, 1884-01-05

q kerridge as wants ter see YER
"I don't know no ladies in Den
YER said Doubling Dixon, Il trifc
Uneasy, AN l don't believe as any
ladies wants ter see me-
"'Mebbee you think Pm a liar
@id Monte Bill, carefully rubbing
lhe nlckle-plate on his revolver with
bis thumb.
"'No, l won't say you're a liar,
bilL' said Dixon, meek as lamb,
fat don't hardly reckon any lady
wants to see me. Who is she?
Il don't know who she is said
Mlnte Bill, but she's a lady, an
r".als she got some news from your
Wiie.r
"DOubting Dixon started suddenly
! from his chair, an then sat back
again, an his face was blue, just as
though he had been swimmin' in ice
water for an hour or 50.
al don't believe she has got any
news from my wife, said Dixon.
"'Well, come along out am scc,'
said Monte Bill. Hit amt no use
Of your sittin' here incoming an i'm
plying as il everybody else but you
WIS liar. Come along out an see
for yourself
"When Doubling Dixon got up
out Of the chair, he wcaved back and
forth minute, AS if he was going
TO fall, but he braccd up, an
went out to the carnage with Bill.
There was a lady there, sure enough,
an right handsome one at that,
/ dressed up to kill, an diamonds alt
over where they would do the most
good.
/ "'Is this Mr.. DiXon?' said the
lady, with most fascinating smile.
I "'Yes, m'm,' said Dixon, huskily.
"'Well, your wife is down at the
Tallman house, an she would like to
see YOU
"DiXon seized hold Of the tire Of
the carriage wheel to steady himself.
"'She wants to take the kid away
from me, don't she?' inquired Dix
on, with terrible anxious look on
his face.
"'O, NO, ! guess not said the la
dy pleasantly.
"'She's got divorce an big ali
mony, and the care Of the boy an all
that sort Of thing, suppose. Re
member Pvc got the money an I'll
fight it; I'll fight it through every
court in The lnd.'
"'No, nothing Of the kind said
! sis.' izlrisr. but zhe wants - see you
an the boy. She came here with
me from Boston, where she has been
working
Working" said Dixon, blankly.
"'Yes, she has been living all
alone by herself, and working hard
for her support. Get into the car
riage with me, an we will drive
down to the hotel
"Whcn they arrived, Dixon met
his wife with the coolest kind Of re-
serve, an she, poor woman, was al
most heart broken. The handsome
lady and Dixon hld stopped on the
way, an got the kid, an Mrs. Dixon
cried over the boy, an hugged an
kissed him, but Dixon, he stood by
as cold rs an irOnclnd, an never
cried a drop, while the woman wash
ed the boys face with her tears.
Dixon spoke up an snid:
"'Katie, where's the gambler?
"'What gImbler?' said Katie,
looking suddenly up, an it seemed
as il the fire in her eyes had dried up
all.the tears.
"'The gambler chap you took up
with an run away from home with
"1t's false, said the woman,
false as hell"
"Doubting Dixon looked wonder
fully puzzled at this.
"Didn't you leave me, Katie" he
said.
81 did, Harry answered the wo-
man, q left you for your own good.
Ileft you because saw nothing but
ruin for you, body an soul, an weary
poverty for the little boy an me.
You drank the last cent away that
you an could earn.'
"T did bowl up too much,' said
Dixon, but then
"Tleft the child with its father
in the faint hope that it might work
in you reformation. l knew he was
the apple of your eye, and trusted
he might save you. lie has. l now
come back to take a last farewell Of
him an you, an to thank God for
having kept my loved ones so Sc
cure
"sBen Darnley said you elOped
with gambler an went to Phila-
uelplld'
"'He liedp u
"'Your wife speaks the TRUTH
said the handsome lady. Il have
known her history since she left
your humble home, and stole away
to trust, to wait, to pray. Shecomes
to you as pure an as true wife as
the day she left your roof
"'Doubting Dixon leaned against
the door casing for support. The
strong mans tears were coming now,
dropping full an fast. He looked
at the little, wondering kid, an the
kneeling mother, smothering it with
caressess Then he stepped away
from the door casing, hesitated a