The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1882-06-16
PAsCAGOULA MISSISSIPPI FRIDAY. JUNE 49, 1882


mother never told me this; l heard
il from people who recollected it.
At last, when was bout four years
old, fathey came home drunk one
night and there wasn't nothing 10
eat in the house. he made an awful
row. and at last he struck my mo-
ther, knocking her down and cut
ting her cheek open. She's got the |
scar still. Then he disappeared and
We never heard of him again. Now
l bate liquor worse than do any
thing on earth, and l won't have
you or any man around me drink
ing. Ii you can't stop you've got
to leave, that's all.
When Phillips was talking old
Pete had gradually drawn himself
into one corner of the cabin where
it was dark. When Phillips stopped
speaking, there mas silence for a
few minutes, and then the old man
said In a rather unsteady voice:
"Was your mothers name
Polly r
"Yes; how did you know itr
"Was your fathers name Phil
lipsr
"No, mother took her own name
after he left her. His name was
Parkes.r
Old Pete got up, left the cabin
and did not return all that night.
While marvelling much ut his
strange manner the young man went
to bed. The next day he spoke
about it, but old Pete turned It Oh
with a casual remark. But from
that day out old Pete stopped
drinking. Nothing that could be
said to him could induce him to en-
ter the saloon or to touch anything
at all. The men in the camp ven.
dered, doubted that 1t would last,
aud finally, as the weeks slipped
away, accepted the miracle OF Pete's
reformation MS being a fact. They
ceased to call him Pete aud began
to address him as Farley, or MIR.
Farley. The passion for couferring
brevet titles being strong in the
West, in time he began to be called
squire, aud ten months after his
Nit to Phillips to borrow some
money, there was actually talk of
electing him q justice of the peace.
The old mans devotion to the
younger one was apparent to every
one, aud tho affection was warmly
returned. One day he said to h.m:
"Pete, seem to me that our
names bein' similar kinder mixes
things up"
"That's true,n answered young
Pete, with u laugh. "They're all
callh,' You squire now s'pose dc
the same"
"Jess as you likes bout that,only
II dunno rs cares very much for
the name. | wish | had "a son, cause
I'd kinder like some one to call me
daddy. | ain't 'shame,l now of bcin
u daddy-that is, of conrse," he
added, hastily, "et l were one.n
aWell, said Young Pete, good
naturedly. "Pll call you daddy il
yon like.n
"Will you nsw,r said tho old
man, eagerly. "Wlll you reallyp
"Certainly. l ain't got no daddy,
as l knows"
And from that time out it was
daddy The name seemed to give
the old man the stragest delight
and sometimes he would rather
timidly at first, call young Pete
"son.n lie never did this, though
unless they were alone.
About two years after Pete Phil
lips had come into camp he told his
daddy,n as he always called the
squire-for the election was a fac,
by this time---that his mother had
written to say she was coming ou,
to see him. The intelligence moved
the old man strongly. He seemed
to have alternate tits of the greatest
Joy and the most intense melan
choly. Young Pete would detec'
the squire looking at him as though
he would say sonnet hing, but on he
| ing questioned the old man would
generally get up and leave the
cabin. Mrs. Phillips was to arriv,
on Tuesday, and Monday morning
after an unusually prolonged 1T 0
musing, the squire announced hi'
intention OF going over to a neigh
boring camp for few days. HI
probably would have done 80 hat
notthe stage stopped that afternoon
at the cabin, and after two year
and a half young Phillips was onc'
more clasped in his mothers arms
After the two'had talked as mothe
and son would talk under the cir
cumstances, Mrs. Phillips suddenl.
said
Where's Mr.. Farley, dear n
"Idon't know, mother. suppos
he'll be here belong long,"
) As be spoke the door opened an
, the squire stepped in. Pete bega
-" squire, this Is my whe
Mrs. Phillips gasped out:
.Peterp
"Pollyp
"Who'd "a thought as that a
!. fellow Phillips we're liftin' his ow