The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-11-27
A GRAND SUCCESS.
How May and Got Ned to Sign the Ter
nerance Pledge.

HOdnt, Ou1J We Su6SScu GIldt DIObueE
Ned had been doing something very,
very naughty; for he didn't come to
breakfast till we were most through;
and then. papa was so angry with him,
though he didn say much.
Ned just drank cup of coffee for
his breakfast, and as soon as he could
get away, he went off for ride.
After awhile, Cousin Clare told us to
put on our things and we would take a
walk together. She wasn't bit like
herself that day, for she walked along
so quiet and solemn, and only said
''yes" and ''no" to what May and |
said. Pretty soon Ned rode up behind
US, and he got off his horse and walked
along beside Cousin Glare.
May didn't pay much 'tention; she's
little thing-only six and half; I'm
eight, and listened to what they were
saying, and tell you twas awful! l
heard Ned say:
II want to know just how it was; I
want to get at the bottom of this
thing
She just bit her lips asif she were try
ing to keep from crying, but she kept
still till he said:
''Let me feel that l know the very
worst.
Then she spoke up real firm, though
her voice trembled:
"Aunt and were sitting up when
we heard a noise of stumbling and
shutting; and then the bell rang.
When the door was opened, you were
held up by two or three men, all of
them tipsy; and when you got inside,
you fell down"
"Say it out" said Ned, real excited.
81 was dead drunk, or beastly drunk
whatever you call it. !"
Glare kept still, though the big tears
kept dropping to the ground.
"And hoW-did mother-take -
itP" as if every word hurt him.
"She thought at first you were hurt
or sick, but when she found it was
worse, she clasped her hands and
looked as if she wanted to die"
"Well," he said, 81 hadn't any idea
that 1 was taking more than usual, but
I suppose did, and made a fool of my
self"
That's just what he said, truly. My!
but | did feel badly! told May when
we got home, and we just cried and
cried. Then we went to Cousin Clare,
and had a long talk with her about it..
She told us then that the wrong was in
taking it at all. May and / was sur
prised at that, for didn't papa have his
glass of sherry every day after dinner?
But Glare said that if no one tasted it.,
no one would be a drunkard.
We both said we'd never, never
touch it, and she wrote out pledge,
and we put our names down, and so
did she. / like Cousin Clare; I'm go
ing to be young lady just like her
when / grow up.
All at once, May looked at me, and 1
looked at her. We both thought the
same thing.
Why couldn't we try to get papa and
Ned to put their names down, tooP
We took the paper to mamma S
room, and she kissed us, and said we
might try. But, before we went, she
had us kneel down with her, and she
prayed that God would save her boy
and help us all to do right.
tell you we felt solemn! We most
wanted to give up-that is, did, but
May said she was going to go, anyhow,
and felt 'shamed to have little thing
like that beat me; so we waited till
after dinner, and went to the dining
room when every one was gone and
papa was alone with his bottle and
glass of sherry. He looked 'stonished
when we walked in and laid the paper
and pen and ink before him, and then
we thought he was angry, he looked so
for minute; wanted to run, but 1
said
'It's to save brother Ned, papa"
Then he put his head down on the
table and cried, and said, so dreadful
ike, just as if his heart was breaking
"Oh, my son, my son! would to God
/ had died for thee!"
We would have gone away, but he
hadn't signed vet. May kept her arm
over his neck and stroked his hair and
petted him lots-she's the lovingest lit
tie thing!
By and by, when papa raised his
head and put his arm around us, l said
again:
papa, please, and then we can ask
Ned"
He took the paper and read it all
over again, and then he put US down
and walked up and down the room for
the longest time; and there was the
glass Of sherry he hadn't tasted yet
At last he went to the table, took up
the glass-and we felt so disappointed,
for we thought he was going to drink
it; but he took it and threw it-smash!
right into the CRATE, and the bottle
after it.
There he said, '1'll see if you'll
stand between me and saving my
boyr' and he reached for the pen and
wrote Herbert Standish," in those
great letters of his.
We didn't stay long, only to hug and
kiss him, and then we skipped up
stairs where mamma and Clare were
sitting so white and anxious. They
could hardly believe it, but there it
was-papa's name.
They consulted with us awhile, and
then they decided that, as we had had
such good success with papa, we might
try alone with Ned.
We heard him practicing the violin
in his room, but when we knocked
hard, he said:
" Come in"
Well, we were even more scared
than when we went to papa; but he
took the paper and read it, and wheIl he
saw papa's name, he whistled right cut:
"Wh-e-wr'
Then his face began to work, just
like Mays does when she is going to
cry, and he walked to the window and
blew his nose hard. May, she took the
zen and paper to him, and said: