San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1886-12-16
BALE OF COTTON;
An Affecting Sketch From Real Life.

All AhtctinR Shctcn frOm heui istie
We copied the following last summo or
but feel that We cannot do better than re
publish il, now that Il Is even more 'in sea
son." It breathes the "still, small voice.
of truth and conviction as to the monster
evil Of our times more impressively thai
many more pretentious efforts. FREi
Pass.
He had worked hard all summer
He had plowed and hoed through
rain and sun, and now in the fall had
gathered ono bale of cotton, with
which he was to start TO market next
morning. The family were assembled
around the fire. The tired, care worr
wife looked a little more cheerful
than usual the two little boys
Frank and Tommy, ten and twelve
years old, who had each been prom.
ised dollar, to "spend just as they
pleased" were planning how they
would spend the money. Little
Maggie, who had been promised q
new doll, with real hair, was arrang-
ing the scraps of calico out Of which
she designed making dollie's new
dresses.
"Mother, what do you wanti" said
the husband. II can get along with
my old clothes, John but you have
to be in the cold 80 much you had
better get you pair Of good boots,
some warm stuff for me to make you
q pair OF trousers and q coat. Frank
will need some shoes and q pair oi
trousers Tommie wants coat; ]
can make him some trousers out of
your old ones. Get some dark calico
for dress for the baby, and some
flannel to make him petticoat.
Maggie needs some shoes and dress
and some aprons, and you had better
get dollars worth of quinine."
"Yes, then I'll get barrel of flour,
five gallons of molasses, two dollars
worth of sugar, and the same in cof-
fee. That will take about all the
money I will get for the bale of cot
ton; SO you will not get thing, Bet
tie"
II don't need anything, John. I
can turn my last years dress; and
besides, the weather will be cold and
I'll not go out mach" And she kiss
ed her sleeping babe, while q tear
trickled down her face. In her un-
selfshness she had arranged to pro-
vide for all the family except herself.
She did not tell her husband that her
shoes were worn through the sole,
and that the dress she proposed to
turn had been turned before.
Next morning John and his two
boys were seated on the bale OF cot
ton and on their way to town by day
light. Papa was in fine humor, and
the little boys were in high glee in
anticipation of the good time they
were to have and the nice things they
were to buy with their dollar. About
noon the wagon drove up to ware
house, where the cotton was sold, the
team was unhitched and fed, and the
boys left to swatch the things" while
papa" went to the bank to get the
check cashed. The check was paid
and John put the money in his
pocket, and had started back to his
wagon, when he met friend, (O who
said: "John, let's go and get q
drink" After they had drank at the
friends expense, John ordered the
drinks )" then another friend came
in and they drank again and again.
BY this time John was pretty drunk.
He sat down by the stove to sober up
before he went back to where he had
left his little boys, preparatory to
making his purchases. But the Of
fects of the warm fire soon putting
him to sleep, he forgot his hard sum-
mers work; he forgot his tired wife
at home; he forgot his two little boys,
shivering in the cold; he forgot his
manhood as he sat for hours in
drunken stupor. When he awoke it
was night! He staggered mp and out
in the darkness-when he remember
ed his money. Putting his hand into
his pocket, he found it was gone!
Half dazed with drink and sense of
loss, he went to his wagon. The
mules were asleep on their feet; the
little boys had wrapped themselves
in an old quilt and were asleep under
the wagon.
John hitched up the male, woke mp
the boys and told them to get in;
then he started homeward. The lit
tie enes knew by the wicked oaths
their father swore at the mules that
he was drunk So they nestled to-
gether, and during the long weary
ride home they never once said:
Father, where is our dollarl where
are the nice things for mother and
The baby and little sisteri"
But we will not follow them into
the house. We do not want to see
their little faces by the light of the
amp burning so brightly within.
We do not care 10 see the tears OF
disappointment when little Maggie
inds papa has not brought her doll
Tears are unmanly, and we fear
hey would come unbidden TO our
yes IL we entered that house and
ooked upon the face Of the wife and
mother when she met the man who
rad promised to love and protect her. 4
Her look Of despair would affect Us
wen more than the tears Of the little
,abes whom God has given them