The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-06-01
"FOR MOTHERS SAKE"
BY EMMA CARSON JONES.

Va nliu uCuCOIOLli anu iOlCNSi'
Mrs. Arnold stood in the cottage door
way, the sweet bloom and yerdure of the
early springtime all about her, and lis
tened to her husbands angry words.
ooh, James," she entreated, "remem-
ber, he is our SON."
~ shall make it my business to forget
it from this hour he is no son Of mine y
"BLt, James, James, think what the end
may be. What if they send him to the
State prison ?"
"Let him GO he deser7es it."
The angry father strobe away, a hard,
relentless look upon his face.
The mother stood there in the curly
sunshine, her poor face white with agony,
her hands clutched hard together.
She could see the village spires from
the cottage porch, and in the village pris-
on her only son lay.
The trouble had come about after this
wise. Dick Arnold was confidential
clerk in the hardware housc Of Robinson
e. Co., at very fair salary. A promis.
ing young fellow was Dick, bright, intel
ligent, and as shrewd and clover in busi
ness matters as he was genial and win.
ming in his social relations But his
character had its weak points. In the
first place, he was fond Of strong drink
in the second, he had not the courage to
say mo" when temptation asaailed him.
Many scrapc poor Dick was lured
into, many q hcartache he caused his
fond mother, many setting down he got
from his oyer-severc father; but he did
NO. mend his ways. Nevertheless his
employees were fond Of him, and trusted
him. and winked at his shortcomings.
"He's fine fellow he'll get all his
wild oats in, aud do better after awhile"
they said.
One afternoon Dick was summoned
into Mr.. Robinson's private Office.
Here, Dick" said that gentleman,
putting a sealed envelope into the young
mans hands, II want you to take this,
and deliver it to Mr.. Sclbo, in Covington.
You know the place."
'Oh, yes, sir"
every well, mind you keep steady on
your legs, my boy, and deliver it safely"
Dick put the envelope into his brcas!
pocket, bowed himself out, and was
Bteaming on his way to Covington in the
next train.
lie reached there little before night
fall, and feeling somewhat tired and
thirsty, he dropped in at n restaurant for
drink. Ah me if there were no such
places, how much misery, and sin, and
shame would be banished from tho
world But they meet us at every turn,
these DEVILS dens, wherein men are dis.
poiled Of their earnings and their honor,
Dick went in, and stumbled right into
the midst of some three or four old cro-
nies. They lcapod up and welcomed him
with uproarious delight.
you for an age! Well met, 'pon my
soul Here, landlord, brandy and aeltzer
for four, and be spry at it,"
The brandy and scltzcr appeared and
vanished. A broiIed steak, and oysters
and crackers followed, and then came
rum to wash it all down. BY sun set
poor Dicks weak head was in n whirl.
When darkness fell, his crrand was still
neglected, and he ent in the little bar
parlor, looking on while his boon COM
panions played cards, hot bloom in his
cheeks, an insane glitter in his handsome
eyes.
''Come up, Dick, and try your luck ?"
Don't care if l do" said Dick, and at
it he went.
His own purso was soon cmptied, and
then, he never could clearly recall how it
all happened, but, insaned from drink
and determined to retrieve his losses, he
ventured to open the sealed envelope and
to borrow stake from the funds cntrus-
ted to him by his employer.
"Ill soon double it," he thought, "and
then I'll replace the amount"
But he lost instead of doubling, and
then swallowed more brandy in his ex
element, Mt the invitation OF his good
friends. The end was, that no made
night of it, and when the morning dawn
cd, poor Dick found himself alone, for
unGap hu 1,;n fr:apA, ho III
envelope and its contents both gono.
The shock sobered him. lie got up, and
with his head beating like trip.hammer,
walked back TO his native village, and
seeking his employer, confessed nj that
had happened. Mr.. Robinson was great.
ly provoked, and Mt once put the matter
into the hands of the law, and Dick
Arnold was arrested and seut 10 prison.
When the news came TO his fathers
ears ho refused to give his son either aid
or countenanco.
"I'm done with him.. Let them send |
him 20 the State prison he deserves it,"
But the mother. her faithful heart
going out in yearning pity for her erring
boy, stood and pondored how sho might
cave him.
In little while she turned, and en-.
tering the pleasant cottage, went slowly
upstairs, and into the chamber where her |
daughter Rose sat sewing on her bridal.
robes.
Sitting down beside her, she told her
the story of her brothers trouble. Rose
understood her mothers meaning even
before she could put II into words. There
WAS little box on the table, which con.
tanned her marriage dowry. Little by
little the father and mother had boarded
it in their only daughters name, that
she might not be douerless on her we'd
ding-day.
Pretty Rose took the box and put it in
her mothers hands.
"Take it, MOTHER" she said, "and do
with it as you think best"
Heaven bless you, my daughter; but
it is hard to deprive you Of your marriage
dowry, and your wedding day so near"
Roses checks bloomed like her name.
sakes in the little garden below, and her
blue eyes lit.
"Never mind that mother" she said.
"Charlie will be willing to take me with
out the dowry Pm sure of it,"
80 Mrs, Arnold took the box and 70.
funded the money to Mr.. Robinson, tho
charge was withdrawn, and her boy was
out of prison.
~ can't 90 home mother. Father
doesn't want me; he told me So" said
Dick, as they stood under the green 10.
Gust trees beyond the cottage lawn. "Let
me go out into the world and work NV
way up, and then I'll como back"
She put her arms around his neck, and
II