The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1882-06-16

ulc ANC ucdIu tudl dI uduic uiukCs
"Qaite possible. There's good
sight of Phillipses going round. It's
about dinner time, stranger, an my
cabins Just up there. Won't you
step in an take bitter
"Don't care IL l do,' was the an.
swer from the old man; and the
two walked together to the cabin.
Phillips made old Pete thoroughly
welcome, fed him well, and talked
to him for over an hour. When
they got up to go out OF the door
he gave him a most cordial invita-
tion to come again, and old Pete
actually found himself walking OF
without the two bits necessary il
he would drink that afternoon, aud
more than that, with q strange feel
ing of satisfaction that he had not
asked for it. The acquaintance so
begun increased rapidly. Not day
passed that the old man did not
make his way to Slingsby, or Phil
lips claim, as it now began TO be
called, where he would sit on the
bank, and talk to its owner while
he worked. Although old Pete was
too much broken down by a long
course OF drinking to do much
labor, he was fact most expe.
rienced miner, and his advice to
the younger man was OF so much
value that before very long the
despised claim began to be known
as a paying property. Young Phil.
lips, recognizing the aid given him,
insisted that old Pete should con-
slider himself one OF the owners,
and at the first clean.Hp afterwards
handed him his share OF the dust.
The gift was unfortunate. The
old man went down to the camp
and before night was horribly
drunk. Some one suggested to him,
while he was in this State, that he
| should 60 aud see his.new 'pard.'
Old Pete accordingly Staggered up
to the claim, where he found the
young fellow just leaving work.
Phillips took him to the cabin and
put him to bed. The next morning
he told the old man, IN way that
could not be misunderstood, that
the thing must never happen again,
He had taken from him what dust
| he had left. and this he refused to
return, saying that he intended to
keep it safe. Old Pete was ludi.
crously peniteut, but he was also
unquestionably very much ashamed
of himself, aud anxious to avoid
repeating his disgraceful act. II,
suggested that with his known hah
its, sosricty, as long as he lived il
the camp, was difficult. To this
Phillips agreed, and proposed tha,
the two occupy the cabin for tht
future, the old man to act as cook
and to do what work around the
claim he could.
And so 1t was settled, much to th.
mingled astonishment and amuse
ment of the men In the camp, who
had 80 long looked on old Pete Far
ley as a common drunken sot. Ole
Pete aud his "pard y were a stand
ing subject for joke, and for lone
time any allusion to them resulted
always in setting the crowd in 1
roar. It must not be supposed thai
the old man gave up liquor at once
Fbut he certainly did try to refrain
He kept away from the saloon ant
rarely went to the camp at all, pre-
ferring to stay in the cabin, which
was about a mile away. One thing
he did do, however. When he tool
too much, he kept away from Phil
lips. Nothing that could be SAID t
him would induce him to repeat hi'
experiment Of visiting "his pard'
on such occasions.
One afternoon the old man wen
into the camp to buy some groceries
With the best intentions In tb
world, he allowed Jack Hartop b
delude him into taking one drink
and after that he was lost. Abou
six o'clock Phillips stalked iut1 y
saloon, and there he found old P6t<
drunk, standing on the table, try
ing to make 4 speech with a grin
ming crowd around him. To max
his way into the crowd, and pnI
the old man off the table, was 70
young Phillips the work of a minute
Then putting his around him h
turned TO the door to 60 out. Jake
inspired BY bad whisky, took it int
his head to bar the way, and wit
the remark: "Hold on young felIel
you can't take your baby off afor
we're done with him. caught hol
of old Pete's arm. The next secon
Jake was lying in one corner, an
, Phillips said: " Is there any on
else wants to try itp There was
} dead silence and the two passe
out.
The next day old Pete was
penitent as ever. In the evening
while they we're smoking after suI
} per, Phillips said:
/" Pete, I'll tell you bit Of a stoi
+ that'lI kinder explain why ha1
} liquor so. My mother is as good
! woman as ever the Lord lot liv
She married a manwas said to be-
for l don't recollect him--as han
some and as good a man as coul
. be. They were very happy togethe
and was born bout two years aft
!. the Wedding. Myfather drank son