The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-01-07
HUNGRY MAMIE.
How Her Father Was Rerormed-They
Now dip Their TAters in Their Own


face was lifted pitifully to her mothers.
And the mother knew by her own
gnawing hunger how the little one
was suffering, for she herself had not
tasted food for forty-eight hours. She
rose, went to the wooden cupboard in
the corner of the room, took single
cold potato from the shelf, and, pairing
it, put it into Mamie's hand. That
is every morsel there is in the house,
child; take it, and run over to the tav-
ern, and see if you can not get your
father to come home. He will come
for you, sometimes, you know"
Mamie hurried away, for she had
often been to the old-fashioned En-
glish country tavern and seen the land
lords wife frying the eggs and bacon.
i'll the spider, over the fire, IN the wide
fire place, and she thought how she
would dip her p otato into the fat after
the woman had taken out the bacon.
As she went in. she caught sight of
her father in drunken slumber; but
her earnest appeal that he should
come home only half reused him
from his stupor. So the little QUE
waited for the meal to be served, and
then went slyly to the spider and
dipped her potato in the hot gravy.
Get out, you young wench" the
proprietor wife said. coming to the
fire, and pushing the child rudely
aside. $50 and dip yer later in yer
own gravy"
The father reused then. whats
all this?" he said. He had been n
gentleman. Little seven year old
Mamie could remember when they
lived in u home where there were
brussels carpets and lace curtains.
But step by step the drink had
brought them down to the one room,
which had neither carpet nor cur
tains.
What's all this?" he repeated,
angrily, as he saw his little ones lips
culver.
l told the youngster go home and
dip her later in her own gravy"
The drunkard Strengthened himself
up. A look came into his eyes that
they had never worn since the day,
three years before, when the house
and furniture had been sold to pay the
rum-seller.
"Come, Mamie" he said. catching
the tiny young thing in his arms, and
holding her close. 1--WE will dip our
taters in our own gravy"
He was almost sober now. Going
out of the door, he met a comrade
face to face.
Hi, Michael! ye're jst the one
I'm a-wantin' to see. Here's the dol
lar l got from We the day was dead
broke"
Thank you, kindly, Pat" he said,
as he would have said it years Def re,
had he met his companion in Lon
don drawing-room. "We'll surprise
the mother" he added, gleefully, to
the child.
The mother-poor woman! - was
kneeling by the bedside, with the
tears raining down her face. 1t was
the first time she had prayed since,
long ago, she had lisped her baby
prayer beside her mothers knee. But
she walled ont: 80 God! give my hus-
band back to me! Give him back to
me. and l will love you and serve you
forever" And even while she knelt
the door opened, and Mamie flew to
her arms.
go mamma! here's papa, and we We
got some bread and butter and bacon
and potatoes, and he's never, never
going to drink any more"
And the husband of her youth, the
man to whom she had chung though all
other friends had been lost to her,
knelt beside her, and whlspered: at s
true, Mary; so help me, Godr' And
the Almighty help was given, and
friends gathered about him, and bust
ness prospered with him; and one day
he led his wife and daughter back TO
their old home, and installed them
there.
As Mamie went gayly skipping from
room to room, her father said: my
little daughter is very happy"
Clasping her arms around his neck,
and laying her rosy face close to his, she
whispered: Yes, papa; dip my taters
in my own gravy now. "-MrS. A. c.
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