The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1880-03-26
BRATTLEBoRo w. FRIDAY, MARCH 2e $780,

without his mother -And he turned upo
me like raginI bar, and cried out
= "'You heard her tell me to keep hi
and tend to him, and he's never goin'
leave me, never"
"Then he snatches the child up an
runs to the shed with him, as If wa
goin' to steal him.
Funerals for -four O'clock. Come u
and see her, Miss Neal. never knowe
Mary was sich apurtv woman till sa,
her yesternight, YIN there 50 peaceful
after her DEATH"
The old beauty had indeed come bacl
to the dead face John Grey, gazing a
it, felt like shrieking in his remorse
He rushed away from it to take drink
Then another and another followed.
When the funeral procession started
he was there, in his place, carrying little
Frank, but every ont who looked at hin
knew that by night he would be in his
usual scottish conditih
"Better let me taxi crank home with
me, tonight, Mr.. ey,' said kind
neighbor, whose NJ herly heart was
pressed a. against ain The ted flushed c cheek eek
of the father.
"No,v hc an Aarshly. "T've
got to be father |lkr too, TO nm,
better" "
Half-drunk as John Grey was, the
sight of the desolate house to which he
returned with his children almost sobered
him He took Il seat and stared vacantly
around.
There was her little shabby workbox,
with rufile for Nelly half finished
There was her old Bible, which his
drunken eyes had watched her bending
over so many times when the children
were abed and asleep.
He suddenly saw before him the pleas
ant, happy home from which he married
her, and the cosy nest to which she came
as bride. And to this he had brought
I her-to these sordid shifts of poverty,
and death-bed at last.
The conscience of the man, not quite
drowned in liquor, stung him almost to
frenzy. This would not do. As soon as
the children were in bed, he would go
out and drown his sorrows.
He did not think Of reforming his hab-
its immediately. In time, for Franks
sake, he would give up liquor; but just
now he needed it, he thought, to keep
him from going mad
The two eldest children had thrown
themselves ON the bed, sobbing aloud.
Little Frank was leaning against his
fathers knee, looking up with troubled
eyes. What were Nelly and Jane crying |
about he thought, and where was "muz-
zer," that she didn't undress and wash |
him as usual.
There was no connection ia little |
Franks mind between the coffin that |
went out of the house that afternoon and
his mother. He had always been fond
of his father, and glad to be with him,
but his mothers special hour was here,
and no one but her had ever prepared
him for bed.
His father saw the little mouth quiver,
and knew that a burst of tears Was AT
hand.
"Come, sonny" he said, ''let pa un-
dress you and put you to bed tonight.
It's high time for little chaps like You to
be asleep"
Nelly sprang up instantly.
"rll do it, pa" she said. Il guess Frank
will let me undress him. ~
Bu, Frank would not let her, even II
her father had been willing Holding
the child jealously to him, John Grey
waved her off.
"I'll do everything for him" he said.
I promised your mYther, and IN Keep
ny word"
Though he kne~ !kxtsas about to in
lulge that very night 1n the sin that had
wrecked his wife's life, and driven her ,
o the grave. yet he felt kind of child ,
sh satisfaction in caring for the child's
title wants himself. He thought, surely {
hat was beginning to keep his promise {
o the mother. i
He was very clumsy in untying strings
md unfastening buttons. As he did it, $
le remembered his wifes looks, and the
aresses she had lavished on her baby f
IS she called him. No one had kissed ,
lin since she died, and with streaming c
yes, the man pressed his hot lips to the '
resh, sweet mouth. j
A sudden realization OF his own deg I
adation came to him as he dld TINS. v
frank had slipped from his lap, and was $
ready to be prompted, as f
lsual, in his evening prayer. lie clasped t
lis hands reverently, and looked INTO
lis fathers face, waiting for him to |
,egin.
The man had long forgotten every
,rayer he had ever known. His brain t
vas in whirl $
"Now lay me-" lisped the child, seeing L
hat he was expected to begin. v
As if by divine touch, the wholesome v
prings in the mans nature rose above
he filth and drift that had choked them
o long, and flooded his soul. Q
Not that prayer, my DEAR" he cried, in e
broken voice no, not that prayer. Say, i
God be merciful to poor sinner and {
and help him. Amen'" c
A strange prayer for baby lips to utter, /
,ut they lisped it forth, and in it was {
ound the salvation Of half-ruined life. t
No more drinking for John Grey. The a
came to him that night, and t
,e chose the better way t
81 thought it strange and hard that
Mary had no word for me when she died." /
le said, one day; but the dying see S
more clearly than we do. She knew that a
,nly through little Frank could | be turn i
ID from my evil ways, and his name was |
lcr only answer to my questions. | 9
know, now, that she loved me at the last, i
md that she believed | would reform. = {
Youths Companion