Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1871-11-16
MINNIE'S SECRET.


! MINNIE'S SECRET.
Mrs. Lawton and her only child
Minnie, were waiting for the arrival
of one whom they both loved.
"Will father come sOonr' Min
ME asked.
81 hope so, darling" replied her
mother; ''but-"
There was world of meaning in
the little word but yet the tired
watcher tried to hide it.
"What were you going to say,
mother!' questioned the child after
a pause.
"Oh, nothing-nothing;" and the
anxious wife forced back the tears
that pushed to her eyes.
Though only seven years old,
Minnie Lawton was a thoughtful,
tender hearted maiden, and seeing
that her mother did not wish to talk,
she asked no further questions.
1t was the first time Mrs. Lawton
had allowed her daughter, to stay
out of bed, that she might keep her
company while she sat up waiting
for him who was absent.
The clock struck eleven, but the
steps so eagerly listened for did not
come. Another half hour slipped
quietly away without bringing Mr..
Lawton to his home, and every min
ute his wife became more nervously
anxious. AT length the clock struck
twelve.
Minnie and her mother had list
ened to its low monotonous tickings
until they fancied the sounds were
louder than in the early evening;
but when it began to tell them that
midnight had come, Mrs. Lawton
started. and looked wistfully around
the room. He was not there. What
a sad and lonely place it seemed to
be without him!
Weary with waiting, Minnie's
mother tried to relieve her mind by
talking of the past, and revealing
her fears of the future; but every
now and then a sob would compel
the speaker to stop, and then a sigh
would come up from the child's
heart to tell her parent that her sor-
row was being felt and shared. At
last heavy footsteps were heard in
the pass below, and Mrs. Lawton
rose from her chair. The truant
husband and father had indeed come,
but how? Not sober and good
tempered, as usual; but cross-very
cross, and-yes! we must tell it,
tipsy. Staggering into the room,
he glared for a moment at his tremb-
ling wife, and then uttered a loud,
hoarse laugh.
"Why have you stayed so late,
Williamt" she ventured timidly.
"Pve been having a social glass
or two with an old friend, Polly.
Bring some beer" and he threw
himself heavily on the sofa. In a
little while he fell asleep, and Meth |
er Minnie nor her mother could
rouse him, so they went to rest.
Several hours elapsed before Will
liam Lawton aAoke from his stu
por. He got to bed as well as he
could, where his brain being still |
clouded with the fumes of the liq-
uor he had taken, he soon fell into
another deep sleep. At length
morning. glorious summer morn
ing-brought the suns rays into the
room where he lay. Opening his
eyes, he pressed his hands to his
head sighed heavily. "I've been
foolish-mad" he muttered to him
self. Putting on his clothes, and
going toward the window, "What a
sky! And to think that
l should have no more sense than
to"
Hearing Minnie's voice he paused
and listened.
"Minnie
The singing ceased.
"Yes, father"
"Come here, l want you"
When sober. Mr.. Lawton was do
tingly fond of his only child.
"What is your mother doing?"
he asked when she made her ap
pearance.
Cooking bit of bacon for your
"Did you see me last night, Min
nie?'
"Yes, father"
"Ah, Pm sorry for that"
"But your not SO sorry as mother
is"
"How do you know?'
Because she cries when you stay
out so late.''
The conscience stricken parent
turned his face another way.
"Oh, father, you would be sorry
if you knew what 1 KNOW" said
Then she came and took
hold of his hand in her old flash
ioned, coaXing way, and added:
you're not tipsy now, are you ia
ther?"
Mono, Minnie; don't talk of
that. Tell me, what is it that you
knowY
"It's n secret, you would be an
cry with me if l were to tell it"
"No 1 wouldn't, Minnie. Tell it
to me and then you shall have some
sweets when l come home"
Thus urged, the thoughtful little
began to tell her secret.
Last night when mother and me
were waiting for you a long, long
time, l fell asleep and thought that
| was in a grand house playing with
a lot of other little girls. Then
somebody shook me and l wakened.
1t was mother that awakened me,
and she was crying and looked like
"a ghost, and trembling as if rob-
bers had got into the house to kill
us. Then she kneeled down and
prayed that you might come home,
and told me how good and kind you
used to be to her when / was a baby;
and"
"But the secret, Minnie. the Sc