The daily gazette., 1881-04-16
JAMIE'S GOODNIGHT.

At a late hour the other night q
poor old man, weak with hunger and
stiff with cold, entered the Central
Station to ask for lodgings. While he
sat by the stove 10 get warm they
heard him groan like one in distress.
and the captain asked:
care you sick, or have you been
hurt p''
'It is here, answered the old man as
he touched his breast. "It all came
back to me an hour ago as l passed y
window and saw bit of boy in his
night-gown. 81 would to God that I
was dead p'
"What is i.r' asked the captain as
he sat down beside the man.
'It is the heart-ache-it is re-
MORSE" the old man answered. 81
have had them gnawing away at my
life for years. | have wanted to die
l have prayed for dsath-but life still
elings to this poor old frame. am
old and friendless and worn out, and
were some wheels to crush me it
would be an act of mercy"
lie wiped his eyes on his ragged
sleeve, made great effort to control
his feelings, and went on:
"Forty years ago had plenty. A
wife sang in my home, and a young
boy rode on my knee and filed the
home with his shouts and laughter. I
sought to be good man and kind
father, and people called me such.
One night l came home vexed. l
found my boy ailing and that vexed
nae still more. don't know what
allied me to act 80 that night, but 1t
seemed as If everything went wrong,
The child had bed beside us, and
every night since he had been able to
speak, he had called to me before
closing his eyes in sleep, good night,
my pap Oh, sir, and | hear those
words sounding IN my ears every day
and every hsur, and they wiring my
old heart until am FAINT"
For a moment he sobbed like
child, then he found voice to continue:
"God forgive me, but / was cross TO
the boy that night. When he called
to me good night, / would not reply
Good night, my pa p he kept calling,
and fiend that l was, l would make
no answer. He must have thought
me asleep, for he finally cuddled down
with q sob in his throat. l wanted to
get up and kiss him but l kept wait
ing, aud waiting, and ! finally fell
asleep.
"Well ?" queriod the captain, as
the silence grew long.
"When l awoke it was day. It was
slumbers, and as started up my poor
wife called 'Oh Richard Richard
our Jamie is dead in his bed =
1t was so. He was dead and cold
There were tears on his pale face-the
tears he had shed when he had called
Good night, my pa = and l had re-
fused to answer | was dumb. Then
remorse came and was frantic. did |
not know when they buried him, for l |
was under restraint as lunatic. For |
five long years life was dark mid. |
niOht to me. When reason returned |
and / went forth into the world my
wife slept beside Jamie. my home was |
gone, my friends had forgotten me |
and / had no mission In life but to |
suffer remorse. / cannot forget. 1t |
was almost lifetime ago, but through |
most life time ago, but through the
mist of years, across the valley of the
past, from the little grave tEGds:ces !
of miles away, l hear the plaintive
call as heard it that night: Good
night, my pa = Send me to prison,
TO the poorhouss, anywhere that
may halt long enough to die ! l am
an old wreck, and l care not how soon
death drags me down."
He was rendered food, but he could
not eat. He rocked his body to and
fro and wept and sobbed, and by and
by, when sleep came to him, they
heard him whisper
"Good mig int my boy, good night,