The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1890-10-23
FATHER AND CHILD.
How . Dying Girl Made . Man Out OF
Miserable Drunkard.

passing their house with a tin pail. On
one occasion one of these ladies accosted
her:
''Little girl, what have you got in
that pailS'
"Whisky, ma'am."
''Where do you liver
"Dovn in the hollow"
''I'll 20 home with YOU"
They soon came to a wretched howell
in the hollow, just outside the village.
A pale, jaded, WORKOUT woman met them
at the door. Inside was man, dirty,
maudlin and offensive. The lady, ad-
dressing the woman. said:
lis this your little grip"
Eyes"
"Does she 60 to school2"
"No; she has no other clothes than
what you see."
docs she go to Sunda y-school?'
"Sunday=school these rags! oh,
MOI!
eff l furnish her with suitable clothes
can she go?"
1T is of no use giving her clothes.
| He would steal them and sell them for
whisky. Better let the girl alone.
There is no hope for her or for u.s."
But she ought to go to school,
| An arrangement was entered into
whereby the child should call at the
lady's house Sunday morning, be clothed
for the school, and after the school was
dismissed call again, and change her
garments for home.
! The little creature was very teach
able, and soon became favorite with
her teacher, who gave her little
Testament, probably the first present
the child had ever received. She was
very proud of her Testament, exhibit
ing it on all occasions, with the de-
! lighted exclamation:
''rhats my little Testamcnt-my
own
She would take it with her at night.
clasping it in her hands till she fell
asleep on the wretched rags called a
bed. The child was taken i'll. Tho
doctor, provided by her benefactors, de-
clared she would die. Her friends
furnished her with what comforts they
could, and watched the father lest he
should steal them and sell them for
whisky.
The gentleman then continued tho
narrative in the first person:
lone day went to her bedside. I
was mad tor drink. 1 had taken every
thing could lay my hands on.
II looked round the room. There
was nothing left, nothing to dispose Of
Yet must have drink. l would have
sold my child; would have sold myself
for whisky. The little creature lay on
the bed; with the Testament clasp9d in
her hand, partly doing. AS SIT there,
she fell asleep, and the book slipped
from her fingers and lay on the
coverlet of the bed. Stealthily
looking round the room, l stretched
out my shaking hand. seized the Testa-
ment. and hastily thrust it into my
bosom. 1soon sneaked OUT like guilty
thing, to the grog- shop. All Gould get
for it was half~a pint of whisky. 1t was
a poor little book. drank the DEVILS
drink almost at draught and soon felt
relieved from the burning thirst The
stagnant blood in the diseased vessels
of my stomach was stimulated by the
fiery fluid and felt better. What took
me back to my child 1 can not tell, but
] sat again by herside. She still seemed
to be sleeping, and sat there with the
horrible craving stayed for time by
the whisky l had drunk, when she,
opened her eyes slowly and saw mo-
Reaching out her hand to touch mine,
she said: Papa, listen. l am going to
die, and when die I shall 60 to Jesus,
for He told little children to come to
Him. And shall go Heaven, for He
said that little children were of the
kingdom of Heaven l learned that out
of my Testament Papa, when go to
Heaven, if Jesus should ask me what you
did with my little Testament o. papa! O,
papa! what shall tell Him?' 1t struck
me like lightning. I sat few moments,
and then fell down on my knees by the
bedside, of my child. crying: God be
merciful to me sinner That half
pint of whisky was the last drop of in
toxicating liquor that passed my lips.
''She died in few days " it'll her hand
in mine, and her last words to me wero
'Pap:, we shall both 20 to Jesus now {"
From John T. Coughs 'Sunlight and
Shadow