The Brookhaven leader., 1886-01-07
WHAT SOBERED HIM.
An Insult to His Wife Arouses Drunk
ards Latent Manhood.

arus Latent mHnnOOus
A woman came out of an ill-venti-
lated room in a tenement house in
Center street yesterday, walked
down the front steps and sat
on the last step. She was about
twenty-five years old, remarka-
bly, good looking, and held little child
in her arms. She sat for some time
with her head bent, listening to the
roar of the traffic which swept by. She
raised her head few times and re-
garded with an absent air the crowds
of foot-passengers who hurried and
fro without stopping, and going MANY
of them knew not whittier One OF
those gorgeous red sunsets which
scientific men can not understand was
disappearing behind the post-oftice
building and sending its rays slanting-
ly down along the street. Not u breath
of wind could be felt, and the liquor
stores in the vicinity were wide open
as they would be in the height of the
summer season. Far up on the other
side was the somber-lo looking portico OF
the Tombs, which looked dismal and
forbdding even in such a pleasant at
mosphere. Some of the lawyers who
frequent the place, as much opposed
to as in favor of law and order. passed
down the steps and hurried on.
Around the immense pillars men and
women clustered IN groups, all speak
ing at the same time and hanging on
to the place as though it were haven
| of rest for the wearied.
I" Git out"
They separated at once and ran
down the steps.
A poor wretch, physically well
formed, intelligent looking, but the
picture of dissipation, ran-no, stag.
gered down the steps and the gruti
| policeman, swinging his club airily.
turned and began talking to a poll
tician. No one noticed the incident
but the politician.
Did he register?" the politician
asked
No" said the policeman; Il think
he amt got vote"
g If he had, would he vote straight
No; crooked every time. Look at
i'm now"
The drunken man was tracing a zig
gag line up the street.
Whewm said the politician; "these
are the men who vote straight. L would
have had one more majority had |
known that man. and he ticklcd the
stalwart gendarme under the ribs.
The man continued to stagger up the
street, and the woman on the stOOp.
looking accidentally across, saw him.
| Then, as if to compensate in some
| L 1,.-C 1,ta Il hn
squeezed the little baby over and over
again and kissed it. The innocent lit
tie being stroked the mothers cheek
once or twice with its tiny hand, and
then, with sudden light of memory IN
its eyes, said, pointing to liquor store
on the opposite side:
INA, | think | saw papa go in
there"
The tears flowed faster adown the
mothers checks, and this time she
sobbed as well as cried.
Presently the man came out OF the
saloon. Evening shadows had com
menced to darken the street, and in
irving to make his way across he Stum-
bled across two men. He was unable
to excuse himself, and the two men
! abused him because he had made their
boots dirty. He made strong effort
to clear his mental vision, and regard
ing the two strangers for a moment,
muttered to himself:
".'Tis very strange"
''What's strange, you old foolP'
ITO see two dudes in these parts of
the town"
"a sail, sailr" shouted one of the
dudes, in brutal vulgarity, at the same
time pointing to the poor woman on
the stoop, who was still weeping.
They crossed over and sought to en-
gage her in conversation. 1t was near
ly dark.
The drunken man crossed the sheet
in half dozen steps, and felled on
after another of the insulters.
He tenderly lifted his wife and went
up stairs. He was quite sober now.
I'm never drink again, said he,
pressing his wife's hands and kissing
| her. The wife cried tears of JOY this
time; so did the little child.
"Eddication and good breedin tells"
remarked the policeman, as he went by
swinging his club.-N 7. Telegraph.