The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1877-04-12
REAL LIFE.
A Temperance Tale.
Br THE AUTHOR OF "HELES's BABIES"
From the Christian Union
CHAPTER VII.

George Doughty lay proppei up in
bed; standing beside him, and clasp
ing his hand tightly, was his wife
near him were his two oldest children,
seemingly as ignorant Of what was
transpiring as they were uncomforta-
bic on account of the peculiar inhu-
ence which pervaded the room. On
the other side of the bed, and holding
one of the dying mans hands, knelt
Parson Wedgewell; beside him stood
the doctor; while behind them both,
near the door, and rs nearly invisible
as man Of his size could be, was
Squire Tomple. The Squire's face
and figure seemed embodiments Of a
trembling, abject apology; he occa-
sionally looked toward the door, as il
to question that inanimate object
whether behind its broad front he, the
Squire, might not be safe from his own
fears. Ii was very evident that the
Squire's conscience was making a
coward of him; but ii was also evil
dent, and not for the first time in the
worlds history, that cowardice is
nightly influential in holding cow
ard to the ground that he hates. Had
any one spoken to him, or paid him
the slightest attention, the Squire
would have felt better; nothing turns
towards into soldiers so quickly as the
receipt of a volley; but no such relief
seemed at all likely to reach him. The
doctor, like a true man, having done
all things, could only stand, and stand
he did; Parson Wedgewell, feeling
that upon his own efforts with the
Great Physician depended the sick
mans future well-being, prayed silent
ly and earnestly. raising his head only
to search, through his tears, the face
of the patient for signs of the desired
answer to prayer. Mrs. Doughty was
interested only i'm looking into the
eyes too soon to close forever, and the
faces of the two children were more
than a man could Intentionally look
upon second time. So when Dough-
tvs baby, who had been creeping
about the floor, suddenly beheld the
glories of the great seal which depend
ed from the Sluire's fob-chain, and
tried to climb the leg of the storekeep-
er's trousers, the Squire smiled as
saint in extremity might smile ut the
sudden appearance of an angel, and he
easy operation for man
Of Squire Temples bulk-and, lifting
the little fellow in his arms, put kisses
all over the tiny face which, in view
Of the relations of cleanliness to at
was not especially be-
A moment later, however,
a mufiied but approaching step brought
back to the Squire his own sense of
and he dropped the baby
Just i'm time to be able to give hand
to Fred Macdonald, as that young man
softly pushed open the door. The
Squire's face again became apologetic.
"How did it happen?" whispered
Fred.
1Why," replied the Squire, "the
doctor says it's a galloping consump-
ton; Inevcr knew thing about it.
Doctor says it's the quickest case he
ever knew; he never imagined any
thing was the matter with George. If
I'd known anything about it, I'd have
had the doctor attending him long
ago; but George isn't of the complain
ing kind. The idea of Il fellow being
at work for me, and dying right
straight along. Why, it's awful. He
says he never knew anything about ii
so don't see how 4 could
He was at the store up to four or five
days ago; then his wife came around
one morning and told me that he
didn't feel fit to work that day, but
she didn't say what the matter was
I've been thinking, for two or three
weeks, about giving him some help in
the store; but you know how business
drives everything out of a mans head.
First thought I'd stay around the
store myself evenings, and let George
rest; but I've had to go to lodge meet
ings and prayer meetings, and my
wife's wanted me to go out with her,
and so my times been taken up. Then
l thought I'd get boy, and-well,
didn't know exactly which to do; but
If I'd known"
but can't something be done to
brace him up for day or two?" in
terrupted Fred; 'then I'll take him
out driving every day, and perhaps
he'll pick uD.n
The Squire looked twenty years
older for moment or two as he re-
piled:
"The Doctor says he hasn't any
physique to rally upon; he's all gone,
muscle, blood, and everything. It's