Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-11-30
A BALE OF COTTON.
How a Man Forso, Its srnnhood-s r.,
Story.


forked Deer Rladu. inrkson I.n,.
lie had worked hard all summor H.
had plowed and hocd throp,yh III, ~
SUI anu now IN the fan had gathered
ohu pile OF cotton, with which he was Ia
n s,. 70 market next morning. The fam.
~. were assembled around The fire. The
t,leu, v9ieWOrn wife looked q little morn
VuVe,lul ihan usual the TWO little bows
r ~ anu lommy, ten and twelve wears
viu' VINO haa eaeh been promised dol
iai, 20 Spend Just as they pleased. %
w. pianhlnR now they would spend the
luVne! Little Maggie, who had been
promised q new doll, with real hair. was
! uTranslng the scraps OF calico out OF
Mue sue designed making the dolllc's
Mother what DO you wautYr said the
nusVaha' VI can get along with my old
U'"'hesi John; but yOu have 10 be out in
VIC culu 80 much you had better get Won a
par oil good high boots, some warm STUFF
loI me 70 make you pair of trousers
uhl coat Frank VIII need some shoes
ahu PAIR Of trousers; Tommle WANTS "a
/ coat; can make him some trouser, ont
Vi your Ola ones. Get some dark calico
iof a dress for baby and s0me flannel 10
make MIN a petticoat Maggie need,
some shoes and dress aud some APRONS.
"0u You had better got a dollars worth
Of quiniuc."
Yves then I'll get barrel Of nonr.0ye
gallons OF molasses, So worth Of sugar
ana the same In coffee; that VIII tax.
ABOUT all the money get for the bale OF
Gollon-,so You viii not get thing.
81 don't need anything, John. can
turn my last years dress: aud besides
the weather viii not be- cold and I'li moi
20 out much And she Kissed her sleen.
ing babe, while tear tricklcd down bor
iace Ia her unsclnshncss She had AR.
ranged 10 provide for all the family cy.
crpt herself She did not tell her bu4
o0nd That her shoes were worn through
the sole, and that the dress she PROMISED
TO turn had been turned before.
Next morning John und his two little
poyS were seated on The bale OF cotton
and on their way TO town by daylight
fapa was IN inc humor, and the little
poys were Ia high glee in anticipation OF
the good time they were to have and the
nice Things they were to buy with their
dollar. About noon the wagon drove IN
10 inc warehouse, where the cotton was
suldi the team was unhitchcd and fed.
ana the boys left 10 swatch the thiugsu
while papa went TO the bank 10 yet the
check cashed. The check was paid, and
John put the money In his pocket, and
mad started back 10 his wagon, when he
met friend ID who said ''Johu, let's
20 and get drink After they had
drunk at the friends expense, John
ordered "thc drinks; then another friend
came In aud they drank again, and again.
by this time John was pretty drunk. He
sat down by the stove 10 sober up before
he went back 10 where he had left his
little boys, preparatory 90 making his
purchases. But the effects OF the warm
tire sodn putting him 10 sleep ne forgot
his hard summers work; he forgot his
tired wife at home; he forgot his two
little boys, shivcring In the cold he for
got his manhood as he sat for hours in a.
drunken stupor When he awORe II was
night. He staggered up aud out into the
administration be remembered his
money. Putting his hand into his pocket
ne found 10 was gone, Half dazcd with
drink and a sense of his loss, he went TO
his wagon. The mules were "asiecp on
their fcct:n the two little boys had
wrapped themselves in an old quilt aud
were asleep under the wagon.
John hitched up tbs mules, awokc the
boys and told them 10 get in; then he
started homcward. The little ones knew
boy the wicked oaths their father swore at
the hungry mules that he was drunk
So they nestled together, and during the
long, weary ride home they never once
said "Fathcr, where is our dollar; where
are the nice things for mother and the
baby and little sisterEn
But we will not follow them into the
house. We do not want TO see their little
faces by the light of the lamp burning so
brightly within We do not care 70 see
the tears OF disappointment when little
Maggie finds that papa has not brought
her doll clears are unmanly," and we
fear they would come unbidden TO our
eyes If wc entered that house and looked
upon the face of the wife and mother
when she met the man who had prom
lsed 10 love and protect her. Her look
OF despair would affect as even more than
the tears Of the little babes whom God
has given them.