Two Cross Words.
[Concluded,]
The floor seemed sliding from beneath
my feet, but I caught at the door to steady
myself and looked at Tom. At that in
stant the officer uncovered his lantern,
a id, oh, my God! there was blood on my
husband's hands.
All the rest is a blank. When I came
to myself, I was in my room, and kind,
compassionate faces were around me. I
asked for Tom. He was in prison, await
ing his trial. There had been a quarrel at
the tavern, whither my cruel words had
driven Tom; and Tom had struck his an
tagonist. The man wasn't dead, though
they thought he was at first—but he was
l adly hurt about the head. But if he rc
coveced—well, it would not go :o hard
with Tom.
I arose and went to theprison; but
they wculd not admit me. No one was
to see my husband till after the trial.
Anotl er day ( r 'pf- by ; a night; and when
m< r ting came, I wentdown to the door
and opened it, with a vague feeling of ex
pec a ion which always accomplices
severe a fictions, and looked out. The
s n was rising—God's sun—rising grand
ly and 1 rightly over the black stone jail.
The frost hung thick and sparkling over
everything, even on the scrap of folded
paper that lay at my feet. I stooped and
picked it up idly as we catch at a straw or
a twig, sometimes, without any motive or
power of volition. The superscription
ought my eye; it was my own name, and
my hmbind's hand writing. I tore it
open and read :
"Dk.vu Lucy—l have broken out of jail,
and am going—well, no matter where. I
didn't strike. Hastings with an intention
to kili liirn. I was intoxicated and it was
more his fault than mine; but he may die.
an 1 then—at any rate it is better for you,
Lucy, for me to go. 1 never was worthy
of your love. Now you can go back to
you father, and forget me and be happy.
You will And the bonds for that money I
have in the bank in the it is enough
to make you and the child comfortable!
Forgive and forget me, Lucy. God bless
you—you and the baby. Tom."
This was the end ! That was the reward
that mj' cross word had purchased for
rue! Truly, truly the wages of sin is
death. We shall not need one pang of
c irporeal puuishmeut. one spark of real
lire, to perfect our torment if we are lost.
Conscience is all sufficient —remorse, that
worm that never dies. It is not for me
to attempt to talk about what I suffered
in the days that followed that morning!
Words could not express it save to
t hat one who has passed through the same
furnace of affliction. But I lived, for sor
row and death rarely walk in each other's
steps, and nursed my baby, and did Hie
work with my hands hard to do. I did
not go back to my father. I remained at
Tom's home, ami kept his things about
me, even his cap hanging on the wall.
Forget hiin? Does love ever forget?
Hastings did not die. He recovered,
and made a public statement. He was
more in fault than Tom was. Then he
put a notice in all the papers, telling Tom
to come back; but he did not come.
The winter passed away with long,
long nights of bitter remorse, and ten
der recollections of the dear Hius'oand
whose strong arms had once been my
stay and support. The spring came—
the summer another winter. Three
years went by—crept by.
My child, Tom's little baby, grew to be
a fairy little thing, with blue eyes and
golden hair, and a tongue that never
weariedavf its childish prattling. . All day
on the doorstep, where the
evening sunbeams slanted in, lisping to
her doll and listening, while I told her ot
the father who would come back to i s
some day. For surely he would come.
{Surely God's mercy would vouchsafe
some compensation, some pardon for
such repentance as my soul had poured
forth.
That third spring was peculiar some
how, the far-off sky seemed to drop down
in nearer, bluer folds; the sun wore a
softer radiance; the trees, the grass, the
flowers, a diviner, tenderer beauty. I
rose everj' morning and looked out of my
little window at the kindling glories of
morn, with a feeling of strange, tremu
lous expectation. I seemed to feel the
shadow of some great event that winged
its flight above me—one prayer of my life
seemed to be answered.
One evening—oh, that evening! A May
sky, soft and blue, hung over a green,
blossoming earlh. The turtle cooed in
the distant wood, the robin twittered to
her young brood amid the milky bloom of
the orchard. God's love slionp in golden
brightness of the westward going sun.
My child, little Eftie, sat on the door-step, 1
talking to her doll and watching the birds.
All at once she clapped her hands and
bounced to her feet. "Mammy," she
cried gleefully, "pappy comin'—puppy
comin'; F.tlle go meet him !"
The words stirred my heart to its ut
most depths, and dropping my work, I
followed her out of the door. A man was
coming up the garden path—his garments
tattered—his step slow and uncertain. A
Beggar, no doubt. I called to Ellic to
come back, but she ran on heedless of my
command. Tom's little spaniel, that 1
had petted and taken care of for his sake,
darted from bis kennel with a peculiar cry,
such as I never heard from it before.
What did it all mean? My heart throbbed,
and knees trembled. Little Effie ran hold
ing out botli little hands, her golden curls
blown all about her face. "How de-do,
pappy—l'se your Elbe," she lisped, as
she reached the man's feet.
lie stopped and raised her in his arms
and then his glance rested on me. And
such a glance—such a face! l'ale, haggard,
worn by sorrow and suffering to a mere
shadow. Tom's ghost come back from
the grave. Not that, either, for my arms
grasp some tangible form.
"Oh, Tom," I cried, "is it you? speak
l and tell me."
"Yes, Lucy, it's me. I could bear It no
longer. I am dying' 1 believe—and 1
couldn't go without seeing you and the
little one again."
"Tom, Tom," I sobbed, getting down
on my knees before him, "oh, forgive me!
forgive me! I have suffered so much."
"It is me that must ask forgiveness
Lucy," he said humbly, "not you—l was
wrong—"
But I stopped him short.
"No To n, my cross word did it ail," I
i
said;''but we might have been happy
together all these weary years."
"Mammj-, mammy," interposed Eflc,
twisting herself around on her fathers'*
shoulder," don't cry no more, pappy's
come back."
Yes, thank God, lie has come back,
poor, and tattered, and hungry—like the
prodigal—but my Tom, my husband, ne\-
erdieless. It is spring time again.
The sweet sun light steals in my win
dow as I write, and I hear the turtle coo
ing in the distant wood. My husband is
a man now, standing up proudly, his feet
upon the grave of old temptations. I
know that God's mercy is eaqual to His
justice, and his love greater than either.
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