The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1879-06-05

U.arsssa,g Litsls Ned.
"where il 'whisly Bill. Who used to
drive that old white horse in front OF .
twenty.sve-cent express vagon? repeat
ed the man, in tones Of surprise.
"Yes."
"Well. now, it's . curious case. hs
slowly continued. I'VE all thought he'd
gone 70 the dogs. for sure. for be was
drinking pint Of whisky q day; but
few mouths ago he braced right up, stop.
ped drinking, and now hear he's In good
business and saving money. II beats all,
for the last time saw him he seemed half
underground.
When you 60 home at night and End
that all Is vel with your own flesh and
blood do you 60 to sleep reasoning that
the rest Of the world must care for itseifF
Do you ever shut your eyes and call up the
hundreds of faces you have met during the
day, and wonder If the paleness OF death
viii cover any of them before the morrow!
When you have once been attracted to
face, even if it be strangers do you let
it drop from memory with your dreams,
or do you call it up again and again -
night comes down and hope it may lose
none Of its brightness in the vhirling mists
So "Whisky Bill" was hunted down. An
inquiry here and there finally traced HIM
to little brown cottage on q by-street
He sat on the step in the twilight: ahuriy.
broad-shouldered man OF 80. and IN the
house three or four children gathered
around the lamp to look over picture
book.
"Yes. they used to call me Whisky
Bill down town." he replied; As ne
moved along and made room, but It -
weeks since heard the name: No wond.
er they think me dead, for I've not set
eyes on the old crowd for months: and
don't want to for months to come.
They tell me you have quit drinking.
One could see that by your face.
II hope so, ] haven't touched drop
since February Before that | was half
drunk day in and day out, and more OF Q
brute than a man. don mind saying
that my wife's death set me to thinking.
but didn't stop my liquor. God forgive
me. but was drunk when she died, half
drunk at the grave. and ! meant to 20 on
q regular spree that night. II Was low
down, sir. but was no better than brute
those days."
"And so you left your motherless child
rem at home and went out and got
drunk?'
"No, / said meant to, but didn't.
The poor things were crying all day. and
after coming home from the burial !
thought TO get 'em tucked away in bed
before went out. Drunk or sober, new
er struck one Of them q blow, and they
Il
home. There's four of EN- in there, and
the youngest isn't quite four year. yet. |
got the older ones in bed all right. and
then came little Ned. He had cried him
self to sleep, and he called for mother No
soon rs | woke him. Until that night ]
never had that boy on my knee. to say
nothing Of putting him to bed. and you
can guess these big fingers made slow
work with the hooks and buttons. Every
minute he kept saying mother didn't do
that ~ay, and mother done this way, and
the big children were hiding their heads
under the quilts TO drown their sobs.
When had his clothes of and his night
gown on. was ashamed and put him down
and when the oldest saw tears in my eyes
and jumped out Of bed to put her arms
around nv neck dropped the name OF
w uisky Dill Iiknt tucu nnu ioie'e'-
"And little Ned?"
"Mebbe Id have weakened bot ~
him." replied the man. as he wiped ~
eyes AFTER | got the ehild's niehe
gown on. what did he do but kneel night
down beside me and wait for me 20 say
the Lords prayer TO him! Why. SIR you
might have Knocked me down with
feather! There was. mother and father
10 him. and couldn't say four words OF
that prayer TO save my life. He waited
and waited for me 10 begin as his mother
always had, and the big children were
waiting. and when took him in my arms
and kissed him. called heaven 10 wit
ness that my life should change from that
hour. And 90 it did, sir. and I've been
trying hard to lead a sober. honest life.
God helping me, no one shall call me
"Whiskey Bill again"
The four children. little Ned in his
night gown, came out for 4 goodnight
kiss. and the boy cuddled in his fathers
arms for moment and said:
GOOD night. pa-good night. every
body in the vorld-good night, ma, mp in
heaven-and don't put out the light till
We get 10 sleep!"