The Tipton advertiser., 1877-05-03

| tantS wanted TO see now the case was
going to turn out, and all of them
instinetieely understood that the best
point of view is always at respecta-
BILE distance from the object to be look
ed at The sorrowing philanthropist
went To crupp, Tomple, and Deacon
Jones; but those three reformers knew
that Baguss could afford the loss, and
quietly agreed with each other that it
would be indeed consolatory to have n
companion in eNperience;so they made
excuses ,andquoted figures in evidence,
and Father Baguss went home
with the settled conviction that he
would have to look to Providence for
his only assistance.
But while Providence was thus re-
forming Father Baguss, Tappelmine
was growing steadily weaker aud
Baguss found his cause of discomfort
increased by debate which lasted
long in his mind, whether it might
not he better. for the sake of the
drunkard'- family, to let Tappelmine
| die, and then lease the farm himself at
a price that would support the
widow. While one phaze Of the
case was present in his mind, he would
suggest to the doctor that medicine
didn't seem to do any goooi-which
was certainly true-and that he didn't
believe it would pay to come so often;
when, on the contrary, conscience
would argue for ii- own side, the old
man would have all three of the ply
sicians visit Tappelmine in rapid sue
cession. The doctors disagreed, as any
one but Father Baguss would have
known. Perry suggested electrical
| treatment, which would necessitate
the purchase of a battery, no such piece
in the town except in n locked cabinet
of the Barton High School. DR..
| White outlined a course of treatment
which seemed reasonable to Father
Baguss, but which, put in practice,
did neither good nor harm; while
| Pykem arranged for certain inexpen-
| sive applications Of water, with results
which We're in the main encouraging.
| But Tappelmine was unable to leave his
/ bed for three months, and when he
was at all fit to work he could labor for
but two or three hours day.
And 50 Father Baguss found himself
brought down to the position of a man
who was spending money without
knowing " hat he was to get for it.
| Such position he had never occupi-
ed before and no one could wonder
that he felt uncomfortable in it; but
that the victim succumbed to the
steady pressure of truths which, in
their abstract form, would have been
as ineffective against him as against
an acute logician whose intellect has
been trained by his pocket.
But Father Baguss was not the only
| instrument of the salvation Of Tap
pelmine. In existence, but scare ely
known or recognized, there was
Mrs. Tappelmine. With face, hair,
eyes, and garments of the same color,
the color itself being neutral, small,
thin, faded, ,inconspicuous, poorly clad,
| bent with labors which had yielded
no return, as dead to the world as
saints strive to be, yet remaining in
I. 4 -.
she had often wished out of it, Mrs.
| Tappelmine devoted herself to the
wreck of what was once Il hope over
| which her eyes had been OF a luster
which high-born maidens had envied
and a hope in which her heart had
| throbbed with a joy which has seemed
too great for life to hold About the
| bedside Of her husband she hovered
day and night. When Tappelmine
made his verbal agreement with Father
| Bagu.s, she had listened with Joy
whose earnestnes- was a. nothing
compared with her resolution. She
had hurried away from the broken
window to "A corner where her dirty
| children Were AT quarrelsome play,
and she had bestowed upon each of
| them passionate caress which
startled even the little wretehes them
| selves into wondering silence. From
| that moment she watched her hus-
bands every movement, and Tappel-
| mine. like Il true Pike-for the Pike,
| like the Trancendentalist, existed
ages before he found his way into
Neutrality-suspicious. subjected him
self unto his wifc's dominion. lie
made numberless excuses to 20 to
some place where liquor could be
| found; she with the wisdom of the
| serpent, yet the gentleness of the dove,
| prevented him. As, through the
| course OF her husbands labors under
the eye of Baguss, he had grown more
| silent then ever, she had increased
| her eXertions for his comfort; when,
| finally, the task was completed, and
Tappelmine, with thinner face and
follower eyes than ever, fell heavily
| upon his rude bed and uttcred-almost
screamed single word "Whis-
| kcyn she was on her knees beside
him in an instant.
Jerry" she exclaimed, you have
got the better of whisksy these late
days..
Just a drop more-to keep me from
dying grasped Tappelmine.
Don't jerry" she pleaded. Let
me hold you tight, so you can't die"
Just a drop, for Gods sake, Mariar."
said Tappelmine imploringly.
80 Jerry!" replied his wife. don't
for the childrens sake; they're more
to you than God is. | hope he'll for
give me for sayin' it,"
"Only single mouthful, Mariar,"
said Tappelmine, ''to keep me from
| sinkin'.'
YOU'RE not sinkin', old man-Jer
ry, dear; you're gettin' up. keep up,
jerry
"Ill be all right in day or two,
Mariar, if only get taste. You don't
want a sick man layin' around not
| fit to do anything for his young ones?"