The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-01-11

| "Boys, ye know can lick any two OF
Iye; but hain't on the fight any more;
Pve put down the last drop of whisky
! which Is ever to go into my mouth! Pve
switched off. pve taken an oath. Pm
going to be decentW
Sam, be you crazyW asked Port HUI
rolf Bill coming near to him.
"I've come down here to tell We all
| about it," answered Sam. "Moye the
chairs back little and give me room.
Ye all know I've been rough am more
too. Pve been O drinker, q fighter, o
gambler and aloafer. can't look back
and remember the time when I earned
an honest dollar. The police hez chased
me around like wolf, and I've been in
Jail and the work-h0use, and the papers
has said that Ugly Sam was the terror of
Potomac. Ye all know this boys, but ye
didn't know that l had an old mother"
The faces of the crowd expressed
amazement.
was neglecting her," he went on. 1She
was poor old body living up here in the
alley, and, il the neighbors hadn't helped
her to fuel and food, she'd have been
found dead long ago. l never helped her
TO cent-didn,t see her tor weeks and
weeks, and 1 used to feel mean about it.
When a feller goes back ON his old moth
er, he's O gettin purity low, and know
it. Well, she's dead-buried yesterday!
l was up there afore she died. She sent
for me by Pete, and when 1 got there l
seen it was all day with her,"
"Did she say anythingw asked one of
the boys, as Sam hesitated.
s'Thaps what ails me now" he went
on. "When went she reached out her
hand to me, and says she, Samuel, Pm
going to die, and know'd you'd want to
see me aiore l passed awayp 1 sat
down, feeling queer like. She didn't go
on and say as how l was q loater, and
had neglected her, and all that, but says
SHE, Samuel, you'll be all alone when
Pm gone. pve tried to be good mother
to you, and have prayed Tor you hum
dreds o. nights and cried about you till
my old heart was sorep Some o. the
neighbors had dropped in, and the wo-
men were crying, and tell you, boys,
felt weak"
He paused for moment, and then con.
tinued:
"And the old woman said she'd like to
kiss me atore death came, and that broke
me right down. She kept hold of my
hand, and by-and-by she whispered:
Samuel. You are throwing your life |
away. You've got 1t in you 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 20 to the gallows.
Ii l had your promise that you'd turn
over a new Leaf and try and be good it
seems to me as it Pd die easier. Won't |
you promise me, my sonr And prom
ised her, boys, and that's what ails me
She died holding my hand, and prom
ised to quit this low business and 10 to
work. l came down to tell We, and now
you wont see me on the Potomac again.
Eve bought an axe and am going up to
Canada to winter"
There was dead silence for moment,
and then he said:
"Well, boys, Pll shake hands with ye
all around afore l go. Goodbye, Pete
goodbye, Jack-TOm-Jim. l hope ye
won't fling any bricks at me, and shan't
never fling any at any of ye. It's dy-
ng promise, ye see, and I'll keep it il 1t
axes right arm!"
The men looked reflectively at each
,ther after he had passed out, and it was
! long time before any one spoke. Then
Tall Chicago flung his clay pipe into
orner, and said:
''pll lick the man who says Ugly Sans
cad isn't level"
"So'lf 1p' repeated the others.-Free ,
'ress.