Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-04-23
A Touching Incident.

nights ago at a notorious uptown re.
sort. Itwas little girl pleading with
her father.
wont 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 he appeal and
agency were directed took little notice
of either.
"Why do you bother me?' he said,
impatiently. "Go home. I'll come
when I'm ready, 'and regaining with an
effort his uncertain balance he left her.
The girl looked after him wistfully,
then, as his form was lost to her view
in the crowded room, with deep des
pairing sigh she turned and left the
place. Outside the electric lights
streamed full upon her slender figure
as she hesitated moment before des.
cending the step. One or two police
men lettering near eyed her curiously.
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 glre and dazzle
into the dark street beyond.
The night was cold and stormy.
An icy sleet was falling, driven in
every direction by the capricious
and ftful wind gusts, and the few
pedestrians who we're abroad hurried
on their way anxious to gain shelter
The girl alone appeared unconscious of
the discomforts of the weather. The
rain beat upon her, the fierce wind
met her. with 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 neighboring tower indicated to
her how late the hour was she stopped
altogether.
$50 late" she murmured. sob! |
cannot go home without him." and
now she turned swiftly and retraced
her steps. She paused not moment
on the threshold; evidently she feared
her own resolution. The doors yield
ed instantly to her touch, and once
more she looked over the scene whose
light and warmth and comfort we're
as little to her as rain and wind outside.
Ter searching glance soon found out
her father; for the moment he was
standing alone, and his daughter felt
that she had one more chance Rap
idly she gained his side.
"Father, dear father she began,
speaking low but passionately, Il can
not leave you here. 1 cannot face
mamma without you, she has waited |
so many nights for your homecoming, |
and the hours are so drary without
you. Oh! father the child went OH,
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 do with
out you, and oh! it is ali 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 he. She
slipped her clinging fingers into the
hand of the man who stag.
,ered at her side. "Come back to US,
:ather: come home with me now,"
ind the tears, no longer within her
,ower to restrain, coursed down her
oale cheeks as she lifted her face to
lin, holding his gaze with her wistful
pleading eyes.
The mans features worked convul-
ively; he looked about him once half
desperately; then some better feeling
swept over him, and, Strengthening
limself up, he said brokenly, Il will
70 with you, Jennie" and, clasping
lose the hand of his little daughter,
IS if that frail guide we're his chief
support, the two together went out
rom the light, add glare, and dazzle
# rollerskating forever.-N. Y. Sun.