The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-07-24

masters. He had been from time to time
very charitable in finding work for young
men who were out of employment. A good
many of these young men had afterward
attracted the attention of the detective
police and found their way to tho prison.
stop, Jack, you are not going up there
tonight. One ofmy rooms is empty, you
can have that. wouldn't go up there to
night" said Kitty.
Jack said he would go-he was expected
there.
"Stop, Jack, you're not so bad that you
can't talk sense. You know what old Sloe
man means, and what his game is. You
have always been straight whatever they
can say of you. Don't have any thing to
do with that old thief"
Yes and a lot of good being straight
has done me. Old Sloeman is good deal
better than the lot who turn their backs on
me, and thief or not, am going to work
with him ~
We'll Jack, have drink before you go
l am sorry for what l said just now. We
will have drink together said Kitty as
she took down a bottle of whisky and some
soda water Jack did not refuse-he seldom
did refuse such an offer.
Heaven forgive me :" said Kitty to her
self as she more than half filled a tumblel
of whisky. That will just about finish
him, but he shan't go up there tonight"
That is rather stiflish drink he said
as he finished it. Then he had another and
forgot all about going up to Sloeman'S, and
Kitty called her Kafir boy to shut up the
place and put Jack to bed in the spare room
The bGas in the spare room he plenty
bad this morning, MISSES" said Kitty's
Kafir servant to her next morning as She
was having her breakfast
Take him this, he will get all right, .
said Kitty, giving him some brandy in a
glass and bottle of soda water. THAT
won't hurt him. though he will have to
knock it off and pull himself together for
this child is going to look after him." she
added to herself.
Very soon the Kafir came back. "The
bdaS he drank the brandy and throw de
soda at me. | think him going mad, "he
said, rubbing his head.
Kitty was not much alarmed; she had
seen q good deal of that sort of thing. He
wanted some one to keep him straight, she
thought, and woman-like, she began to be.
lieve that one of her sex could do it. After
some time Jack came out of his room. He
had blank stare on his face and said
nothing, but walked into the street without
his hat on. He was evidently queer very
queer Kitty thought as she led him back
to his room and then sent hor boy for the
doctor.
she is in for bad go of fever; rather a
nasty case-typhoid symptoms; knocked
his constitution to bits with drink" said
the doctor. HE will want lot of looking
after He had better go to the hospital
the free ward-the paying wards are full
not that they would be much in his line if
they were not he added.
II think he had better stay here, DOCTOR
answered Kitty, ''Iwill see after nursing
him; you know, doctor, nursing is rather
my forte"
mo one can see after him better than
you, my dear" said the doctor, who knew
Kitty we'll. Il fancy, however, he won't
be very profitable boarder for you, but
that's your lookout"
20, that is all right" said Kitty. "Come
and see him again soon, doctor; remember
| sent for YOU
The doctor said he would come round
again soon and drove off-thinking what a
good little woman Kitty was and wonder
ing whether there was any thing more than
pity in her feeling for that ne'er-do-well
Jack Hope.
''Itrust she don't care for him, for I am
afraid there would be only trouble in it for
her however it turned out" he thought to
himself.
The doctor was right; it turned out very
nasty case of fever, and for weeks it looked
very black. For the time the ''Frozsp Barr
lost its popularity. Kitty was hardly ever
there, and when she was, there was very
little fun in her. She was always afraid
that her customers would make too much
noise The old merry, almost reckless
look had left her and there was a more
tender and soft expression in her face She
spent most of her time in room behind
the house-the coolest and best bedroom
she had. Perhaps the hours that poor little
Kitty spent nursing him as he got better
were some of the happiest in her life Then
he was never happy when she was away
from him. and he used to watch her as a
sick dog watches its master. He seemed so
different SO much more like what he had
been once, and SO a like what he he'd be-
come on the Diamond Fields. As he grew
stronger she began to think that he knew
her secret and there was something in his
face seemed to tell her that he felt some
thing more than gratitude for her. Then
she hardly ever came near him He did not
want any more nursing, she thought. One
day he had got up, and she had been talk
ing to him in her OLE CHEEKY manner telling
him that he could pull himself together,
and do as well as any one else, when what
she had been half expecting came. Hers
was the only influence, he said, which could
keep him straight. He knew she cared for
him. If she would marry him he would be
able to keep away from drink.
She told him the truth; she did care for
him. She would marry him if he wanted
it and would care to marry her. But he
must show her first that he could reform.
She knew that she was no great shakes, y
she said, but she wasn't going to marry
man she could not trust TO keep away from
drink He promised that he would re-
form, and it was agreed that they were to
be married and leave the Diamond Fields
and go to some other colony. He was no
great prize this shatferei Invalid. who was
far more likely than not 20 return TO his
old ways. But kitfy fE an that had a
hard struggle witA rself Hot e. take him
as ne was, instead OF waiting and perhaps
losing him altogether "No she would not
marry him there; 10 wouldn't bs fair to
him. she said. ''she would wait till he was
the man he was before he ever took to
drink, and then il he cared to marry her
she would be the proudsst woman in the
world"
Then she talked over plan she had for
him. She had bought some claims in the
mine; he must work them for her. She
was sure the ground would turn out well,
and they would make lots of money. That
is how Jack Hope. who had utterly gone TO
the bad in the opinion of most men who
who knew him, got start again. OF
course their claims ought to have turned
out well, and they ought to have found a
big diamond. which would have made their
fortune all at once But Kitty's belief ia
the claims proved to be rather unfounded !;
some weeks they paid expenses some
they did not Jack Hope ought at once 70
have become n reformed character, but he
did not. More than once work was OF a
standstill in their claims for days, and he
had to come to Kitty, shamefaced aud
haggard, with sad story of transgression
to tell. But she persuaded him TO try
again, and did her best to keep him
straight, and at last he became stronger
and better. Men began to think that he
had some chance; he had been steady for