The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1877-05-16
"COME HOME, WILLIE -
A STORY FROM. REAL LIFE.

The night was bitterly cold:s was
glad to turn up the collar Of. my top coat
to- shield myself somewhat from the wind,
which seemed as if it would pierce
through the warmest covering, as I took
my way home from the house of friend.
Passing along by one Of the private gar
dens which adorn our beautiful city. I
heard noise as of some one crying bit
terly, and soon reached the place whence
the sounds proceeded. Seated on the
parapet-walls of the ratings was a young
working man in his garb Of toll, with an
infant on his knee, and by his side sat a
fair young creature, evidently his wife
and the mother of the babe which, lay on
it's fathers arms. Alas! that those arms
should be so unworthy of the precious bur
den.., .., IS
"Come home, Willie" she sobbed out
as I passed, and in the moonlight I
could see her sweet young face dimmed
with tears as she pleaded with her hus-
band. ~. -D' T. o,f -~} III
-"No, I won't come home! I'll sit
here as. long as I like; just you hold
your tonguc!" he replied angrily, caring
nothing for the cntreaties of his young
wife. ..., y
'''Give me the baby, Willie; oh do give
me the baby! she'll catch cold, Willie!"
and the mother tried to take the babe from
its fathers arms. ~" -. T''''' "-'
- "No, you won't have the child! Its
comfortable enough where it. is. Don't
think, Jessie, that I care for your crying.
You can cry yeurseyes, out fol ALL care !;
Gu I,1cf., off
I tell you, or I'll dash. =
his brutal words, and unable to- restrain
myself, Twas about to step forward to the
young mothers assistance when a "bull's
eye" flashed along the street. 1 had
stopped short distance from the group,
uncertain at first whether should inter-
fere, as was afraid that it might be pro-
ductive of harm instead of good, until my
anger at the young mans unfeeling con-
duct impelled me to interpose. The watch
man, however; had unexpectedly appeared
upon the scene, and as he heard the sound
of weeping, quickened his steps. Z =, &
"Come, now, don't make any noise here,
but be off :home!" he exclaimed in the
rather gruff tone of his calling, and wife
duu uuoOdAu DOIll 1OoC, ult UitDc SILL Ill
its fathers arms.
ooh, sir, don't do anything to him! it
wasn't him; it was only me crying, Don't
do anything to him, sir" pleaded the
young wife. with tears in her eyes.
He would have had hard heart indeed
who could have been, insensible to her
supplication. I could see the Waterman s
eye glisten as she placed her hand on his
arm and looked tearfully up into his face.
All, yes! under his official sternness he
had a soft heart, that guardian of the
night. Very likely he had a fond wife at
home, and perhaps beloved children, for
whom he would have given his own life.
No wonder, then, that the tear glistened
in his eye, and that when he next spoke,
it was in softer tone, in which pity for
the poor wife oyercame his anger for the
drunken husband. Yes, there lay the
secret Of the whole scene. Yet the young
workman, a decent, comely looking man,
was not so much under the influence of
the horrid curse but that he could walk
steadily along, his gentle wife walking
beside him, and pleading with him to
give her the baby; but when they turned
the corner Of the silent street and were ere
hid from my view the child was still in
the arms of its father
They reached their home, an humble
one in lowly quarter of the town, but
the neatness which ,reigned around be-
tokened the presence of woman's gentle
hand. He lay down to sleep off the effect
Of the drink which he had taken, while
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