Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-12-04
NOT HEARD FROM.
From the Youths Companion.

!" CAtsH Nv tAo tdDle ZOE CIlelr 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 a little bouquet of his favor
lite flowers. 1 rr
"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" I ~ss'N'' 81 80 y =.
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. If it's
any qualification for you to keep a
place at the table for him, you know
that don't object; but wish you
could make up your mind that he will
never came back. These yearly re-
minders only bring the old pain back,
and If could, should like to forget
him all together.''
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 Pm sure we can neither of us for
get that"
1t was just fifteen years since the
young man came home one night IN a,
beastly state OF intoxication. 1t was
not the first time, but it was the first
time mis- father had seen him in that
condition. He was q clerk in
a dry-goods store, and when he
came homelate at night, his father sup
posed he had been detained by his
business, and went contentedly to bed.
The poor wife, who satup for the way
ward boy, knew better; but like many
gentle but unwise mother, she con
cealed her sons vice from his father,
hoping he might reform. Her husband
was a very stern man, and was I'M
sparing in his dcnunciations of the
special vice fintemperance. The truth
is, she Was actually afraid to tell
him.
The night I have spoken of, Mr..
Forrest had a. letter to write, which
kept him in the sitting-room long after
his usual bedtime. When the slob-
bering, idiotic young drunkard 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 O
word. Then he sat deliberately down
in q chair and watched him, with such
q look on his white, set face that his
wife laid her trembling hand on his
arm. He shook it of. In q few mo-
ments he turned to her, and said, in a
hard, merciless voice.
"How long has this been going on,
Sarah?"
"Oh, I don't know, Janesv' she
sobbed. "Tve seen him two or three
times under the influence of]iquor, but
never SO bad as this, James. I didn't
tell you, because he promised to re-
form. Oh, don't be too hard on him
himP'
"Too hard!" he repeated, looking
with angry disgust at the young man,
who was huddled in heap in a large
arm-chair, trying valnly to sit erect,
with q silly, drunken grin on his face.
'cToo hard! Why, if l turned him out
OF the house this very night, and dis
owned him as my son, 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 disgrace? l might have
checked it. Now it's too late. Look
at that idiotic face; the stamp of the
drunkard who is past recovery is up
on it. IT'S too late!'
ooh, don't, James," his wife cried.
kneeling beside him. Il did it for the
best. Don't say it's too late! He's
but a little more than a child yet, and
bad company has led him astray."
The drunken boy laughed idiotical.
"G'long calm me ellie, ole CONAN!
Bes' pcker-player in town! Los ten
dollars: Ole Rapp's money though.
Took it out till. Gov'nor looks mad.
Whatermatter?"
ooh, hush! hush! hush!" the dis
tracted mother said, taking him by
the hand. 'Come to bed, David! Oh,
do GOMEZ" The drunken boy pushed
her aside.
"Gov'nor mad!" he muttered
"Won't be suited! Gimme satisfac.
ton ofgentleman. Ten PAGES, pistols, "
and us he maundered on, his head
sanl; on the table before him. and be
slept heavily.
Don't try and get him away" Mr..
Forrest said, sternly. "He shall stay
there all night, and I'll sit ND with
him You heard what he said!'' with
bitter laugh. "Our son is not only
a drunkard, but a thief. Let him stay
there. | want to get accustomed to
the disgrace which has come upon me,
and a night with that object before
me will help me to realize it. Do you
60 to bed. I must take his manage
ment out Of your weak hands,
"You won't drive him away, James!
You'll give him q chance? You will
give him one opportunity to try to re-
form! Don't turn him out into the
wicked world, to be lost forever!" she
pleaded, with sobs. Her husband did
not Immediately answer her., but at
last he said,--
II will not drive him away yet. He
shall have one chance more-a single
one. I'll make him understand that.
when he can understand anything.
Now leave me with him."
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.. MIR.
Forrest sat rigid and motionless, as if
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
mother, whose eyes had not closed