Port Royal standard and commercial. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-12-23
Tn a short time the sailor had go great

nrove that the latter had not the slight
est chance against him. He had got the
wretched man against the wall and was
pommeling him in the most terrific man
ner, the poor child screaming violently
and begging the bystanders to interfere
OF her father would be killed. The
genius of the place, however, was doml-
nant at the time, and no one onered TO
render any assistance or to part the com.
batants; on the contrary, they called out
for fair play, the sailors cheering their
companion, while those of the workman g
party advised him to stand up and show
himself man. At last the poor wretch
fell, utterly senseless and exhausted, on
the ground, his face covered with blood.
Some of the bystanders evidently
thought he was dead, and advised the
sailor to decamp as rapidly as possible.
He took their advice and left the place.
The landlord of the house then sent for
the police, and the poor girl remained
by the side of her father, crying In a
most pitiable manner. Here, it is true,
| many offered to console her, but even
their consultations were mixed up with
the odious influence of that locality.
"Come, cheer up, my gal" /" said one
man; "your father will be all right as
soon as he's got the police to take care
of him. Here, take drop; it IL do you
good" and he placed some gin to the
girls lips, but she pushed it away with
horror.
At last the police arrived, and the man
was placed on stretoher. One OF them
then asked where he lived, and the girl
told him.
"What a shame p said the policeman
to the landlord, "for you to allow the
man to have got so drunk in your
house."
$50 it is," said a woman, who now
seemed to exhibit some kind feeling to-
wards the girl, and who, had she not
been in such locality, might have been
considered respectable. "It's shame,
for he is hard-working man enough, if
he had his way; but it's places Like this
that tempt him in. Why, the man spent
as much money hero tonight as would
feed his family half week, and they're
pretty well starving at home"
The policemen now carried on the
man on the stretcher, and the dead hand
drew Trottie after them.
They had hardly quilted the threshold
of the house when Trottie noticed
woman approaching. The dead hand
now held Trottie stationary, and as the
woman came nearer Trettie began to
recognize her as the same she had seen
in the pawnbroker's shop. Onward she
came toward the gin shop, and just as
she was about to enter Trottie found, to
her intense horror, that she was no other
than her own mother. She implored
her not to enter, but her words seemed
unheard. She then stood before her to
impede her way, but her mother seemed
to pass through her as if she had been o
spirit, and unaware of her presence, and
then to enter the gin shop. Trottie, In
despair, attempted to utter violent
scream.
"Why, Trottie, what's the matter
with you p said little Katie, her bedfel-
low "what ails you to-nighta One
would think you were being murdered.
What's the matter, dear Trottie"
Trottie remained for some moments
silent and motionless ; she could hardly
believe she was in her home, and in bed
with her sister, 80 vivid and real had
her dream appeared. She was inclined
to believe she had been sleeping, and
the scenes she had passed through were
simply illusions but then again the
dead hand-how could she account for
that? She still felt its pressure her
hand was perfectly numb, aud then the
thought occurred to her that she had
been lying on it, and the pressure she
had felt was only caused by stagnatlon
of blood.
In a few moments Trottie was fully
awakened by little Kate, who passed her
arms round her neck, and after kissing
her, said {: "Dear Trottie, what is the
matter with youa Do tell me what
made you cry out in that dreadful man
ner." Trottie only kissed her sister,
but did not give her any explanation as
to the cause of her cry; nor did she to
any one else.
No visit was paid that day by Trottie
to her friend Martha Jones, and no rum
was purchased. Christmas evening,
however, could not have passed more
happily with the family than it did, had
Trottie carried out her determination !;
and the money the rum would have cost
was not only economical, but probably
mischief not less terrible than that
which Trottie had witnessed in her dream
avoided. William gilbert.