The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1889-10-18


death. A miserable record, slr!'
81 yhed the traveller.
"OE the other side he contin-
ued, "my relatives are steady gong
people, without any brilliant quail
ltles. | take after them, and re-
membering the others, | have new
er dared 10 taste liquor.
But my brother did dare. You
remember your expression awhile
ago:-'I am glad | can say that |
can take il, or leave it alone, as |
pleaser How often have heard
ihe very words and tone from poor
Randall. Just about your age he
must have been when he used to
meet my expostnlations by that
perennial boast Of young men.
WHATS The use OF telling me
about my uncles, Fredg he would
say. They craved liquor. 1never
touch it, except for the sake OF
little joIlity. lean take it, or leave
ii, as / please
"Bnl III not weary you by ce'
tails OF his Youthful escapadeS.
As | SAID, we believed him 10 have
turned over y new leaf after his
marriage in a distant State. He
brought his wife home 10 u' Tor IL
few Tepks--a lovely, golden-hair.
ed Young creature. Well! we'll!
there's no use telling about that.
"Ae had f,aly sworn off hen,
he said, and they were very hap
py. After that | knew nothing
more nl him than he reported IN
occasional letters, the growth OF his
family and his prosperity.
sThe sad letter which you have
read came after a wide gap In our
: correspondence,
Il instantly determined TO make
time for long visit 10 him, and
wrote him to that effect. He re-
sponded joyluIIy, and IN early sum-
mer made the journey.
"On arriving at the village was
surprised that he did not meet me.
Inouiring where Randall's office
was, the talion-master told me
that he probably would not proba-
bIy be al his Office that day; he
was a little ont of sorts, the man
had heard. Il would lind him at
home; it wasn't far and the rail
wav man gave me directions.
"Following them | walked on
throuoh n pretty little town OF
comfortable brick houses and sha.
DIV sandy slreets--a most peaceful
place. Reaching its outskirts as
instructed, | soon found a hand
some house, with an extensive
lawn i'll front, well kept, with flow
er beds and many evidences Of care.
81 had associated my brothers
confession with the drunkenness
seen in my own town, aud conceiv-
ed Of him as being miserably poor;
hence | was a good deal relieved
by the appearance OF prosperity
about his residence.
"'Pooh!' | said TO myself, going
up The gravel path, he has eXag,
rerared his vice. No donbt he had
taken too much about Christmas
time, and was suffering from bad
headache in consequence
"As | approached, il struck me
rather strange that no one was TO
be seen about the house. l ohser-
we'd that The garden ran far back
10 a cedar woo3 or swamp, ana
from This wood thought heard
faint shouts.
81 ascended the veranda Steps.
Not face appeared in the win,
dows. As rang the bell, | heard
child crying within. With The
faint iangle that came 10 me, the
cry ceased. stood eXpectant.
The child again began its wall, but
no one came. | rang again and
again. With each sound of the bell
the child's voice ceased, to rise
again as the tlnkle died away.
Much puzzled, | went around TO
the rear wing.
1.-THE kitchen door stood wide
open, bright fire was III the stove,
there were dishes unwaShed aud
food in course of preparation. but
no servants. Entering, | looked
, into three comfortable rooms, lind
ing no person. In the fourth, 2
large sitting room, a very lli:le elrl
sat in The middle of the floor sur
rounded by toys. | knew al once
that she must be little Flora. my
brothers youngesl-his pet, being
the Youngest giri-a baby oi some
thing more than two years.
"She looked up at me- round
eyed with wonder. is tins htlIt
Flora = | asked.
us papa's little girl she an
swered, very distinctly. Papa
: papa 7 aud she began TO cry again
@Unwilling though she was,
, took her IN my arms and soon man
! aged to souihe her by the lickln:
! OF my watch. Theu | carried he
! through every room IN the hous'
/. without finding another soul.
A, arrving in vain to account 10
! the desertion, l returned dow
r stairs 10 the kitchen. As | reach
4 ed n. two small boys came in, It'll
! Randall and Fred. | knew then
2 from photographs.
"They stared at me with Slarm
/. Both had been crying, | could see
!. When | told them | was Unel
E Fred they came TO me slyly.