The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1872-07-16

WIN eyes larger ana DrlSnter tllhn usual.
"Nothin' but In ager; he'll be well
fore long. I'll jeat call in granhy Wads.
worth sometime to-day, and she'll give
him some yarb ten, and he'll, be roufd
in NO time"
In the evening "granny" came in, ana
her experience. told her that Lot was
"death-struck.Y m
"Poor boy! I'll run home and get
one of them ar pieces of muslin that
bought tother ddy-it'll make splen-
did shroud. I don't suppose the Styles
have piece of White in the house."
Ben Styles looked little shocked,
bnt the better part of his nature was so
near dead that he was bit little affected.
Mrs. Styles sighed, and said,-"Wall, !
reckon we must all die, and if it comes
now it won't some other time. 1t was
kinder sudden, though, his sickness
was" 7a.. 80 r,..
Granny worked busily at the shroud
and by the time it was finished, Lot was
ready for it. At noon rough pine box
with the earthly remains IF Lot, was
buried Id the village graveyard.
Two weeks later stranger stopped
at the "tavern," and at once cdmthenced
an earnest conversation with Mrs
Styles. .,.lf
Eyes, woman stopped here ter
years ago comm this Fall, carryih
the ugliest, dirtiest, redheadedest littlt
brat that you ever sot eyes on. khea
at onct that she couldn't be much. y
The stranger stamped his foot impa
tiently, almost angrily, and Mrs. Style:
returned to the point. ra. ;.t...
"Well, sir, that woman died that very
hight,Aand left some papers and sicl
like, and begged us to care for the boy
and no mother could have been kinder
for all he was so ugly"
"Where is the boy2 Let me se'
him. demanded the man.
"The boy! Why bless you, sir, he
been dead and buried these two weeks
The stranger staggered, and graspet
chair for support. Mrs. Styles staret
wonderingly. af5s@
"Let me see the PAPERS," said tn
man.
"Sartaiu, sartain," said the woman
'they are right here in the desk. Lhc,
said-Lucy was my child, but she
dead too"-with slight tremor in th
voice, "Lucy said keep 'em mother
who knows9, Maybe Lot is somebody
after All.' The last words she said arte
trying TO coax Ben to quit selling lie
uor, was, Take care of Lot, mother
Lot thought heap of Lucy" ;r
| Mrs. styles handed the papers to tn
man, together with picture Of a fair
girlish face. He examined them care
fully, and then exclaimed,-"It is as
expected. The woman was my. wife
and the boy my sop,Ys b. ,,aie v'se
/ Benz Styles lad entered, and stoo
staring as though it were, impossible fo
him 10 comprehend the meaning of :h
strangers words. Poor old Ben. H
never thought of Lots having father
! "Man,S said the stranger, turning
him, "you drink liquor, and you Sc
liquor; aud you are breaking hearts an
running hundreds. Liquor changed m
from merry boy to fiend; liquor
the cause Of her unt;mely death and
believe that. had it not been for liquo
my boy would Re alive and well Lie
uor did it-liquor caused poor Lot
death" 10 :, ..i. i III. ~. s.--.i
| The stranger turned on his heel an
stroGe away from the place. ar.,
i Ben Styles was silent. The figl
chord in his nature was touched, and b
was thinking busily; but his though
were far from pleasant: ., ash
| "Liquor did it, liquor caused, Lot
death liquor was running thousands.
That night the strangers words rang
! his ears, and strange, forms SCENE
floating through the air; but all boi
the sathe look, the look that Lots fac
bore while living in the coffin. Larg
!. gray eyes seemed to be looking n
proachfully at him. and the words, sic
uor did it," rang in his ears all nisl
long. t-s a-s..- ef+a
Saidcth liquor dealer in the rnorI
ing, W'n quit selling liquor, and L
quit drinking liquor"
And quit he did.