The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1859-11-24

'' Please, sir, to find pa
"' Is your pa here, nay little one?-
Tell Inc which is your pa
! al can't see him, sir, but ma told NE
to come and tell him that she was dying
"'Your mother dying--whero does
your mother live? when did your pa 50
away from homc?'
ooh, great while ago, sir, don't
know how long. But | aln going back
! We've not got any fire, ard nothing to
eat, aud MA is cold
"Wait little one,' said I, and sitting
her down behind the stove, pushed into
room adjoining, where few moments
before had sceu Dodge enter. aud where
| found that person engagtd In assisting
bleared and bloated individual to dress
"'Mr. Dodge, said |, there is a little
girl in the bar-room who has come to get
| her father
"Tell her to go home said the
drunken wretch whom Dodge Was assist
ing.
THAT voice
"No, 1 was not mistaken. Time and
intemperance had not been able wholly to
change it. had heard it when it in
spired happier feelings, but could not
be mis.aken-it was the same voice still.
The drunken wretch, who atterward
ascertaiued bad been dead drunk for three
days, was GEORGE DANE.
The true situation of affairs flashed
upon my mind at once. pictured to
myself Alice, the wife of a wretched
drunkard, suffering, perhaps starving at
this very moment, aud | SO near. l took
the little cir! in my arms, and walked
out into the cold night air.
Where do you live, my little one ?
said |. 4 ain going home with you to
see your mother
"'Oh, ma will be SO glad she's so cold
and hungry will You please, sir, give me
something to carry to ma to cat !"
IL hastcncd back, and film. my peck
ct with cakes al d crackers, returned, and
taking the child in my arms, pushed
through the snow in tha direction indi-
Gated by the child, to her honsc And
such a home! Oh, that man should
fall SO low. All was dark, still, aud cold
Not breath to tell that human being
Inhabited the place, no feeling of warmth,
nothing but cold, dark silence. But the
child ran to one corner Of the miserable
hut, exclainiin:;
"'Oh, ma, ma, wake up. The man
has brought YOU something 70 eat Ma,
won't you wake ? AMI she sobbed as
though her little heart would break---
She continued talking in this strain to
her mother, making all kinds OF eudear-
ing speeches, and telling her that they
would have some supper now, aud Ma,
the good man has ccnc TO see us She
kept taIkilg and sob5ins while | by the
aid of matches aud jack knife, snccecd
I'd in kindiDg IRE, which grew and
grew, till the room was lighted, and some
degree of warmth impaired.
1T was terrible feeling to know that
| was III that wretchcd abode with death
and my sister. There was nothing that
deserved the name Of furniture in the
room Not n chair, not stool, not
bench, noting, exccp' cup! oard i'll one
corner, to Indicate that it was ever hu
man kabitation. Close by the fire, on
nest Of straw, was the cold, enaciatcd
I foraI Of my sister Alice. What Il meet
/ ing was this, after five years absence
took her by tue hand it WAS as cold as
death. raised her up, and held her to
the fire, aud rubbed my hands rapidly
over her wrists and temples, to impart
( warmth. Is she dcads Oh, this must
not be Look at me, Al,cc. | am your
brother, come to save you | could not
bear the thought that she was dead.
a: length came the reward Of my la
bors She brcathcd, family, it was true,
| worked on; aud slowly yet surely, my
sister was coming to life. She spoke,
but her mind evidently wandered
"'Oh, George, said she, Il am SO gl d
you have come, aud you are so changed.
thought should die, was 80 cold and
/ hungry sent little Alice after y,u,
and YOU were 50 good not to beat her -
| lad such sweet dream. Oh, George,
it is growing dark. am dying.
"'lt is |, Alice, look at me.
"She swooned away, exhausted, gasp-
/ ing for breaih. just heaven !. what if
she should die now? No, | must save
her went to the door aud got hand
ful of snow, aud by the warmth imp1rt-
\ ed by my hands, succeeded in melting it,
and applying few drops TO er lips, and
bathing her temples. she again revived
"Her eye was clear, calm, aud natural,
now There was tho same sweet looi as
of old But she was whi,e--oh so
white and death like She looked more
like an angel from the spirit world, than
the fcsh and beinp she really was
Extending her hand toward me, in a
voice sweet in It's softness and sadness,
Henry, is it Henry ?
"'Yes, Alice; it is Henry. come to take
you home to your father and mother
"'Oh, Henry is it possible What n
horrid memory And she pressed her
hands over her eyes, as if to shut out
some horrid image Of the past But il
is over now have seen the death
GEL am going soon. Oh, Lord Jesus
have mercy on ny child, my dear little
Alice Is not George here?'
"'No, he has not come yet. But
don't think such thoughts, Alice. You
are not going to die. Cheer up; you must
60 home with me-
Home, yes, am going home now
Hold me in your arms, brother dear,
am so weak. wish that George wa.
here to sec me die--he was kind to me-
once, but he was led away. Rum did it
He did not mean to be SO bad, but the
best society drink here. He couldn',
drink little without drinking too much
Tell him forgive him. Tell father ant
mother I have suffered. but am happy
now. longcd to write and let you know
ali, but / hoped for better times.