Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-09-11

ayes"
"Who owns it!'
Jimmy Mcbride
"How much did you pay toward build
ing its"
pin surprise.
"Yes, You! How much did you pay
toward building it!"
"Why, nothing. Why should l help
pay for his house?" :,
'Sure enough! Why should your hard
earnings go to build and furnish an ele.
giant house for man who would rather sell
liquor, and SO ruin his neighbors, body
and soul, than support himself in useful
calling, as you and are trying to do?"
81 can't see what you're driving at,
said the journeyman.
How much week do you spend at
McBride's saloon?"
The man stood still, with blank look
on his face.
"a dollar week." asked Wheaton.
eyes"
"Say dollar and half"
"Well, say as much"
"Do you know what that amounts to in
year,"
"Never counted it up"
"Seventy eight dollarsw
"Nor'
.Yes, to dollar. So, in five years, at
this rate, you have contributed tour hun
dred dollars toward McBride's handsome
house, without getting anything but harm
| in return, and haven't single over your
head that you can call your own. Now,
! it's my advice, in a friendly way, that you
! stop helping Mcbride, and begin to help
Yourself He's comfortable enough, and
can do without your dollar and half a
week Take baby, if you will, for good
luck You'll find one over at the poor
house; it won't cost you half as much as
helping Mcbride, and | don't think he
needs your aid any longer. But here we
are at home, and / see wife and children
waiting for me. Come in, won't your
mo, thank you. III go home and
talk to Ellen about taking baby for
good luck" And he tried to smile, but it
was in anything but cheerful way, He
passed onward, but called back after going
a few steps, "If you see anything of my
Jack about your place, just send him
home, will you?"
Jack was there, meanly dressed and
dirty, and in striking contrast with
Wheaton's three adopted children, who,
with the only mother they knew, gave the
happy man n joyful welcome home.
1--WE turned over new leaf, " said the
ourneyman, when he came to work on
the next morning.
Indeed! I'm glad to hear it." returned
Wheaton.
"Ellen and talked it over last night.
Pm done helping saloon-keepers build
fine houses. Glad you put it to me just
in that way. Never looked at it so be
fore But it's just the hard truth. What
fools we arew
Going to take baby?" said Wheaton
smiling.
"Well, we haven't just settled that But
! Ellen heard yesterday of poor little
| thing that'll have to 90 on the county il
some one don't take it; and | shouldn't
wonder, now, if she opened her heart, iol
she's a motherly body"
"Where is it?" asked Mr.. Wheaton.
"Down at the Woodbury. Mills"
Wheaton reflected few moments, and
then said: 'Look here, Frank; take my
advice, and put this baby between you
and McBride's-between you and lost
days-between you and idle thrittlessness
and, my word for it, in less than two
years you'll have your own roof over your
head"
Only for little while did the man hes
itate, then, with an emphatic manner, he
exclaimed ON do it,"
''Do it at once, them" said Wheaton
"Put on your coat, and go over TO the
Mills and get the baby. 1t will be an
angel in your house, that will help and
bless you in every hour of temptation
Go at once. God has opened foryou this
way of safety, and if you walk therein all
will be we'll"
He did walk therein, and all was well
Wheatons prophecy was fulfilled. In
less than two years the journeyman had
his own roof over his head, and it covered
happy home.-A,thur's Illustrated Home
Kdgdztne.