The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-07-03
TEMPERANCE READING.
OUT ON TRIAL.


tice S, as l stopped, intending to
go up into his office. This remark
was addressed to Marshal NJ, a
burly German, in blue suit, with a
star on his breast.
What's up?" said /. co." said the
Justice, '.it's the old story. Kate Flax
ton has brought complaint against
her husband for beastly drunk, and
don't blame her. Still. if they can
manage to pull along together, it may
| be better for the children. Wen wait
till it is time to open the court and see
how they come out.
So we waited few minutes. discuss
ing the political situation, but thinking
all the while of the situation upstairs.
A man who gets so low down that his
wife will make a complaint against him
is usually dirty specimen. Alick
| FlaXton, however, was an exception.
He was just out OF jail, to be sure, but
he was clean for all that. Both he and
his wife spoke with strong Scotch .ac-
cent.
Mrs. Kate had face that would have
done no discredit to some of the hum.
bier characters among the Scottish
women of the WaverleY novels.
what shall we do with you, Mr..
Flaxton?" said the Justice. "You have
| been drunk times without number, and
your wife has borne enough from YOU
to break her heart. But she has borne
it bravely for the sake of the children.
To fine you would be to take the bread
they need. What can do but send
you up for ninety days?"
'Well, yer honor" said Alick, ''it's
pretty rough. l know. l didn't mean
to get drunk, but somehow I'm easy
tempted, and as soon as get taste
of the liquor-it's all day with me. Now
if yer honor would only let me off on
suspended sentence Til consider it
high compliment, indeed I would, and
promise you faithfully, yer honor,
swear | won't drink again for a twelve
month, sure"
''What do you say to that, Mrs. Flax
ton? Would it do any good to try him
again? or can you do better without
himP" said the Justice. Indeed I
can," said she, "and I can't let him off
any more"
Hooked at this honest woman's face
as she said this, and l knew she would
let him off. KNEW she would try him
again, for her face gave the lie to her
words. That is the old story of a wom-
ans love. Alick knew it, too. He knew
that she would give him one more trial.
So, because her heart spoke in protest
against her better Judgment, Alck was
let off on suspended sentence with a
very forcible charge that his next APP
pearance before the court would send
him to the house of correction.
For several weeks after that l heard
nothing more about the Flaxtons,
though l drop in quite often to see what
is going on in the Justices court.
/ had almost forgotten the whole
matter, when one day I happened to
meet Mrs Kate, and she looked so
bright and cheerful that l could not
keep from asking her if suspended SEN
tence had proved success. Size was
in high spirits and said "he has kept
his word so far and / begin to think he
does really mean to stick to it. If I
can only keep him away from tempta-
ton Alick will do well enough"
Mrs. Flaxton could turn her hand to
almost anything. Sometimes she took
in washing and ironing Sometimes
she did housekeeping, for she was a
resolute worker. She also knew how
to cook admirably, and whenever there
was a fair or festival, or any public oc-
casion, at which refreshments were
served, she was invaluable for she was
quite pleasing in her manners and could
wait on crowded tables nicely, and then
she was a host in the art of putting
things to rights after the guests were
gone.
''Theres to be party tonight" said
she, ''at Mrs Newman's, and Pm going
there to help her. Alick will come
round and walk home with me after it
is all over, unless some vagabond gets
hold of him and prevails on him to take
q drink. l wish he could be at Mrs
Newman's with me and then | should
feel perfectly safe about him. l shall
earn a nice penny tonight, for Mrs.
Newman hasn't a stingy hair in her
head"
cts a long road that never turns"
said +, ''and I'm glad that Alick has got
into the right track. hope he won't
get off the track"
The day but one after this casual
meeting l was in the Justices court
again, and there, as sure as you live,
was Alick in the custody of an officer.
This time he was Just sober enough to
be able to talk intelligibly, and to give
a clear account of himself. But the
traces of recent debauch were unmis-
taxable. Mrs. Kate was not alone with
him this time, Mrs. Newman was with
her.
"What do you know about the case,
Mrs. Newman?' said his honor.
''Well," said Mrs. Newman, II know
more about it than [ wish did. It's
too bad; Mrs. Flaxton was half disposed
to keep away from here and let Alick
keep on abusing her, just as he has
done for years. But the fact is, she
has been working for me lately and is
too good woman to be treated in that
way, and so insisted on her bringing
the complaint"
''Do you know under what circum-
stances he came to do this thing after
keeping sober so long?" said the
Court. "No, I don't know" answered
Mrs. Newman. land what is more,
don't care. He has, as you say, kept
sober a good while, and could have
done so still longer, had he chosen to
do so. [ haven't a particle of charity
for a man who will be as good as good
can be for awhile, and then up and
make a beast of himself. Mrs. Flaxton
helped me at my party the other night
and when Alex came round to 90
home with her, [ served him myself
with all the refreshments he could eat,
and you ought to have seen him eat
Then when he was as full of refresh
ments as he ever was of whisky load
ed up good-sized market basket with
cake and sandwiches and boned turkey
for him to take home. This morning I
thought | would stop in a moment and
see how the children had enjoyed what
l sent, for | feel a good deal of interest
in them. Alick was crazy drunk and
was making perfect hell upon