Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1885-10-03
FOR MOTHERS SAKE.

Mrs. Arnold stood in the cottage
doorway, the sweet bloom and YER
dure of the early springtime all about
her and listened to her husbands an
CRY words.
"Oh, James," she entreated, ere
member, he is our son !"
81 shall make it my business to
forget it from this hour he is no son
of NINE"
"But, James, James, think what
the end may be. What if they send
him to State prison ?"
"Let him gO-he deserves it."
The angry father strobe away, a
hard, relentless look upon his face.
The mother stood there in the early
sunshine, her poor face white with
agony, her hands clutched hard to-
gether.
She could see the village spires
from the cottage porch, and in the
village prison her only son lay.
The trouble had come about after
this wise. Dick Arnold was cOnfden-
tial clerk in the hardware house Of
Robinson IL Co., at a very fair salary.
A promising young fellow was Dick,
bright, intelligent, and as shrewd
and clever in business matters as he
was genial and winning in his social
relations. But his character had its
weak points. In the first place, he
was fond of strong drink in the sec
ond, he had not the courage to say
"NO," when temptation assailed him.
Many a scrape was poor Dick led
into, many heartache he caused his
fond mother, many a sitting down
he got from his over-severe father ;
but he did not mend his ways.
Nevertheless his employers were fond
of him, and trusted him, and winked
III Ills shortcomings.
''He is a fine fellow; he'll get all
his wild oats in and do better after
a WHILE" they said.
lone afternoon Dick was sum-
moned into Mr.. RObinson's private
office.
''Here, Dick" said that gentleman,
putting a sealed envelope into the
young mans hand, 81 want you to
take this and deliver it to Mr.. SelbO,
at Covington. You know the placer"
ooh, yes, sir"
every well mind you keep steady
on your legs and deliver it safely"
Dick put the envelope in his breast
pocket, bowed himself out, and was
steaming on his way to Covington on
the next train.
He reached there little before
nightfall, and feeling somewhat tired
and thirsty, he dropped into restau-
rant for a drink. All, me! if there
were no such places, how much mis-
cry, and sin, and shame would be
banished from the world But they
meet us at every turn, these devils
dens, wherein men are despOiled OF
their earnings and their honor. Dick
went in, and stumbled right into the
midst of some three or four old Gro.
MES. They leaped up and welcomed
him with uproarous delight.
"Why, Dick, old fellow, have not
seen you for an age! Well met, 'por
my soul Here, landlord, brandy
and settler for four, and bespryabout
it,"
The brandy and seltzer appeared
and soon vanished. A brOiled steak
and oysters and crackers soon follow
ed, and then came rum to wash i
down. BY sunset poor Dicks veal
head was all in whirl. When dark
ness fell his errand was still neglected
and he sat in the little bar parlOr
looking on while his boon cOmpan
ions played at cards, hot bloom il
his handsome eyes.
"Come, Dick try your luck"
"Don't care if l dO," he said, ant
at it he went.
His own purse was soon emptied
and then, he could never recall clear
ly how it all happened, but insan
from drink and determined to recOve
his losses, he ventured to open tn
sealed envelope and to borrow stalk
from the fund entrusted to him b.
his employer.
"I'll soon double it," thought he
"and then I'll replace the amount.
But he lost instead of doubling
and then swallowed more brandy i
his excitement at the invitation {
his good friends. The end was tina
he had a night of it, and when morn
ing daWned poor Dick found himse