, 1880-07-12

0oOA6Ao UAAouy IoCOuubC0 sAo csOAJ
of his illness. touching bu. lightly on
what he had done, and laying great
stress on the interest of the men.
But now, old man, you'll soon be
up and among'em," he concluded, with
cheerful laugh.
"No," said the old fellow, with the
same weary smile, but-but 1 thank
you,"
"Oh, nonsense-that's all right
you're only q leetle shook up, you
know-it's natural, after being as fur
down as you've been. You'll soon be
all right-cheer up, and don't let your
sand run out; besides, I've got letter
for YOU"
Letter-for me?" and the old
mans face lighted up with an eagerness
that sent a tremor through Georgia's
honest heart, lest the missive, after all,
should not be for him. He got it, how
ever. and gave it into the trembling
hands.
Yes. yes," said the old fellow, 8" it's
her writing, I know-like her mothers
oh, how long it has been coming
but now" and his poor, weak, shaking
hands vainly strove to open it.
Let me, said Georgia. kindly.
The old man let him take the letter,
and then said suddenly. in a low, even
tone: Hold on, Georgia"
Georgia paused.
Georgia" said the old fellow, look
ing MIN steadily in the eye, you've
been kind to me-very kind-and I've
got nothing to show for it-nothing but
confidence. I'm going to tell you
something, Georgia, and then-then
you Can read that letter and you'll un
derstand all the good news it con-
tains."
He paused q moment and closed his
eyes. Then he continued:
Georgia, l was a likely sort of
young chap years ago-not such a
good-for nothing galoot as I am now.
and marriel, Georgia-married the
best girl in old Pennsylvania. I was
mighty happy--too happy, partner
that's what made it go 30 hard when
he died. We had one child-a little
girl-and we called her Alice my
wife's name. She was wee little
thing when her mother died and SO
very, very pretty. 1t was hard lines
on me, Georgia, and somehow got to
drinking. know it did me ne good,
and know it wasn't right, but a man
doesn't reason much when he's desper-
are like, and so I drank and drank. I
sold out everything and put my girl
my little Alice-with my wife's brother.
He had family of his own, and what
could lonely ,broken-hearted man like
me do for dear little girli Georgia,
if they'd come to me and talked good
and gentle they could have made man
of me, but they didn't. They wouldn't
said that I'd killed my wife by drink
ing. Georgia, it was q lie. 1 never
drank drop till she died, and I
wouldn't have done it then if I'D he'd
any one to sympathize with me. But
I hadn't; swas alone in the world
alone with my great grief, and" and
the old man 8 voice broke, and his poor,
thin hands went nervously over the
blanket, while two tears stole from his
hot eyes and trickling down the pale,
piuched cheeks, lost themselves in the
gray hairs of his beard.
" Well. Georgia." he said presently,
"tbey get an order from the court
giving the guardianship of my child
my Alioe--to her uncle, because they
said I was unfit to take care of her.
Georgia. if but one kind word had been
said-only one-I wouldn't have been
the foo, l was. Well, I left and came
West. I stopped drinking. I have
never touched a drop since Alice was
taken from me. You believe me,
Georgia.
eyes," said Georgia.
"After awhile I wrote to her uncle,
and told him of my new life and asked
him if I couldn't at least write to my
little girl. That was in '67, and she
was ten years old. He took no notice
He's A." broke in Georgia, but
suddenly checked himself before con-
cluding.
"Then I thought perhaps he hadn't
got it, so got my money together and
went East. But he had, Georgia, he
had. It was no use though. He
wouldn't believe in me and wouldn't
let me see my little girl. He said she
should never know but he was her
father, at least until she was of age. I
tried the courts, but I spent all my
money without changing the decree.
Then gave it up and came back West
again. gained one thing though.
The Judge said that when Alice was
twenty -one she should be offered the
choice of coming to me, her father, or
remaining with her guardian. I had
to rest satisfied, and 1 worked and
worked to get money for my little girl.
scrimpea some Georgia, but there's
nearly 10000 in bank for her now,"
and the old mans voice and manner
were full of pride.
"She was twenty last June, and