Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1860-05-05

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flushed and his eyes looked inilamed. lie
grasped my hand with happy laugh,
called me " old fellow "old dog" said
must come aud live with him, aud many
other extravgaat things. His wife tried
to hide her tears. while his mother shook
her head and said
Hell SOW his viii! oats soon my dar-
ling can never be bad IN ,n.'
"God vraut it," 1 thought to myself
and knew that The same prayer was up
on Ellens lips.
1t was late when we retired, and We
might not have done so even thea, had
not John fallen asleep in his chair.
On the following morning. ! walked out
with my friend told hin, | was sorry to
see him as I saw him the nigh. before.
"Oh.' said he, with a laugh, "oh. that
vas nothing -only a little vine party We
had glorious time. wish you HAD been
there" .- sa '... ..*g
At frst thought would say M more,
but was il not my duty! knew his ma.
ture better than he knew it himself His
apnetites and pleasures bounded his own
vision. | knew how kind aud generous
he was-alas too kind, too generous.
"Johr. could you have seen Ellen face
last evening you would have trembled.--
Can you make her unhappv?'
lie stopped me with, DON'T be fool
Why should she b. unhappy p
Because she fears you are going doua
hill !" told him.
"Did she say so?" he asked with n
flushed face
NO read it in her looks said.
"Perhaps n reflection Of your own
Thoughts" he sugye sted.
''s"rely thought 50 when you came
home | replied
Never can I forget the lonk he gnvc me-
then, 40 full Of reproof. Of surprise, Of
pain.
&C -. I forgive you, for know
you to be nv friend; but never snenk to
me like that. ! going down hill! You
know better That can never be. know
my ow" power. and know nv wants.
Ny mother knows me better than Ellen
does"
All! had that mother been as wise a.
shs was loving, she would have seen that
the "wi'd oats which her son was sowing
would grow UP aud rpen the furnish seed
only fnr re-s"wing! Bu, she loved him
loved him almost TOO vel, or should say
too hlndly.
But could say no mnre--I only pray
ed that G"d would guard him, aud then
We eonrersed on oher subjects could
spend hut day, but we promised to cor.
resprnd often
Three years more passed, during which
John Anderson wrote to me- at least once
month, ard ottpuer so,a.timas but at
the end of that time his letters ceased
coming, and | received no more f.. two
years, when | again found myself in lis
native town. 1t was early in the afternoon
when | arrived, and took dinner at the
hott.
had finished my meal, mud was lounr-
ing IN front of the hotel, when | saw a ia
"erAi procession ~,nding into u distant
churchysrd. asked the landlord whose
funeral 1t was.
Mrs. Anderson'-.' he said. As he
spoke | noticed a slight topping o, the
hend. a. II 1t cut him to say SO
What, John Anderson's wife p ven
tured.
NO he said, "i, is lis mother and
as he told me this he turned away; hat a
gentleman near by who overheard our
conversation at once took up the theme.
Oar host don't seem inclined to con
verse on the subject he remarked With
shrug; enqririns, Did you know John
Anderson =
lie then led me one side, aud spoke as
folows:
Poor John lie was the pride of III.
town six years ago. This man opened the
ho,el IA, tha: time, aud songht custom by
giving wine suppers. John was rre-eot
al many Of them. the -eayest of the gay
and the most generous OF the parry. In
Iac', be paid for nearly all Of them. Then
he bsgan to 20 down hill. Since. at times,
true friends have prevailed on him to stop,
but his stops were Of short dur.t;,n. A
-kort seas snn OF sunshine, would CLEAN
upon his home and then The nigh, came
more dark and dreary than before He
said he never would get drunk again. hot
still he would take " glass Of vine with
friend That glass of ~ine was bu, The
gate that let in the food. Six years ago
be was worth sixty thousand dollars.
'Ni'", "e Vo'''"u VIC S"t" U. VI
" do''ars TO pay ms mother funeral ex
pehses. That poor mother bore up as
long as she could. She So" her son her
'darling boy as she always called him
brought home drunk many times. Aud
she even bore his blows But no" she
rests. her DARING wore her lie away.
ana brought her gray mars !" sorrow to
,ne grave oh nope 'h's may reform
"'.' .'n ,,, .. 81
~, n"' n,s "''s ! hsSeo' >,
,er i,eavehiy 'oNe was hesa w shnS
'ar' out she IS only shaoo" "' 'he wi'e
shs was s'S years ago. ne returned. :,