Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-09-19
TOM BttNKER'S BABY.
The STORY or A FALL AND REF
1 oRmATloN IN REAL LIFE.

Neat Cottage OF the Old Time Tom.
Tom Blinker was one Of the "boss,r
and there are many in this city who
would know him should his right name
be given. He made good wages, spent
his money freely and was hale fellow
well met with every one.
When he and Mary stood before the
altar in the little church and linked their
lives together many were the compli-
ments they received, fer indeed they
were Ane couple. Their friends con.
graduated them and the future looked
bright. And when the first little pratt
tier came the acme of their happiness
seemed to have been reached.
But Toms old habits clung to him,
and ere many years had gone he began
to neglect his home. Often he would
} come home late at night under the influ-
ence of liquor. The money he earned
passed over the bar of the saloon, and the
roses faded from Mary's cheeks. The
stars left her eyes; her face became
pinched, and deep lines of sorrow chased
away the dimples. Still she did not conr.
plain, and Tom did not see what great
changes were going on in his home.
From one house to another they moved.
The little home on which Tom on his
wedding day had made the first payment
was gone, and at last his midnight reel
carried him to miserable hovel in which
heart broken woman and children ex-
listed,
TIE ANGELS WING.
Tom had reached the bottom. So low
had he descended that he would scrub
out saloons that he might get the dregs
of alcoholic stimuiants. He was Bum
mer Blinker now with rum colored
nose and eyes bleared and bloodshot.
Many times no inhabited the drunk
room" at the station house, and when he
was brought in the desk sergeant would
say, "Hello, Blinker; you here again
Why don't you brace up and be Some
one? You used to be pretty good kind
Of a fellow"
Tom v,odld ouly humble and drop
down into O corner to Sleep IA po-
lice court he was "chronie" and was
fined time and time agatlh
One cold and dismal hight, when the
snow was on the gFcund and all nature
was ice clad, Ten was in low barroom
asleep. Some Cruel jokers had painted
his swollen Face with lamp black and
were haSmg rare sport with the drunken
man. When he awoke and realized his
condition he became angry, and the re-
suit was that he was badly beaten and
threwn out of doors. Then he staggered
'Romeward. That night while the father
vas at the barToom 2-year0old baby
Mary, whose eyes and dinples were like
mothers used to be, was taken suddenly
ii with that night dread of all mothers
the Group, and In few hours its little
life was ended. While the mother bent
over the form of her child and bathet
its face with her tears, Tom staggered III
and threw himself on to a char, with Y
besotted oath; then, as sleep 0vercanft
him, he fell to the floor, wAere he La;
till morning with Mary's faded and tori
shawl under his head for "a pillow.
All night long the nteEher sat besid,
her dead and sent her prayers heaven
ward. When MORNINGS light appeared
and Tom, benumbed with cold and par
TALLY sobered, saw his dead child andre
allied that he had not been near tovwip
the death damp from It's brow, ,orihelp
battle for 4ife, then an old feeling, be
come new, came to hiIn. Down ON hi
knees, with his face buried in the tai
tered bed clothing, he 'sObbed as onl
great strsng men can sob, and Mary, til
wreck of long ago, placed her waste
arm 'SDout his neck, and with her wa
face against bis, uardndful of the lam
black, the fumes Gf %ileiliquor, mingle
her tears with his. But no promises {
reformation did Tom make.
Kind neighbuCsfurnished little cofii
and when Ton, trembling in every Ii m
from dissipation, dropped hot, burnin
tears on the little face upturned, an
With his shslling hand caressed the tin
white hands peacefully crossed on tt
bosom Of white, people wondered .
this wiNEbe;a lesson to him" .Yke f,
neral was mnpretentiois. Every Gle
that felkon the, coffin struck q blow {
Toma heart For two days Tom +
mained at home, and on tile third, whe
he started. away, lie took his wife in b
arrns;and Kissed, her as he did in tim
gpneyby. And when he returned MAJ
listened for his step, oh, SO anxiousl
and. when she heard it, thanked God
was tine step of o sober man.
Tom was missed from <he bar roor
from the,police station, from the poll
court. He quit drinking and went
work. tGo to one Of the largest factori
in the city. Pass among the whirrii
wheels and ringing hammers. See th
tall, broad shouldered man with chez
face, begrimed not with lamp black. b
with the result of honest laborl Tha
| Tom Blinker.
When the whistle sounds he takes I
his apron, buttons his stout coat abo
him and with brisk swinging walk al
"a cheery whistle starts for home. F
low him to a neat little cottage o
watch the picture that the light thro
upon the curtains at the window. Sex
happy wife in;tidy attire throw her ar
around his neck and kiss away the d
of the factory. See happy childr
~clamoring to kiss papa. See them
their evening meal-and then if K
does go out after supper-Mary and
children go along. The neat Gotta
:sv,,t nro,,o:a uat hait, IL will ha some ds