Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-03-09
A TOUCHING INCIDENT.
a Story that May Find Sympathetic
Readers in Many Towns.


A pathetic scene, says the New York
Sun, occurred a few nights ago at a
notorious uptown resort. 1t was a little
girl pleading with her father.
"WOn't you come home now, father,
please?' she said. Her voice was low
and childish, and the sweet upturned
face was pale and quivering with some
hardly suppressed emOtion-but the man
toward whom the appeal and agony were
directed took little notice of either.
"Why do you bother me?7 he SAID, i'm
patiently. $50 home. I'll come when
I'm ready" and regaining with an effort
his uncertain balance he left her.
The girl looked alter him wistfully, then,
as his form was lost to her view in the
crowded room, with a deep despairing
sigh she turned and left the place. Out
side the electric lights streamed full ulon
her slender figure as she hesItated a mo-
ment before descending the step. One or
two policemen lettering near eyed her Gu
riOusly, and some men hurrying in gave
her quick questioning glance, but no
one molested or spoke to her, and slowly
she went out from the glare and dazzle
into the darker street beyond.
The night was cold and stormy. An icy
sleet was falling, driven in every direc-
tlon by the capricious and fitful wind
gusts, and the few pedestrians who were
abroad hurried on their way anxious to
gain shelter. The girl alone appeared un-
conscious of the discOmfOrts of the
weather. The rain beat upon her, the
fierce wind met her with a force against
which she staggered, but she did not heed
them. With doubtful purpose she walked
slowly on, turning back once or twice to
look again at the place whence she had
just come, until as the clock from neigh
boring tower indicated to her how late the
hour was she stopped altogether.
$50 late" she murmured. "Oh! l can
not 90 home without him:' and now she
turned swiftly and retraced her steps.
She paused not moment on the threS-
hold; evidently she feared her own reso-
luton. The doors yielded instantly to
her touch, and once more she looked over
the scene whose light and warmth and
comfort were as little to her as the rain
and wind outside. Her searching glance
soon found out her father. For the mo-
ment he was standing alone, and his
daughter felt that she had one more
chance. Rapidly she gained his side.
"Father, dear father" she began, speak
ing low, but passionately, ~ cannot
leave you here. l cannot face mamma
without you; she has waited so many
nights for your Homecoming, and the
hours are so dreary without you. On!
father" the child went on, gathering up
all her energies, as she saw that her
listener was half needing her words, break
away from this wretched place, come
back to your home and mamma and me :;
we love you so dearly we cannot live with
out you, and, oh! 1t is all so different now
from what it used to be-" The childish
voice was breaking. "Such little time
ago we were all so happy" Here a sob
almost chOked her. She slipped her cling
ing fingers into the unresisting hand of
the man who staggered at her side.
"COme back to us, father; come home
with me nOw," and the tears, no longer
within her power to restrain, cOursed
down her pale cheeks as she lifted her face
to him, holding his gaze with her wistful,
pleading eyes.
The mans features worked cOnvulsiYe-
ly; he looked about him once half desper-
ately; then some better feeling swept over
him, and, Strengthening himself up, he
said brokenly, "I will 90 with you Jen-
ME-" and, clasping close the hand OF his
little daughter, as if that frail guide were
his chief support, the two together went
out from the light, and glare, and dazzle
OF the roller-skating rink forever.