Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-01-15
What Allied "UgIy sam"

What Allied "UgIy SaIp."
lie had been missing from the "Poto-
mac" for several days, and Cleveland Tom,
Port Huron Bill, Tall Chicago, and tho rest
Of the boys who wero wont to get drunk
with him, couldn't make out what had
happened. They hadn't heard that there
was a warrant out for him, had never
known Of his being sick for a day, aud his
absence from the old haunts puzzled them.
They were in the Hole-in-t -the-Wall saloon
yesterday morning, nearly dozen ofthem,
drinking, smoking, and playing cards,
when in walked Ugly sam.
There was deep silence for moment as
they looked at him. Sam had a new hat,
had been shaved clean, had on a clean col
lar and white shirt, and they DIDN'T know
him at first. When they saw that it was
Ugly Sam, they uttered a shout anJ leaped
up.
Gave in that hat!' cried one.
"Yank that collar OFF, shouted another.
Lets roll him on the hoori' screamed
a third.
There was something iu his look and
bearing which made thom hesitate The
Whiskrr' d bad aim st faded from his face,
iud he looked sGher aud dignihcd. Hi,
features expressed disgust and contempt ~
he looked around the room, and then re-
vealed pity rs his eyes fell upon the red
eyes and bloated faces of the crowd before
him.
"Why, what ails We, Sam? ?" inquired
Tall Chicago, as they all stood there.
i've come down to bid you good-bv,
lo hn 1t.
| drawing a clean handkerchief from his
| pocket.
"Whatl Hev ye turned preacher?" they
shouted in chorus.
"Boys, ye know can lick any two of We;
but hain't on the fight any more, and
I've put down the last drop of whiskey
which is ever 10 go into my mouth! I've
switched of. I've taken an oath. I'm GO
| ing 10 be decent"
"San, be you crazy ?" asked Port uu-
ron Bill, coming nearer to him.
1--WE come down here to tell We all about
! it," answered Sam. Move the chairs
back little and give me room. Ye all
know I've been rough, aud more too. I've
been drinker, fighter, gambler and
loaler can't look back and remember
when I've earned an honest dollar. The
police hez chased me around ike Il wolf,
and I've been in Jail aud the work. house,
and the papers has said that Ugly Sam was
the terror of the Potomac. Ye all know
this boys, but We didn't know had an old
mother"
Tho faces of the crowd expressed amaze
ment.
II never mentioned it to any of ye, for l
was neslecting her." he went on. "She
was poor old body living up here in the
alley, and, il the ncighbors hadn't helped
her to fuel and food, she'd d have been found
dead long ago. / never helped her to
cent-didn't see her for weeks aud weeks,
and used 10 feel mean about IT.. When a
feller goes back on his old mother. he's a
getting purity low, and ] know It. Well,
she's dead-buried yesterday! was up
there afore she died. She sent for me by
Pete, and when got there seen it was all
day with her."
"Did she say anythiug?" asked one of
the boys, as SIM hesitated.
"Thal's what alls me now," he went on.
"when went she reached out her haud 10
me-, and says she, Samuel. I'm going 10
die, aud I know'd you want 10 sec me
afore I passed awayv ! sat down, feeling
queer like. She didn't go on aud say as
how I was loafer, aud had neglected her
and all that, but says she, Samuel, you'll
be all alone when I'm gone. I've tried to
be good mother to you, and have prayed
for you hundreds o. nights and cried about
you til my old heart was sorev Some o.
| ho, l,o,
men were crying, and l tell you boys felt
weak"
lie paused for a moment, and then con-
tnued:
"And the cid woman said she'd like 10
kiss me afnre death came, and that broke
me right down. She kept hold of my hand,
and by and by she whispered: Samuel,
you are throwing you're Lille away. You've
got 1t in yeu TO be man If you'll only
make up your mind. hate to die and
feel that my only son and the last of our
,, , family may go TO the gallows. If had
your promise that you'd turn over n new
leaf and ty AID lie good II seems as If ia
die easier. Went you promise me. r'y
sour Add Promised her, boys, and that
Is what aili mel She died holding my
hand, and promised oquit this low busl
ness and go to work. 1 came down 10 tel
yc, and now you won't see me on the Po
tomsc again. I've bought an ak and an
going up in Canada to winter"
, There was dead silence for a moment
= aud then he said:
"Woll, boys, I'll shake hands with We al
around aiore I go. Good-by, Pete-good.
by, Jack-Tom-Jim. hope ye won
i fling any bricks at me, and shan't nevel
ding at any of We. It's dying promise
ye see, and Ill keep it if It takes a righ
arm"
The men looked rehectively at each 9th
: er afler he had passed out, and IL was lonl
u time before any one spoke. Then Tall Chi
cago flung his clay pipe into corner, anC
= said:
'Ill lick the man who says Ugly SAM
= head isn't level -
"So'll / r. repeated the others.-Detroi
. Free Press.
Is Rev DR.. Barlol Of Boston told in a re
J. cent sermon, of a minister who numbered
h In his flock one very disagreeabe 'siStor,