Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-03-25

! iaiy always got her imbiefGi o
whisky and her round of applause
| Aud each time | noticed she corkei al
/, the former safely IN the snuff b'x.
ssr curious A. 10 What she could pcs
sibly want Nth the spirit, and Who ell,
was, and where she came from.
asked her. but she seemed 70 III willing
to tell. and turned so red that / did Do
press her, hut / found out it WAS the
old s:ory-no mother, and O drunken
father.
Sill, il was strange. What conld sbf
want With the whisky-s Child ike hen
1t could Mt he for the drunken father
was completely At fault. 1 took d
fancy to lie little thing, end wished to
iaihum her secret, for secret l felt
sure there was. After the performance
saw my little lady come ont. Poor
little child there was no mother OF
brother to see her TO her home. She
hurried up the street and turning into
the Oorest quarter OF the town, en-.
tered the common stair OF tumble
down old house. l followed, feeling
my way az hest could. She went up
and up, till ut the very top q It she en-
tered little room. A handful OF fire
| glimmering iu the CRATE revealed q
sickly boy. some two years her junior,
Who crawled toward her from where he
! was lying before the fire.
"Clssy. I'm glad you're home" he
said. thought you'd never come. "
She put her arm around him, laid the
poor little head on her shoulder, and
took him over to the fire again. trying
to comfort him as she went.
Is the pain very bad tonight,
WilIie?"
Yes" And sadder Yes never
heard.
Willie. 1 ai,h I could bear the pain
for you."
"Its cruel of father to send me out
in the wet; he knows how bad am"
Hush, Willie, hushl lie might hear
yon."
Il don't care! 1 don't care! 1 wish
he would kill me- at once"
The reckless abandon of the child
despair was dreadful.
Hushi hush! he is our father, and
we mustn't say such thingsp This
through her fast falling tears. Then
she sand, Let me try and make the
pain better
Tue boy took off his shirt.
The gIrl leaned over and put her
arms ruuud him and kissed the shout
der; she then put her hand into her
pocket aud took out the snuff box.
"Oh. Willie. l wish We had more, so
that it might cure tho pain
Having lighted q dip CANDLE she
rubbed the chilu's rheumatic shoulder
with the few drops of spirit, and then
covered up the little thin body, and,
then sitting before the ire, took the
boys head on her knee, and began to
sing him to sleep.
I took another look into the room,
through the half-open door; my foot
creaked; the frig hteued eyes met mine.
put my tinger on my lips ana crept
away.
But as I began to descend the stair,
met u drunken man ascendiug-slip.
ing and stumbling as he came. He
slipped ami stumbled by me, and Gu
tered the room. l followed to the land
ing unnoticed, AMI steod in the shadow
Of the halfopen door.
"A hoarse, btutal voice growled,
d" WHAT are you doing there get
upT"
II can't father; Wi.lie's head is on
my knees"
Get upr'
She gently laid tho boys head on the
floor. pillowea it in her little shaw. and
stool up.
Father, Willie is very sick; you
ought to try AMI get him cured"
shut up. If I hear another word,
Ill make yOu and him too keep your
selves quiet" And the brute flung
himself on his bed, muttering to him
self in his drunken emi-oblivion.
Cure him indeed! Not if l know it.
That's not the way to get the money:
his cough is worth a lot alone. Cure
him, indeed! Not likely!'
The black hearted scoundrel!
The girl bowed her head lower and
lower.
l could not bear it. l entered the
room. The brute was on the bed al
ready in his besctted sleep. The child
stole upon me, and in half frightened
whisper said, Oh. sir, ought people
to keep secrets if they know them
THINK they ought il they are other peo-
PIES" This with the dignity of
queen.
l could not gainsay her; so said, as
gravely as l could, to the little woman.
The secret shall be kept, but you
must ask me if you want anything. She
bent over, suddcnly kissed my hand.
and went down the stair.
The next night she was shy in coming
for The whisky, and took care that she
had good measure.
The last night of our long run of six
nights she looked more happy than I
had ever seen her. When she came in
for the whisky she held out the thimble
aud whispered to me, with her poor
lips trembling, "You need only pre-
tend Tonight"
why p whispered.
Because he doesn't want it now.
Hes deadi"