Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1860-11-30
THE LOST ONE.
A SCOTTISH TALE.

since the good old doctor of the vii
lage of A. was summoned to the
bedside of one who had suddenly. been
seized with an epileptic fit. The house
of the patient was situated at some dis
lance from the doctors abode, and the
night being stormy and inclement, the
old man stood asif considering for while
whether it was his duty to obey this call.
He was aroused from his partial abstraction
by the gentle yet earnest entreaty of a
girl. "Ohl sir, please to come at once,
for l am afraid poor father is dying. -
The old man looked; and seeing pale
and anxious face gazing intently upon
him as if to know his final decision, his
heart melted with pity towards the little
one and he asked her kindly if she had
vcntured all the way to his surgery by
herself. " Yes" she replied, envy father
is very i'll, and there was no one else to
come but me-" Being man Of kind
disposition, though rough exterior and OBJ
serving the scanty covering ofhis messenger
he wrapped warm plaid around her, and
both Immediately set out for the patients
house During the walk, the doctor in
CURED of the little girl whether she had
any mother. Il once had kind and
loving mother" replied the child, /" but
she died and went to that beautiful place
above, where my teacher tells me there is
no pain or sorrow" Il hope, my little
friend, that you loved your mother" said
the doctor. Yes yes, we all love her very
much but father" :" And what makes
you think your father did not love her?'
Because" said the girl, " he used to
come home drunk at nights and beat us
all and make mother cry but she will
cry no more now" "Would you like to
60 to the same place as she has gone?'
), Yes very mnch," earnestly replied the
girl" for there is no drink there and faith
er could not beat us there, but we could be
so happy and have 50 nice place to live
in" "Your father has certainly been We
ry unkind," said the old man, "but l trust
you don't hate him for what he has done"
"No, sir, our mother always taught us to
love him, and told us to pray that God
would put it into his heart to leave the
drink altogether, because he is kind to us
when he is sober"
BY this time the house came in view /;
and the girl pointed it ont to the doctor
her little face being lighted up with deep
crimson hue, as if ashamed to show so
poor and wretched- looking dwelling as
being theirs.
1--WE live in this house." said the girl
IL" Will you please walk, in Sill"
The doctor cast his eyes about the place.
and thought to himself that he was now
about to visit that which, to all true
lovers of God and man, must prove one
of the most mournful and distressing pic
lures which the eyes can behold, or the
imagination picture, the drunkard' home
A hasty glance suficed to show the visit
ant that this was the place into which
comfort, joy, and repose never entered.
By the time of the doctors arrival, the
man had recovered from the fit under
which he had been laboring, and though
weak, was quite sensible. Kneeling by
the patient, who lay upon quantity of
dirty and time-eaten straw, for bed there
was none, the doctor kindly inquired Of
him how he felt.
"Thank you, sir, | feel great deal
better, though very weak" replied the
man.
"How did this thing happen ?" said
the doctor.
The man hung his head, as if ashamed
to speak word, but on being urged by
the doctor, he said:
"Well, sir, if you must know, there
was funeral at the house Of, one
of my friends, and | was invited to follow
the corpse to the grave. After we returned
from the burial, we went to the friend
house, and ] am sorry to say, sir, took
too much"
My friend" said the doctor, "did
you forget at that time that the very man
whom you buried that day, was cut off by
his drunkenness 90