The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1885-09-30

| WORK L take nm to tho laundry. and
| hos real pct there. | used to be
afraid he was kind of dazcd but don't
! you bother, Bill, he's all right, for ho
takes to playing now. He's only quiet
on account OF his natural sweetness
all real good childrrn's that way--nnd
l lovo him, just rs if hc was my own
baby"
On the next trip up tho North River
Bill Forster pondcrod Il great deal over
the child. The fact is, the child, whr,h
| or he WAS awake or asleep, WAS never
for Il moment out of Bill's mind. He
had never thought much about any
thing before, and it was hard work lor
him to think 1T all. Maybe because
for more than onc-half OF lie his brain
had been muddlcd by liquor he uad
never set it working. AS the empty
| sloop toatcd up the broad river, slow
ly moving with the tide, Bill sat in the
shade of the ilapping jib and argued
with himself. and the general conclu-
sions he arrived ut were by no means
| llattcring to himself.
"Thc beginning and tho ending of
this here is rum. Eve wasted nigh on
to 25 years of my life Why hasn't the
boom of that mainSail knocked me
| stupid brains out OF mo before thls?
What have got to show for 40 year of
lifep just these here ragged ana brick
| solcd clothes stands in. Came near
numbering Il child. did YOU, YOU good
for-nothinS bcastp Didn't have no
better sense nor that? a hcrding with
drunken sailors, you big black guard,
and not Knowing nothing Dcttcrp just
iittcn TO toss bricks from on aud of a
Sloop. In..t's the best YOU Kin do.
You took Il drink this morning, and
YOU feel sharp set for another Just this
blessed minute You cant get it be-
cause you are on the river where grog-
shops ain't lloatiny round. Amt YOU
man enough to go 10 Havcrstraw and
no matter what happens say Bill For
Stcr don't you take another drink no
matter if another fellow does stand
treat? There's lots OF things that kid
wants. There's 4 whip, likewise pair
OF shoes. and when Winter comes liam
mel potticoats and wool socks, hkcwisc
Christmas presents. Now, you loafcr
of Bill Forster. every time you SEQ
tho bottom Of II glass amt you guz-
zling down something tnat little shay
or wantsP Maybe it's just like you, you
whitc-ivercd purp; you'll be letting
your sister be a taking Of the vic,uals
out of her own mouth so rs to feed EN-
to that child, and it was me rs showed
the kid on her. Maybe you'll be hunt
ing around for moro babies to knock
over with bricks you good-for-nothing
lounging Portugucc.
When Bill had called himself Port
ugucso he had poured the last drop
from his private wal of wrath on his
own head. Bill helped to load the
sloop with brick ut llaycrstraw, and
although it was 4 hot, suliry day and
the work was heavy, he never took n
drink. The other hands might come
back, smacking their lips and banter
ing him, but he stood firm.
mo use, boys" said Bill. Il did
the business for that baby-and onco is
enough. l have got to tako kcer of
him. 1t stands to reason. Mono Of
you is family men like me. kin stand
rs much running as the best of you,
but don't you try and rub it in too
steep! l hain't the reputation of being
swcet-tcmpcred, and mebbc kin teach
some OF you manners"
1t must bo stated that there really
was no necessity for Bll's excited
words, for tho hands on the sloop seem
cd to tako in the situation ut once, and
rather respected the way Bill assumed
his self-imp6sed duties.
Down the river Bill was thinking
what name the child ought TO have.
Should it DC George Washington, Ulys-
ses Grant or Moses? He knew all the
names of the steamboats, going up to
Albany, and to call the child albany"
or "Vibbard" was suggested to him.
AT last ho made up his mind that Molly
should have the naming Of the child.
''Shc's got most rights to him. any
ways Then he felt kind of mean-
choly with the idea that somebody
might como later and claim the child.
Bill had mover read story book in his
life, so no romance of rich father and
mother coming in n carriage to demand
their lost baby presented itself to his
imagination.
Bill became parslmonious, and that
week saved almost every cent of lis
wages. He bogrudged himself cvcc
the tobacco he chcwcd He only kept
sufficient money for his most mcagro
wants. Ho never took drink and de-
clined bcing treated. TO Molly he gavo
his money
Sure enough, tho little boy, when
DIIl next saw MN, hau on now frOCk,
and with what pride Molly exhibited
him TO her brother!
"Hc just looks like daisy, Molly.
lsn't he pretty! Kind of sleepy, amt
lie, MollyP"
"Hc does sleep good deal, but
that's natural, Bill. Much you know
about baDics! But, Bill, what's this
plc of money forP l ain't spent all
you gayc mo YET. don't want it and
the child don't. His cost for keep is
so little IL $ mighty good OF you, Bill;
and now and then you can give him u
bit Of clothes, As you say. whom Win
tor comes tho poor little lamb will want
thicker things, and they cost moro
money. Here, L amt going to take
this, dopriving you OF your hurdcarncd
wage" and Molly made motion rs
If to return the handful OF silver.
But, Mol, just hold hard minute
Ho mayn't want it now. Supposin'
work was slack and didn't earn moth
ing. You have got to keep tho cash
for tho time the boy grows He's got
to go 10 school, and has got TO look rs