THE SEAMSTRESS'S STORY.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 124, 29 May 1886, Page 5

THE SEAMSTRESS'S STORY.

How do I feel to-day, Jane? Why, middling 1 what elao could be A lone and a lorn graSß-widder with a baby ; upon her knee/ J oat eighteen montbs and taothln", and onttin 'em cross way s, too'/ Foot lamb! half a loaf in the cupboard, and • three weeka of Ihe room'a rent due. But these are trial* I'm use to, and triala a& can be bore, ! And I'm promised some work, Jane—great coats from the Army Clothin' Store; And liberally they pay us, at coo-and-cloven a head. Out at wnich, Jane, yon finda the needles, and likewise you bays the thread.. Just a twelvemonth since my Bill left me—* ; twelvemonth, or maybe more. : Since the par tin' blow be gave me sent iaa gjia aorosa the floor! Bill was handy-like with him Sate, Jane, as everyone jined to agree. And he kept himself up to tho mark, Jane—h* i practised bo much.on me. I never complained t It's likely, myself tt» 1 mjse £1 kep'— ■ I was proud-lih c. Look ost co tho Jandla'. X fancy I heard a etep, A Btsp aa waa once familiar, though I can't say aa it was dear, Unless when Me faint? No; lawsbJess your ■ bn« it giro me a fltitterin"— here* I was likely enough as a gal, Jane, as. Smart » wench as you'd see, ._.,„, . And I was soft upon William, and William was nuts on me; And so, line a fool, I gives warniDg to missus, ; and we was wed, ■ And twsnty-four hours alter, lie caught me a ; crack on the head. ■ That was tbe first. But. bless you 1 harder raea came, and wnss. And every blow that he planted he follered up ; ■ withacasa; .And I grew hard and careless, and let the place go to rack, , And when he " upped" with the shovel I gave him the poker back I SO things went on till tbe kid come, av,A them they was quiet a bit. And Bill he grew somewhat softer to me; ana I've seen him sit * And play with it like—for hoars; and often he'd iHe'dbV'ableto'Tiße his mauleys as well a» his dad svme day. That wore a Way in time, Jane, as moat thing* would do with Bill. And tbe old bard times came back. Jane, tbu o'd, o!d trouble and ill; And he kep' me shorter than ever for money. and I was sore And sick and faint with the hunger—but etUl with the life I bore t Bore with the gnawing anguish, bore with the 1 stripes, nor cast Back again the oaths and curses, as ra often done in the past; Bat something kept me quiet and brave, aad whatever I did Was done for Well, you're a mother—} on know, 'twas forsake of the kl-j. Till one night he come home, a tiger, maddened and fierce wH& drink. And did what had be beenßoberyhe •wouldn't a-done. I think; • ■ I was nsed to be beaten, but somehow it made Sent me as mad as Bedlam, when he struck and abused the child 1 I waited until next morning, put my bonnet on, took the keys. And went and told my story to a justice of tbe ' peace; ' Said icy-life and child's were In danger, from tbe strength of his drunken blows, And took out a summons against him—how I did it, goodness knows I But I was mad and blinded, and weary of storm and strife. And the dull revengeful craving of years sprang into life; I thought that the law would baipme, I knew it was great and strong, ... _ ,■ ... -.- But I doubted the thing I was doing—l doubted it oil along. . You ought to have seen blB face. Jane, you're one of the laughin* sort. When the news first came to William that h»"a got to appear in court; I didn't turn pale or falter, it made my case stronger when He glared at mo for an Instant, and went fox me there and then. What happened I soarce remember, only tba neighbours found Me, beaten and braised and bleeding, down In a death-like swound. On the floor, when they come back, bringing tko kid from his bit o' play; For, beln.2 prepared for a scuffle, Td sent him i Bafe out of the way. There's little more to tell you; but whan I, appeared in court More like a dead thing moving than one of the living sort, - Everything went agin' htm, and they gave him six months as well For smashing a few policemen and rioting in his cell. So he was took away; Jane, but the last words . he said, A kind of a partm' blessin', keeps ringing (till in my head: " Yon got me lagged, my woman? Ay t yon can boast its true; But when I come out of prison, d—n me. 111 awing; for youl" " Swing for me." So he will, Jane, BUI never broke his word— • ; - /- And sure ac I live or die, Jane, hell keep to the oath I heard. Hide? There is no use hidin', he'd find meant in a trice I Yes! if the kittles boiling a cup of tea would be • nice! And Jemmy shall have some too, Jane, ho'a downright fond of a sup; . Will he be like hiß father, my boy, when he's quite grown up 1 He said he'd swing for me, Jane—how that door creaks, my dear! When he said he meant to do it . . .Merciful God, he's here. Glad 1 Why, of course I'm glad, Bill, and w> it .Jem. I know. It's the—joy and—the sudden surprise like that b sot me a trembling so: Herd's an old friend, you mind, lad, Mrs jßrown. from the three-pair back. We was havlne a cup together, a cup and a friendly crack. Yes, you must go, of course, Jane; you're wanted, I know, downstairs. And when husband and wife have mot, Jane of course they've their private affairs To talk of; but take the baby, he's regular wild and mad For a game with the kids in the alloy—there. toddle along, my lad 1 . ™ And Jane—hush! or else ho'Jl hoar us-if over a prayer you said. Say one to-night for a woman in terror and mortal dread! . . • FOr%l^ddSiranl.^J§et nßlnUrder- H° H6'B^gf ffihWfor'Se?-^ °90i "Judy.'