The Bad Lands cow boy. [volume] (Little Missouri, Dakota [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-1886, 1885-12-03
NOT HEARD FROM.
From the Y outh's Companion.

Every Christmas, or New Years, or
Thanksgiving day, Mrs. Forest, placed
g chair at the table for their only son
and child, David, who had left his
home fifteen years before, at the age
OF nineteen. Since he left, no word
from him had reached them. The
faithful heart Of the mother refused to
think of the lad as dead, and so she
laid his, plate at his old place, and by
it placed q little bouquet Of his favor.
ito flowers. II ,s
you see; he may come back at any
time, father, and then he'd understand
that we've been thinking Of him all the
time.'
| The old man shook his head.
"Boys like David don't come back,
Sarah. Vice drove him away and vice
will probably keep him away. Ii it's
any qualification for you to keep q
place at the table for him, you know
that I don't object; but l wish you
could make up your mind that he will
never came back. These yearly re-
minders only bring the old pain back,
!, and II l.could ! should like to forget
him all together. .$5ss
mo, you wouldn't, James. He was
wild and disobedient, and brought
shame and sorrow over this threshold;
but for all that, he's our only child,
and I'm sure we can neither OF us for-
get that 4:
It was Just fifteen years since The
lyoung man came home one night IN g.
'fbeastly state OF intoxication. It was
not the first time, but it was the first
time his father had seen him in that
condition. He was o clerk 5} in in
a dry-goods store, and when he
came home late at night, his father sup.
1 posed he had been detained, by his
business, and went contentedly to bed.
The poor wife, who sat up for the way
ward boy, knew better; but like many
4 q gentle but unwise mother, she con-
cealed her sons. vice from his father,
hoping he might reform. Her husband
was very stern man, and was un-
sparing in his dcnunciations Of the
specialviceo fintemperance. The truth
is, she was actually afraid to tell
him. "a ~, s. ;2;-s Y, r Il Il (
The night I have spoken Of, Mr..
Forrest had q letter to write, which
kept himin the sitting-room long after
his usual. bed time When the slob-
bering, idiotic young drnnkard reeled
into the room, his father sprung from
his chair as if he had been shot. He
looked at his son but did not say q
word. Then he sat deliberately down
in a chair and watched him, with such
a look on his white, set face that his
wife laid her trembling hand on his
arm. He shook it off D In a few mos
ments he turned to her, and said, in q
hard, merciless voice, .-t3 RI ss55 a i,
How long has this been going on,
Sarah?'' u & 4 ,fts@SS 5 s.
ooh, I don't know, Jamesp' she
sobbed. Give seen him two or three
times under the influence ofliquor, but
never SO bnd>as this, James. j didn't
tell you, because he promised to re-
form. oh, don't be too hard on him
father! Pray, don't be too hard upon,
90 hard!n he repeated, ( looking
with angry disgust at the young man, I
who was fuddled in a heap in a large
armchair, trying valnly to, sit erect,
with a silly, drunken grin on his face:
TOO hard! Why, if I turned him out
OF the house this very night, and dis
owned him as my son, I should be do
ing right. And you have kept this
from me? How could you, how dare
you, do it, and thus become RESPONSE
bile for this disgrace2 might have
checked it. Now it's too late. Look
at that idiotic face; the stamp Of tho
drunkard who is past recovery is up-
on it. It's too late!" 25.:.s5!&' 55.,5.
kneeling beside him. II did it for the
best. Don'tEsay it's too late! He's
but a little more than a child yet, and
bad company has led him astray. . 2
The drunken boy laughed idiotical-
long calm me ellie, ole ooman!
Bes poker-player in town! Los ten
dollars. Ole Rapp's money though.
Took it out till. SGov'nor looks mad.
Mathematician sE ss.5sS5
Oh, hush! hush! hush!'' the dis
tracted mother said, taking him BY.
the hand. Come to bed, David OF, I
do comet! The drunken boy pushed
her aside. ss35
Gov'nor mad" he muttered.
Won't be suited! Gimme satisfac-
ton ofgentl eman. T en PAGES, pistols,np
and as he maundered on, his head;
sank on the table before him, and he
slept heavily rs sa'e
Don't ,try and get him away Mr..
Forrest said, sternly I. He shall stay.
there all night, and I'll sit up with
him. You heard what he said!' with:
o bitter laugh Our son is not only
q drunkard, but O thief. Let him stay
there. want to get accust omed to
the disgrace which has come upon me-;
and d night with that object before
me will help me to realize It. Do you
60 to bed. must take his manage
ment out OF your weak hands z, III I; ss5
You won't drive him away, James!
You'll give him q chance? You will
give him one opp rtunity to try to re-,
forml Don't turn him ont into the
wicked world, to be lost forever!n she
pleaded, with sobs. Her husband did
not 5immedi ately answer her, but at
4 last he said S5$i
81 will not drive him away yet. He
shall have one chance more a single
one. I'll make him nnde rstand that,
when he can understand anything
Now leave me with him. z, Z. Il 81 s{sas .s
The poor mother crept weeping to
her bed: She left the door partly open
between the rooms, that she might
watch both husband and son. Mr..
Forrest sat rigid and me tioniess, asst
he was carved in stone, but the boy
slept on heavily. Towards morning
he began to move uneasily in his seat,
then raised his head from the table
and Strengthened himself up. The