Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1873-02-01
A Night IN the station uause.

/ IL was torlorn sight
\ drunken father, blear-cyed and
bloatcd, to whose hama a child of five
years old clung with tenacious grasp.
whats this man brought in 10. :"
asked the Chief of Police.
"Disorderly conduct. throwing stones
at people, cursing and swearing"
Very we'll put him into the cell
but stop. there's the child J!
The little fellow was an exceptions
ly beautiful child. He had grave, blue
eyes, SO large and so piritul that their
glance appealed 10 the officers stout
heart. His complexion where it was
not discoorcd by dirt and tears, was
the finest and tairest His lips were
like cherries. His yellow hair curled
thickly over noble-shaped head
That man has seen better days"
said the Chief TO himself. "Come, buh,
your father must 90 in the cell; well
lind place for YOU somewhere.
No, no. sir; O, no!' cried the boy in
a terrified voice. Il 90 with papa o,
please don't take me from rly papa
But child, YOU must, see here, Col
bert, YOU must take the child away
How can he cling to such n wretch I"
Easier said than done. The little
fellow caught his fathers hands, c,ung
to his BODY, which staggered at his
touch, all the time screaming in heart
breaking tones that h. must, he would
go with papa.
81 i'm lone, said the man at last,
seeming to come ont Of his stupor for
moment. Don We see-hes sh got no
body but me J. i'm lone"
Il cant allow the child to 60 into
the cell" said the chief, "but ] cant
bear to hear his cries ! suppose there's
nothing else to do-hc must 90. Put
them in together, Colbert"
So they were put in together, in tho
dark, sitting demand the door was shut.
The little fellow cuddled himself against
the halfinsensiblc form, and laid his
head upon his fathers bofom. so they
slept together
The faint light looked in through
grimmy bars. when on the following
morning the father awoke and bestirred
himself. OF course, as is usually the
case, he wondered where he was. and
how he came there The last thing he
remembered be bad gone into n saloon
alone, and drank few glasses, and then
recollection ceased Where was his hatf
where his coat aud looking round be
cried out in agony
"God Of heaven! there's little Benny"
Yes, there was little Benny, the pure,
fair child, the idol Of a broken-hcartcd
mother. There was little Benny, and
he bad spent the night in this hole.
The man fairly beat his breast as he
looked down on the bright, curly head.
Husband and child both, he mutter-
ed bitterly, "too bad, too bad
AT that moment the blue eyes Of the
boy opened He raised himself in won
der, but as he met his fathers gaze he
smiled like an angel
"The bad man would put you in here,
papa, but | wouldn't let them take me.
You didn't know anything papa, when
found you in the street. You lost
your hat, | guess the wind took il, and
the boys were all laughing. You ras
sick, wasn't you papa And when the
bad man took you of, come too. Now
lets 20 home and tell mamma all about
il; lets tell her we was stoled;' and the
dear, unconscious little fellow laughed
merrily over the brilliant idea.
But the father, God help him (! His
heart was touched as il never had been
before. He could not speak-cOuld
scarcely think. What was the mother
suffering that moment And this aw-
ful sin that bad led him into its tolls
it never bad looked as it looked to him
now, within the unsightly cell, the faint
light lying Oh the curls Of his innocent
bOv.
And when they went ont, there stood
the mother, who, half distracted, had
been wandering and searching all night
o, what sight for her gentle, loving
eyes. With wild cry she fell upon
the neck of the child, and drawing him
away, sank to the floor with him, sob
bing as if her heart would break.
Think Of the bitter anguish so many
good and gentle women are called 10
endure, and then look in the face Of the
rs,p.etobis rumseller and call him gen
tleman, if yOu can