Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-03-10
Gales and Sketthts.
From the New York Examiner.
FOR HIS MOTnER'S SAKE.
A Temperance Tale.
By ELIZA GILBERT HURD.

BY ELIZA GILBERT dURD.
Up town is large city where gorgeous
curtains were stretched across the great
plate glass windows, and sweet music float
ed from within, policemen reasoned with
Crosby Holt and threatened to arrest him.
until they heard his story, always ending,
.'Mv father is in there. sir. can't 60
home without him. and he never could get
home without me, you would have him in
prison before dayli ght-surely if just alloy
can keep a man out of prison you will let
him-so, please, sir, don't notice me-"
Often by the side of policeman, up and
down the brilliantly lighted avenue. paced
the boy, his beat only so far as his eye
might reach curtain door and distinguish
certain form.
That door turned him as on pivot. A
cold wind or beating rain shortened the
route, but made the goal none the less GER
tain up and down, until the clock struck
twelve-one, two, sometimes, ever walk
ing-to keep off sleep in summer and cold
in winter. He saw the hand when first
stretched out, and heard the words from a
brain that was on fire with alcohol.
where's my cane, Crosby ?"
"Here, SIR" and the slim shoulders re-
sponded; they had responded to the call
until the thin covering had long passed
the black and blue stage, and were grow
ing callous as the palms OF stone builders.
flesh and bone petrifying alike under the
vise-like clutch. Every day the burden
grew heavier and leaned harder. Each
day the support trembled little more as
the joints supplied. yet the alertness and
AGILITY BETRAYED no weakness.
Did the father sway to the right. Cros-
by's lett shoulder was there, and kept him
from falling. Did he sway to the left. the
right shoulder OF the boy steadied him I'M
til the form was again erect. Sometimes
both figures quivered in every nerve in
the effort to balance.
Often Crosby described circle to keep
the reeling father from falling PROSTATE
upon the stone pavement. With each JOS
tie the drunken hulk mumbled
"Oh, thought had lost my cane"
The cane was ever present, constant
toiler. They lived in miserable alley.
not far from prosperity and elegance;
place like a rotten core in fair apple,
often seen in large cities. overlooked like
rough thread in a piece OF fine linen,
less blot, perhaps, than picture of
broken stone and glass. covering for
poverty, sin and misery.
The narrowness of the alley was help
to Crosby, and made the task of guiding
his father, easier, to their poor shelter
they called home.
Once upon his bed and no further need
of care for the night, the boy crept in by
his side for warmth, if it were winter,
upon scant bed of straw on the floor
tor rest, if it were summer.
The rest was short. Crosby provided
for the family, and with the first ray of
light must be up; the early morning was
his harvest. He took care of two offices,
and had some friends who knew his histo-
~. who bought their morning papers of
him.
His friends were few among the boys !;
they called him Cross Holt, because he
attended only to business and his father
and had no time for lettering or play.
How long has he been going on in this
way?" asked each new policeman, to
whom Crosby must tell his story in order
to secure favors.
"Only since mother died, sir. You see
it was this way; father belonged to the
firm of Worthington, Holt & Cameron :;
JOu SCC luC II VII >ttSodu StiCC
"Of course. know it well,' would u.s.
uallv be the reply.
1--WE lived in nice brick house, father
owned it-and we were very happy, until
my mother became sick, and father was
nearly crazy, he was so anxious. One day
he said to me:
&C Crosby, if your mother dies I'll kill
myself, because l cannot live without
her."
You see he loved her so, sir, and was
so scarf about it that had to tell mother
and she said:
81 hope not, dear; but for nv sake,
you must watch him every minute, and
save him; and Crosby, if he should take
to drink. never give him up, save him,
and
''Whv. sir, a crimson flood poured
from her mouth as she said these words,
and in an hour she was dead When
father came in and realized the truth, he
paced up and down the room, cursing
God for his cruelty. and then went out
and drank. and drank, and he was not So
Der enough to 60 to her funeral; he has
not been sober since. He has not been
to the office; they said, Worthington &
SdulCIOb tudU ll1u UtcIl hlUucT OU
-overdrawn his share of the profits, etc,
so they took the house and all to make it
straight. So you see for mothers sake
must take care of him until he is all
right"
When Crosby began to confide his story
to the policemen, he was rosy, handsome
and hopeful but two years of either con-
slant work or watching, hunger exposure
and loss of sleep, were telling upon his
body. He had stopped growing, and in
stead, his spine was bent, and his shoul-
ders misshapen from over strain.
After his morning work he bought a
bun or cup of milk for his breakfast.
never sufficient. and returning home about
eleven O'Clock, helped his father to get
up. bathed his face and hands, and was
rewarded by his father SAYING:
"YQu are good son. Crosby"
He always brought in. or made a cup
ofcoffee, or bowl of soup, for his fathers
dinner, rarely anything for himself but a