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

"He go lup and ran out said the
poor little man, raising u chubby
hand 20 his eyes.
And where are mamma and all
the restf
mamma didn't know papa had
gone TIL he was near into the
woods he said, pointing to the rear
of lie garden, and then she ran
after him. and she called Kitty and
Jane and Thomas, and we ran after
them, and they sent us home to
take care of the baby. They cant
find papa, and he's lost, so my lit
lie nephew explained through HI
sobs.
"Scarcely had he done speaking
when a man appeared at the edge
of the wood, and soon afterwards
group following him. Then he
stopped, turned, and shook his fist
at them.
"'Go way! Lomme alone Dom
come near mer and | recognized
my brothers. Voice.
"Those who followed seemed
either to fear him or hulnor hlm,
for they kept their distance. On
he came, tumbliug over the lerce
into he garden. Then he picked
himself up, reeled, steadied him
sell. lurched forward again, and
sometimes running, but always
keeping his feet, approached me.
'"lhe boys, crying and shudder.
ing, stood clutching me till he was
two-lhirds of the way up The gar
den.
"Come, Freddy said little Ran
dali, with sudden recollection,
I'VE mustn't see papa when he's
sick,' and led The other in.
"Ll was The most piteous child S
voice--the most pathetic thing
those two little lads, fond and
ashamed of their own father!
"He came on, not noticing me TIL
within few PAGES. He was I'M
shod and only half clad, just as he
had run out in seml-delirium, and
had been staggering through mud
anC water
"At last he looked ut me in evi-
dent recognition, trying to control
his swaying; then, as If uncon-
sciCus of any shame, came towards
me.
cts YOU, Fred. When'd you
come? Why din you lemme know,
Fred 2
His hand closed like vice on
nine his whole slrength--and he
was a large powerful man-seemed
to fly TO his fingers but his fingers
ire embed as he grasped nine.
Il could not speak. He looked
stupidity into my face, with half
open, Lloodshot eyes, tor a few mo-
ments; then, ignoring me as COM
pletely as if had always been
there, reached out his arms for
Florry.
"Come TO papa--thass papa's ill
girl AT this husky, affectlonate,
disl ressing voice strained the
child closer, but she held out her
arms TO him, and staggering for
ward, he grasped her.
kissing and fondling little Flor
ence, he entered the kitchen and
cautiously ascended the steps lead
ing to the hall. kept my hand on
his arm, and of tins support he
seemed wholly unconscious. 1t
was plain that his debach had been
a long one, for his hair was neg
lected, his beard off weeks growth.
"Mv brother fell into a chair,
still fondling his little daughter,
and looked dumbly around. |
seemed no more to him than any
senseless object in the room. To
me, this sodden, silent mah was as
one | had never known, so chan
ged was his from the bright aleL
| face of Which yours has reminded
me-"
The Young traveller shifted un-
easily, and the tale again went on.
"Soon heard voices, and lelt
the room 10 meet my bruther'S
wife. Poor Lucy! | was ashamed
to meet her. ashamed that she
should know that | had seen him
| wished that l could have escaped
unobserved. Little did | know
how far past the pangs of vain ef'
forts to conceal her husbands vice
the poor girl had got!
''She came silently tn me unsnr'
prised--n0t TO be surprised by any
thing in l;fe. uer fair hair, that
remembered as seeming blowI
about by her flower-like face, wai
smooth and lank on each side he
forehead. She was very pale, an'
oh. how old she looked! Her eyes
they give tragedy TO blacky-eye'
wnmen--I could not have believes
that such settled misery could eve
look forth from eyes OF blue.
tSae did not weep, she die no
speak. Holding my hand, she onll
looked at me with those hopeless
eyes.
r Seeing us. The servant who haC
, entered went back and closed lhs
door. Then the little boys stol'
: softly dcwn, hand in hand, averllni
, their looks of shame trom The room
where their father sat, and, stand
ing by their mother, covered thei
/. faces in her skirts
. Not a word was uttered in th
group, aud the hall clock above U
ucked and licked It's strokes {