The Opelousas courier., 1889-05-11
T OF ST. LANDRY, LA, MAY IL, 1889.

workman, and We had d comfortable home
But he got in the habit of drinking, aud now
all he earns-and that is not mueh-he spends
tor whisky. If he une only let me have
what little / make override wash.tub But
half the time he takes that away from me,
and then the children have to go hungry y
She took the baby from the breast as it was
asleep, and laid il across her lap, and further
remarked. Tommy has been crazy to go to
, school. | have been teaching him at home,
.. could never spare him till this winter. He
thought & lie could get q little education. be
would be able to help take care of Sissy aud
me He knows he would never be strong
enough to do hard work. So l fixed up his
started was afraid the boys would laugh
at bin; but lie thought he could stand it, if
they did. / stood III the door and watched
him going. can never forget how the little
fellow looked She continued with the tears
streaming down her face His patched up
clothes, his old Shoes his ragged Gap, his poor
little anxious look, He turned around to me
as he left the yard and said, don't you worry
mother; am not going to mind what the
boys say But be did mind-it was more
than be could bear. 1t was not an hour be.
fore he was back again; and do believe the
childs heart was broken. thought mine was
broken years ago II it was, it was broken
over again that day. can stand almost any.
thing for myself, but oh, ] can't bear to see
my children suffer"
Etelt luG pUGE ulStEEaSSu mOtQec DfOEe
down and wept most bitterly. The little girl
came up quietly aud put thin little arm
around her neck and whispered: Don't cry
mother, don't cry" And the poor woman
crushed with abuse and stricken with grief,
made au effort to check her tears and wiped
heroeyes. But as SOou as she could speak
wih3 any degree of cal almness she continued;
Poor little Tommy cried all day, after being
driven from school by the ridicnle of the beyb
Il could not comfort him He said it wac
not Any use for bim to try to do anything
Folks would onlv laugh at him for being a
be mad il lie saw him crying But it seemed
like be could not possibly stop weeping. aud
hio father came hUme, and-aud-well lie
would not have dvpe what he did. if he had
bot been drinking. He is not bad man when
sober. bate 10 tell it, but he whipped poor
his head. May be he would have been sick
any way. But oh NY poor little boy My
sick suffering child" she cried how can they
lei men sell a thing that makes The innocent snf.
fer so z"
A little weak voice spoke from tue truuAle.
bed in the dark corner, aud one Of the ladies
Went to it, aud there lay the poor little de,
fensciess victim, that had been neglected,
furnished. and smit-sl by drunken father,
that would never have ruined himself, bis
wife aud children had be never been delncut-
ed aud maddeued by whisky There lay
poor little Tommy, his face flushed with fever
aud his eyes though sunk deep in his bead
we're still bright but |unguid, and he put up
ouc little wasted baud to hide the long purple
mark made by the blow on his temple. while
be said in feeble voice! Father would not
have done it if he had not been drinkius.'
And then in halfwhispe ring voice, weak
with grief and sickness he said :" am glad
| l am going to die. l AN foo weakly to ever
help mother auy way In heaven the angels
are not goiug to call me drunkard's boy and
| make fun of my clothes" He then turned
his head teeb!g n9 lis pillow, aud said III
lower aud tired and broken tone Some day
they are not soug-to let the salo0ns-keul'
open, But ain afraid-poor father-will be
dead before then Being exhausted he shut
| his eyes Next ,npruiug the little light that
struggled luto tho dark tenement room on the
narrow dirty back alley, fell upon the face Of
poor little Tommy pale in death The mo-
thcr aionGsatchins by l. couch while the
little girl aud baby were wrapped III uucou
seiouSfleep aud the poor unfortunate father
! tkAt drowned bis conscience and sorrow in
deep drunkenness!
Oh God Help sage from such distress aud
ruin. by uclining thu hearts Of the people to
put away the great evil, that destroys SO
! nuch prosperity and happiness, without ever
adding anything to the well.being of man
nd.--CDmman School Education.