The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1875-02-12
III / s cellaneOu q i.
ny BOY, JACK
A TRUE AND TOUCHING STORY.

Like many others, poor fellow he hat
been kicked out the tavern, and there ht
lay on the cellar door, as little cared for al
the dog in the kennel near by. A pack O.
Indifferent loafers gazed upon the specta.
Gle, and as fair-faced and lovely child
passed by, shuddering with fear at the
sight, thus he began muttering to him
self:
Jack, my boy, jack" and then some
one discovered he had maundered into mar
rative and stopped to listen. my boy
Jack, don't remember the day he wa:
| born in the two-roomed house in the mead
ow3 The doctor he rode over, and Gran.
ny Webb.
"Hc's fine child says Grannie. THE
finest in Charlotte says the doctor. So he
was, and he grew prettier every day. HI
was his mothers boy, and it was just O
picture to see them. Liddy and her lad
in the high grass, or under the apple trees
together. Was that me that used to stand
and look ct 'em9 reckon so, but yet
Lord help met seems as if l lied when
| said SO.
"The prettiest picture They were like
| each other, these two. And one funny
thing-right on her round, white throat
was q red mark--a birth mark, don't yor
know-like little strawberry. No blcm
ish, only beauty. And somehow it wat
on the baby's too, just under the chin
Learned folks may tell you why such thing,
happen. l only just know it was 80, and
| used to say if ever the child was lost we'd
know him by that mark, Happy! Yes
we were as happy as two babies-she and
And tho rao1 haby Wall IL tb,o,,o
and began to walk, and began to talk, and
grew to be boy.
II forget good deal-e man does for.
get good deal-only was only
eight years old when they built the store
and took to going there now and then
A man likes to talk a bit, and glass with
friend seems only right. Yes, maybe ]
did take glass too much, now and then,
even then and somehow the farm didn't
thrive, and Liddy she fretted, and, woman
like, blamed me. l remember her bam.
ing me, but one thing never was wrong
that was the boy! Oh, the boy | fair aud
sweet and good, good as a girl, as his
mother-there was no one better than her
and he did all he could on the farm with
his young hands.
"You see me sitting here-you see how
cold am, and how shake. haven't had
drink to day. Do you expect me to re-
member how it all went on2 l think /
went on a spree-yes, l know / did-and
when came home the mother was sick,
and there was no food in the house. l.
yes, I'd pawned the pillow and sold the OK
en-, and the land laid waste; we couldn't
feed the cow. 1t was all going to rack and
ruin. And he--a slim young thing, he
was fourteen think-stood up before me,
and told me ought to be ashamed of N.Y.
self. That my drinking was running oil,
and killing his mother, and lot more. Ali
true; but lid been on q spree, / told YOU,
and was furious.
"There was stick in the corner twist.
ed thing, slender but etrong. caught it
up, and caught him and beat him. beat
him until the blood ran down his white
back, and his mother, lying in bed, shrek
ed and shrieked like mad thing, but he
never groaned. At last l dropped, and he
dropped. He laid quite still for minute
or two, and then got up and crept out OF
the room. ! was getting sober, and be-
gan to feel what / had done.
"'I'm his father said he had no right
to speak so to his father
"And then waited, but he didn't come
back-no, he didn't come buck. was co.
Der enough pretty soon. felt that I'd
done wrong, and tried to make up for it.
set the kettle boiling, and went to the
store for ten myself. had little credit
yet, you see. did more than I'd done for
long while for home, and, getting sober
er and soberer, began to think ofmy boy
Jack, as he was when carried him in my
arms, and of his mother, pretty girl, and
of the blows I'd given him, and began to
know I'd cry soon.
$50 tried to make believe to myselfId
done right, and says to his mother, sob.
bling and choking still:
"Liddy, boy shouldn't he permitted to
preach to his father
~ had to do my duty; and then push
ed open the bedroom door, and saysI:
slack, my boy, come to tea, and always
be respectful
"But there stopped. The window wa,
wide open his little trunk stood empty
in the middle of the floor; and pinned to
the bed-quilt was q paper written Oh in
pencil This was what it said:
"'There's q name for the place devils 90
to. think we'll meet there for you are
one, and think you've made me one, too.
Good by
she didn't even call me father, but /
knew he wrote to me searched far and
wide for him, but found no sign of him,
and it nearly killed me. Something hap
pencd to my head or heart. laid on nv
back for months. and that wife of mine for
gave me and nursed me, and when I waa