The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1885-02-28

Perhaps he would give her all his
weeks wages, and talk kind and
good to her. as he did in times gone
by.
The door opened, and the burly
man staggered into the room.
NO lamp lit yet? Well, never
mind; you need not light it ON my
account. want to tell you some
4 thing, and then am going right
away again
/ There was pause, an awkward
pause Instinctively she felt that
! there was something wrong, and she
pressed her hands to her beating
heart She had never seen her
father act so peculiarly. Even in
the partial darkness she could smell
the fumes of liquor. For the first
time in her life she was afraid of her
father.
You must give me money he
said, in gruff voice.
She did not understand what lac
meant. She expected that he would
give her money to help keep away
the grim wolf that was growliug ut
the door.
Money from me, pa? she
quericd."
YES, and be quick about it.
She stammered something about
Saturday night.
"Ivc lost my weeks wages. There
are some friends of mine mt the
tavern. They have got a sort OF
bank. tried my luck, but it was
bad luck" and he laughed in a silly
sort of way at his attempted wit.
The little mother shivercd as she
said "l'ou have lost all the wages
pu?"
"Yes, and what? Everybody
loses at first, but I'll win it all back" >"
he said, oxcitcdly, for the magni-
tude of the loss to the small family
began to dawn upon him.
Mary said nothing.
What are you blubbering about?
Give me the money" he said,
gruflly.
Poor little mother! If she gives
him the money the little ones will
have to stnrvc,
Il have no money she said,
trembling.
"You have got money. You got
money for your work Yesterday"
She was Il shade paler but she
stood rcsolutcly before him, and
said:--
''Pa, I've got no money for you.
The children can't starvc.
He stamped his foot furiously.
He strobe up and down the room
like an infurated animal. The de-
mon Of drink and the demon of
gambling had possession Of him.
They had also darkness to aid them
/ Could he have seen those large gray
eyes full of tears and the quivering
mouth, "thc little mother" would
have routed the twin demons, but
! as it was, his passions had full sway
DO you dare disobey me? he
said, hoarsely.
She threw her arms around him,
and between sobs exclaimed
80, papa, forgive me if | disobey
YOU! | do it for dear mama's sake.
Look at the dear little ones that
will have to go hungry"
At almost any other time this
appeal might have had effect. But
he saw the pile of glittering money,
he heard the jeers of his boon COM
panions if he returned without it.
Uttering curse he seized her by
the arms, and lifting her up, he
dashed her to the floor. There was
a heavy fall and piercing shrek, and
then silence.
That was sad scene that was
revealed by the moon rays in that
attic room. The suddenly sobered
father was bending over the death
like face of the unconscious child,
and the other children, awakened
by the noise, crying around the bed
side, and calling on little Mary to
speak to them.
The "little mother" did not seem
Mt first to suffer much from the
shock, but every day she became
paler and thinner. She never COM
planned, but she never smiled, She
appeared to work as hard as ever,
the children were as neatly dressed
as formerly, but her old-time cheer
fulness, which was part of her ma
ture, was gone forever, Joy and
happiness had vanished from her
face. When not working she would
keep her eyes fixed on one spot, and
did not seem to hear when spoken
to. Her flowers withered, and her
canary bird died. She never cried
lrlt nnre and Ihnt Mns when she