Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-11-05
She Did What She Could.

on' papa, Try once more! Don't go
away tonight. When she gets over
Wis she will be so sor1y!"
Neotle Willis clasped her father
around the waist, while he bowed his
head on his arm and wept. 1t was not
new sight, but terrible one that
caused those tears. Nettie's mother,
WIN the 3-months-old baby, sat by the
hfe IN drunken slumber. His wife in
drunken sleep! That was what fire.
quently greeted him now when he
came IN from da. of hard labor. Once
.lero was happy home, a bright
hearth. tidy room, and a smiling.
happy wife.
MIS-. Willis was taken ill some Years
before, and the physician had pre-
scrlbed brandy to strengthen her. It
dld strengthen one thing, and that was
hef appetite for rum. 1t had grown
upon her, and now she was q hopeless
drnnkard, her body still weak and ill,
and the health of her soul forever de-
stroyed.
Mr. Willis was sober, Woodworking
man, but of late he had refused to spend
his evenings in the worse than uncom-
Portable home, and went-Nettie did
not know where, but she feared it was
to saloon. There was often no supper
cooked for him when he came home,
and he went out to get it somewhere,
she feared where he got beer, too. She
Knew too we'll how it would all end. so
she coaxed him to stay in, but the coax
ing, while her mother sat there so
stupid with drink, did no good.
He flung her almost roughly away
and took up his hat from the floor.
IL won't stay, and I don't know as I
will ever come bacll!" he cried.
| Without a glance at the drunken
woman he went out of the house and
up the busy street. Yet he knew-for
he never could forget it-that he had
added his commands to the physicians
when he prescribed the brandy for
tonic long ago.
Nettie sank down on the floor where
he left her, and wept. She had wept
often, and what good had it done? It
didn't seem as If she could in any way
do any good, and it didn't seem worth
the while to try.
A loud cry from the baby reused her.
and she sprang to catch it as it was
slipping from Mrs. Willis lap. Nettie
soothed its cries and h1lshed it to sleep
again. Then, as she sat by the cradle,
she thought of what she could do Her
Sunday-school teacher had told her to
pray always and to ask counsel always
of Him who gives it so willingly. SO
she knelt there and asked him. She
arose as if she heard avoice telling her,
and began to tidy III, the room. Her
mother half walked and staggered into
the adjoining bedroom. When the
room was fixed up as nicely as her
hands could make it, she put on the
tea-kettle and set the table. There
was plenty to eat in the pantry, for her
father provided literally; but Nettie
was By no means tirst-class cook. She
did her best, however, and the meat and
potatoes. when they were done, looked
really inviting. She pushed them back
E on the stove to keep warm, and sat
down by the fire to wait her fathers
return, praying for q blessing on her
efforts. She had not longto wait. She
was busily making plans how she
, could make the home more comfortable,
when she heard her fathers step out
, side. She bounded up to greet him.
+ ~ am SO glad you came, papa, ," she
cried. II expected you. Supper is
, ready"
!, "Who got ready" he asked, grutfiy.
o "I did, and cleaned up the room,
+ too, to make it pleasant for YOU"
a He stopped and kissed her. "You
: have done what you conld," he said,
V "and will do what I can to help you.
+ While you keep the room looking like
q this, and try to make this desolate home
$ happy, will stay in
SO her father was saved. Maybe in
after years her mother might be, but
o Nettie was happy, now that her efforts
! to do what she could We're blessed
n Giant Killer.
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W ISMIH1' CONDUCTOR.