The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-08-04

icated, vet her heart sank within her,
and she knew in a moment whose figure
that was, and the cause of its unsteadi-
ness. Hastily thrusting her feet into her
slippers and wrapping her dressing gown
about her, she ran noiselessly down
stairs, fearful lest she should be heard
and Johns disgrace made known to the
family. With trembling fingers she
turned the heavy key in the lock and
stepped out upon the wide piazza.
Where was John?
There-that limp and lifeless body
lying at the foot of the steps-that was
John-her first born, her beautiful boy,
covered with mud, his hair tumbled
about and matted on his forehead, his
face pale and bloated, breathing long,
heavy breaths. That was John.
Once, years ago, she mad seen a misera-
a~bie tramp lying drunk in the gutter, and
had pitied him that he could be SO base
a thing. And here was her own son in
the same condition. She knew at a
glance what was the matter with him,
and when she stopped down to put her
hands upon his brow she smelt the stale,
foul liquor that pulled up from his half
open mouth.
John! John!" she cried, in an agony;
wake up, my son; come into the house
and let me put you to bed. 1t is your
mother, John, who is speaking to you"
No answer but Johns heavy snores
She got down on the gravel, and held
-, I,oo5 - how Ion opd triad ara,-,-
means in her power to wake him; but
he slept on. She thought he must be
dying, and her hot tears rained upon his
face. Still heslept. The gray dawn was
breaking over the wooded east. Streaks
of silver and gold shot through the pine
trees. In q short time the family would
i be up, or a neighbor passing by would
stop to ask what was the matter. She
k7,ust get him into the house, into his
own room, and there try to revive him.
Just as she was about to exert all her
.trength to lift him, she heard footsteps
on the gravel, and saw old Pete, the col
ored man of all work, coming around
corner of the house. Old Pete was an
early riser, and liked to have his chores
done ''before the day got ahead of him,
50 he said. The old man stood for mo-
ment and surveyed the scene. He took
in the situation at glance, and from
his GOODNESS in the matter one might
have inferred that it was not the first
time that he had seen his young master
in this condition.
''Oh, Pete, Pete, what shall we do?
Mr. John is very i'll and 1 can't wake
him. sobbed Mrs. Hurlstone.
''Jes' you go in the house and leave
him to me, Miss Kitty; I'll soon bring
him to-" said Pete, laying down the
bucket he was carrying to the well.
"What are you going to do to him"
anxiously inquired the mother, kissing
her sons damp forehead.
This amt no place for you, Miss
kitty; you go inside, out of the cold.
Ses' leave him to me. I'll rub his years;
\ that'll bring him round" And he suited
Che action to the word, rubbing the
young mans ears with his horny palms
till the mother begged him to stop. But
Pete knew what he was about, for in a
minute or two John opened his eyes in
dull, Iistless way, stared at his mother
and closed them again. Then Pete re-
sumed his rubbing, and he opened his
eyes wider and tried to get up
eco into the house, please, Miss Kitty;
this amt no sight for you TO see. Leave
him to me. I'll get hina to bed" And
he gently pushed his mistress inside the
door, and then he helped his master to
his feet.
whats the matter, Pete?" said John,
clubbing his eyes.
Iaconically. ''Jes' take my arm, and I'll
help yer to bed"
John took the arm OF the faithful
negro, and staggering slightly, got to his
room, where the old man undressed him
and put hiSl in his soft white bed. There
lie soon fell fast asleep, but not so heavi-
ly this time. While the son was sleep
ing in his room, the mother was lying
on her couch upstairs, racked by grief
too deep for tears. But she knew that
she must get up and put on a cheerful
face before Der children and be ready to
answer any questions they might ask her
about John.
Fortunately, John was never an early
riser, so their suspicious were not very
much excited. They asked why he didn't
come to breakfast, and their mother re-
piled that he had a bad headache-per-
haps a truer statement than she had
thought. About II o'clock John ap-
peared upon the scene, and except for a
slight pallor in his cheeks and a faint
tinge of gray under his eyes, he looked
as fresh as rose. He had had a cold
bath, good rubbing down, and cup of
b9t coffee, and he felt pretty bright. His
hands trembled little as he held the
morning paper up to read, and he had no
appetite for the nice little breakfast his
mother brought him; otherwise he was
Ia fine condition. He had forgotten all
about the night before, and he wondered
if it could have been tear he saw in his
mothers eye when she kissed him good
morning. The mail had just been fetched
up from the postofice, and Mrs. Hurl-
stone handed John large, business like
envelope, addressed to him in a rough
hand. An elaborate stamp on the out
aide bore the name of ''The Grand
Mutual Dividend Mining company"
John ripped open the envelope ner-
vpnsly, and his eyes glistened as they
ian down the page.
''Blether, this is from Col. Mortimer,
of Ours: he has organized a mining COM
pany on a new plan and he wants me for