Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1889-08-27
nm ANaTLs VIM.

NlAE aNNNkH WAff
Tom hal reached the bottom. 81 low
had be descended that be would scrub
out saloons that be might gct the dfcgs
Of ALCOHOLICS siimulants lie VAS bum
msr Blinker now with a rum oolor~d
no.e and cycs blcarcd and bloodsh0,
Many time. be inhabited the drunk
ruom at the station house. and when he
~As brought In the dcsk sergeant would
say. Hello. Dlinkcr; you here again
WHY don't yuu brace up and IL some
one You us~'l 10 IL pretty gocd Kind
% fellow"
Tom would only humble and drop
down into corner "a sleep In -
lice court be- was chronic" and was
tncd time and time again.
one cold anil dismal night, when the
snow was on the ground AMI all nature
was zee clad. Tom was In low barruom
aSlccp Some cruel Jokcrs hal painted
hi. swollen face with lamp black md
wcro having rare sport With the drunken
man. When be awokc anil realized his
condition be b-came angry. and the "
suit wAs that be vas badly beaten and
thrown out ~ doors. Then be staggered
homeward. That night while the father
wAs at the barruom s-yoar-old baby
Mary. whose ey.s and dimple- were Ike
mothers used o. o.. va. taken suddenly
III with that night dread ~ all nOthsr-
the Group. and In few hours IT, little
life was ended While the mother bsnt
over the form u her child and taibed
It, face With her tears. Tom staggered in
and threw himself on To char. Nth .
b--otied oath. then. a. deep oycrcams
him, he fell o. the floor. where b. la
all morning with Mays faded aud torn
shawl under his head for pillos.
All night long tho mother AT l-side
her dead and scnt her prayers heaven
ward. When mornings light APPEARED.
and Tom, bcnumbci with cold and PAR
italy .otsrcd. saw his dead child and ~
alfred that he had not t-cn near 10 ~ipe
the death damp from it, brow. or help Il
battle for life. then an old feeling. be-
come new. came "a him. Down on his
knees. with his face buried In the tat
tered bcd clothing. be sobt-d rs only
great strong men can sob. and Mary. the
wreck Of long ago. placed her wasted
arm about his neck. and with her wan
face against his. unmindful % the lamp
black. the fumes - vile liquor. mingled
her tears with his Hut no promises ~
reformation did Tom make.
Kind ncighbOrs furnished little coffin.
and when Tom. trembling In every Il NIB
from dissipation. dropped hot. burning
tears on tho little face up,urned. and
With his shaking hand carrssed the tiny
white hands peacefully crossed on the
bosom Of white. people wondered If
this will be lesson TO him The IA.
neral was unprcteniions. Every clod
that fell ON the coffin struck a blow on
Toms heart For two days Tom ~
manned at home. and on the third. when
no started away. lac took his wife In his
arms and Kissed her a. he did In times
gone by. And when he returned Mary
listened for his step. oh. 10 anxiously.
and. when she heard IL. thanked God IL
Vas the step Of sober man.
Tom was missed from the bar room.
from the police station. from the pol.'e
court. lie quit drinking and went ~
work. Go 10 one Of tho largest factories
In the city. Pass among the whirring
wheels and ringing hammers. See that
tall. broad shouldered man with CHEEKY
face, besrimcd not with lamp black. but
with the result u honest abori That's
Tom Blinker.
When the whistle sounds he takes od
his apron, buttons his stout coat about
him and with "a brisk swinging walk and
a CHEEKY whistle starts for home. Fol-
low him To n neat little cottage and
watch the picture that the light throws
upon the curtains at the window. SEQ
happy wife In tidy attire throw her arms
around his neck and Kiss away the dirt
Of the factory. SEQ happy children
clamoring 10 kiss papa. See them nj
their evening uieal-and then II Tom
does 40 out after supper-Mary and the
children 20 along. The neat cottage
isn't Toms yet. but it will be some day.
Tor he Il the old time Tom. sober. hard
working and honest
Out in Crown Hill Il little mound Of
earth that Tom and Mary visit every
Sunday. On this mound In summer the
flowers ever bloom. and winters fierce
gale that rends the oak and shakes the
svergreens sinks to q low sweet and ten
der lullaby as 1t passes over the spot
WHARF rest the remains Of Blinkers baby.
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