Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1874-01-05

ANIoHr IN a STATION HoUsE.-It was a
forlorn sight.
A drunken father, blear-eyed and bloated, 10
whose hand child of five years old clung with
tenacious grasp.
whats this man brought in for % asked the
Chief of Police.
'Disorderly conduct, throwing stones at peo-
pie, cursing and swearing
Very weli put him ulo the cell. But stop,
there's the childr
The little fellow was an exceptionally besu-
tfui boy. He had grave blue eyes, SO large
aud so pitful that their glance appealed to the
Chiefs stout heart. His complexion, where it
finest and falrest, His lips were like cherries
His yellow hair curled thickly over a nobly.
shaped head.
sirhat man has seen better days. said tha
Chief to himself Come, bub, your father
must 80 in the cell. Wen fnd place for you
somewhere.
no, no, sir; oh, no! cried the boy in a teri i
take me from my papa
But, child, you must. See hera, Colbert,
| you must take the child away
| Easier said than done. The little fellow
caught his fathers hands, clung TO his body
which staggered at his touch, all the time
screaming, in heartbreaking tones that he
must, be would go with papa.
|
come ont Of his stupor for moment. Don ye
see-he's got nobody but me? l. IN 'lone.'
Il can't allow The child 10 go into tie cell
| said the Chief, 'but | can't bear to hear his
cries. | suppose there's nothing else 10 do.-
He must go. Put them i'll tog ether, Colbert
So they were put In together In The dark
| sitting den, and the door was shut. The little
| fellow ldlled himself against the half-insansi-
bic form, and laid his head upon his father:
| bosom Su they slep together.
| The faint light looked in through the grimy
bars when, On the following morning, the faith
er awoke aud bes,irred himself. OF course, a:
Is usually the case, he wondered where he was
| and how he came there. The last thing be re-
menbered, lie had gone into saloon alone and
drank few glasses, and then recollection csas
| ed. Where was his hat ? where his coat ? AnC
| looking round, he cried out in agony
God of heaven there's little Benny
Yes there was little Benny, the pure, fai
child, tile idol of a broken-hearted mother
There was little Benny, aud be spent the nigh
in this hole.
The man fairly beat his breast rs he Doket
down on that bright, curly head.
Husband and child both,' he Duttered bit
terly. Too bad, too bad
AT that moment, the blue eyes OF the bo
opened. He raised himself in wonder, but q
he met his fathers gaze be smiled like an an
gel.
line pal man Woulu put you Ia Deie, papa
but | wouldn't let him take me. You didn'
know anything, papa, when found you in tn
street. You lost your hat-I guess the win
took it--and the boys were all laughing. Yo
was sick; wasn't you, papa' Aud when th
| bad man took you oil, came, too. Now, let
60 home and tell mamma all about it. Let
tell her we were stoled,' aud the dear uncon
J scous little fellow laughed merrily over tn
brilliant idea.
, But that father God help him His hear
| was touched as 1t never had been before. Ii
r could not speak-could scarcely think. Wha
t was the mother suffering that moment? An
: this awful sin that had led him into its tolls
never had looked as 1t looked to him now, will
5 in tue unsehtly cell, the faint light lying o
! the cnrls Of his innocent boy.
A Aud " hen they went out, there stood tn
f mother, who, half-distraced, had been wander
ing and searching all night. Oh what sigl
for her gentle, loving eyes With wild or,
g she fell upon the neck fthe child, and DRAWN
a him away, sank 10 the floor with hiin sobbiu
e as ifher heart would break.
= Think of the bitter anguish so many goo
aud gentle women are called to endure, all
= then look IN the face Of the respectable run
, seller and call him gentleman it yon eau.