins ki bow much can you make at your business bluntly asked ask edthe the captain without seemie seeming to heed ah the I 1 re request st my uye employer ply pl y is going to put me on to job work 1 i I land nl as soon as I 1 get my hand in I 1 can easily make from twelve to fourteen dollars a week and how much will it take to cami ily ly As soon as I 1 get cleared up I 1 can easily get along with willi five or six dollars a week c mien you might be able to save about four hundred dollars a year 1 I mean to do that sr sir 2 A few moments captain walker gazed into the face of his visitor and then asked have you pledged yourself yet before gott god and in my heart I 1 have but one of my errands her ewas to get you to write me a pledge and have it made to my wife and children 22 captain walker sat down and wrote out the pledge ledge and then in a trembling but bold hand band thomas thomas wilkins signed it I 1 wilkins said the old man as he took his visitor by the hati hand 1 I have watched well your countenance and weighed your words I 1 know you ou speak th the e truth when I 1 bought that cottage from your creditors six years a ago 0 o I 1 paid them one thousand dollars for it it has not been harmed and isas good a it was th then e n most of the time I 1 have received I 1 good rent for it now sir you shall have it for what bat I for it and each month you shall pay such a sum as you can comfortably spare until it is all paid I 1 will ask for no rent nor tor for a cent of interest you shall have a deed of the estate and in return I 1 will taip take but a single note or mortgage upon which you can have your own time thomas wilkins tried to thank the old man for his kindness abut be only sunk sank back into his chair and wept like a child and while he yet sat with his face buried in his hands the old man slipped from the 10 room oin and when at length he returned he bore in hi shand a neatly covered basket come come I 1 he captain exclaimed cc cheer up friend here are some tit bits for your wife and children talia take laem item home and believe me wilkins if you feel half as happy in receiving my favor as I 1 do I 1 in n bestow bestowing inc 11 it you are happy indeed 10 0 god go god join w will ill bless you for this sir ill exclaimed the kindness stricken man anctil and if I 1 betray your confide confidence ice may I 1 die on the instant stick to your pledge wilkins and I 1 will take care of the rest 12 said the old captain as his fiield took the basket 11 t it I 1 vou you have time tomorrow to morrow call on roc me and I 1 will art an ange ange tb apers ll 11 As thomas wilkins ikins once more entered the street his tread was light and easy A bright light of joy ausness shone hone in iii every feature and as he wended bended his way homeward he felt in every avenue of his soul that helas once more a wan man the gloomy shades that ushered in the night of the thirty first of december had bad fallen over the snow clad earth within the miserable able dwelling of mrs wilkins there was more of comfort than ilian when we visited her but yet nothing had been added 0 o the furniture of the place lace for the last six days he her husband had bome come gome home every evening arid and gone away before daylight eve every morning and during that time she knew that he had drank no intoxicating be beverage for al redy almedy had his face ace began to assume the stamp of its former manhood and every word that he ha had spoken had been kind and affectionate to hi q children he had brought new shoes and warm warm clothing and to herself he had given such things as she stood in id immediate need of but yet with all this he had been taciturn and thoughtful showing a dislike of all questions anti and only speaking such words as were necessary the poor devoted loving wife began to hope and why should she not for six years her husband had not been thus before one week ago she dreaded dread frd his approach but ant now she found herself baitin wa waiting itin for him with all the anxiety of former years should all this be broken should this new charm be swept away eight came and so did nine and ten and yet her likis husband band came not mother said little charles 1 just as the clock struck ten seeming to have awake awakened ned from a dreary slum moer Der this the last night of the old ye bearr year arr 1 yes 1 my son and ami do you know what ive apen dreaming r dear mother I 1 dreamed that fat father her had brought 11 us new yews bews presents ashe as he used to Buthe but he woi wont 1 will he hes too poor now 11 no my dear boy we shall have ro other present than food and even for that we must thank dear father there lay your head in my lap again 11 the boy laid his early curly head bead once more in his |