Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1875-02-05
I From the Detroit Free Press.
WHAT ALLIED ssUGLY SAM"

| Olchclduu 1Oul3 L OIb AulOA LII,
Tall Chicago and the rest of the
boys who were wont to get drunk
with him, couldn't make out what
had happened. They hadn't heard
there was warrant out for him,
had never known of his being sick
for day, and his absence from the
old haunts puzzled them. They
were in the Hole-in-the-Wa all saloon
yesterday morning, nearly a dozen
of them, drinking, smoking and
playing cards, when in walked Ug-
ly Sam.
There was a deep silence for a
moment, as they looked at him.
Sam had new hat, had been shaw
ed clean, had on clean collar and
a white shirt, and they didn't know
him at first. When they saw it was
Ugly Sam, they uttered a shout and
leaped up.
"CaVe IN that hatP cried one.
'Yank that collar off" shouted
another.
"Let's roll him on the foor!"
screamed a third.
There was something in his look
and bearing which made them hesi-
tate. The whisky-red had almost
faded from his face, and he looked
sober and dignifed. His features
expressed disgust and contempt as
he looked around the room, and
then revealed pity as his eyes fell
upon the red eyes and bloated faces
of the crowd around him.
"Why, what ails We, Sam?" in
quired Tall Chicago, as they all
stood there.
"Pve come down to bid you good
bye, boys!" he replied, removing his
hat, and drawing a clean handker-
chef from his pocket.
"What! Hev ye turned preach
err" they shouted in chorus.
"Boys, ye know can lick any
two of ye; but 1 hain't on the fight
any more, and I've put down the
last drop of whisky which is ever to
go into my mouth. Pve switched
off. I've taken an oath-Tm going
to be decent.
'Sam, be you crazy?" asked Port
Huron Bill, coming nearer to him.
'tPve come down here to tell ye
all about it." answered Sam" Move
the chairs back and give me room.
Ye all know I've been rough, and
more too. Pve been drinker, a
fighter, gambler and loafer. I
can't look back and remember when
/ earned an honest dollar. The po-
lice have chased me around like a
wolf, and I've been in jail and the
work-house, and the papers have
said that Ugly Sam was the terror
of the Potomac. Ye all know this,
boys, but ye didn't know 1 had an
old mother"
The faces of the crowd expressed
amazement.
81 never mentioned it 90 any of
| We, for 1 was negleeting her," he
went on. She was poor old lady,
living up here in the alley, and if the
neighbors hadn't helped her to fuel
and food, she'd have been fourd
dead long ago. / never helped her
to cent-didn't see her for weeks
and weeks, and Iused to feel mean
about it. When fellow goes back
on his old mother he's gittin' purity
low, and l know it. Well, she's
dead-buried yesterday! l 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 anything?" asked
one of the boys, as Sam hesitated.
"That's what ails me now," he
went on. "When I went, she reach
ed out Der hand to me, and says she,
Samuel Pm going to die, and ]
knowed you'd want to see me be-
fore 1 passed awayr 1 sat down,
feeling queer like. She didn't 60
on and say as how / was loafer,
and had neglected her, and all that;
but says she, Samuel, you'll be all
alone when I'm gone. rve tried to
be good mother to you, and have
prayed for you hundred O. nights
and cried about you till my old
heart was sorep Some o. the neigh
bors had dropped in, and the women
were crying, and I tell you boys, !
felt weak"
He paused for moment, and then
continued:
"And the old woman said she'C
like to kiss me afore death came
and that broke me right down. She
/ kept hold of my hand, and by anG
by she whispered, Samuel you ar'
throwing your life away. You've
got it in you to be a man if you'll
| only make up your mind. 1 hate tc
j die and feel that my only son anC
! the last of the family may go to thu
gallows. If 1 had your promise tina
. you'd turn over new leaf, and tr.
to be good, it seems as if I'd die eas
! Ter. Won't you promise me, m.
! son?' And / promised her, boys
and that's what ails mel She dieC
holding my hand, and 1 promised t.
: quit this low business and go t.
work. came down to tell ye, AM
now ye won't see me again on tn
Potomac. I've bought an ak, an,
am going up in Canada to winter.
There was dead silence for me
i, ment, and then he said: -,
: "Well, boys, I'll shake hands wit
Z We all around afore l go. Goodbye
= Pete-good-bye, Jack-Tom-Jlm
: hope you won't fling any bricks a
. me, and shan't never fling at an
at We. It's dying promise, 20
see, and Pll keep it if it takes righ
J, armm
. The men looked refectively a
each other after he had passed out
!. and it was a long time before an
y spoke. Then Tall Chicago flung hi
! pipe into the corner, and said:
= 'Q'll lick the man who says Ugl
c Sans head isn't level!''
: "So'llI" repeated the others.