Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-02-16
she W. perfectiy satisiicd. poor NO

town OI fafulsteu - tnc ut'ttVIEiis ttsrtt
could hoast, not only among tho low Eel.
lows In the barrooms. who played for
small STAKES and Lost as little as they
won. but among an outwardly respect
able clasa There was little club Of elk.
Of whom John ilurlsione was the young.
st land tho sharpcst). who met on Ger.
tain nights In q private room In the
Union house and played high till the
gray light Of dawn crcpt In through the
chinks In tho window shutters and
warned them that some busy housewife.
up betimcs, would eco them slinkins
homo In the small hours unlcs they
stole away at once
What consfernation there would have
been In Farmsted u knowledge Of this
iitti, card party had come 20 the ears Of
the gossip- Of that quiet town' for thess
men were the "solid men" u tho place
the wealthy merchants, lawyers and
bankers: and one Of the number Il regret
tobstrsy ~ WAS vestryman of 81 AIMS
and took up the collection every Sunday.
This worthy man was indignant that
John IIuIistone shculd bs paying cours
o. the rcctor's daughter. The young
,caregraocy- he muticrd behind his
,anctimouious. smooth shavcn LIP; 81
.hould like 10 tell Or. Ilayliss 81 his
wickcdncss.- but. much as hc would
have liked 10 expose the young man. be
hesitaic,i. for fear tSs yvSng man might
In turn expose him.
The moro John llurlsione thought of
marrying Amy Ilayliss the more his con.
sr,cnoc pricked him. no, only on account
Of tho error of his present way, but also
~ srouni ~ the post To blunt the
t.ir /, that prick~l. he had rccourc To
Ia. favoriis liquor. but kept the kno~i.
,dgc ~ his dissipation from his family.
for they never asked when he came
home Ills lssiIcom ~as on the ground
iicor. and he could admit himself through
the French window n there was any
rvason to suppose his cntrano. by the
door would le hcari.
One night tho card party held q very
late session. AMI the ,siyman. who had
had an unusual run % luck, insisted
upon "whcoping II up and le,,ing the
devil take the consequences This scn.
timent thoroughly harmonircd with
Johns mooi. and he brcwci howl of
punch that wa. as seductive as IL ~as
irrachsrOus Tho vcstryman smacked
his liz. AMI slapprl John on the hack
with bro,hcrly affection Newer tasted
anything sho good In m'life. What
dyer call Il. Jack. old fcllowf' be saii.
helpln: himself to iii,h ladlcful.
II don't know What the right name
Ia answered. Jack. "but In the army
they called u he'll broth.
The devil they did, exclaimed the
vc-,ryman; They're wicked ", In the
army
Finally. u was proposed that the party
should break M. and. n the night was
breaking up too. and the punch VAS nll
drunk. the motion ~as adopted. and the
,c-,ryman and the lawyer. the tanker
and the merchants, linked arms and took
th. middle of the rad until their paths
divcrg,d Then they Parted, after OF
rcp.s,.i vows % undying friendship.
John had the farthc.i ~ so. and the
punch was well down In his legs before
be- ~, half way home. Ill. heal swan,
and he pu, up his lis,lcss hands 10 wiI-
away tho cobwels away from hi. face.
How slecpy he felt lie wanted To lie down
along the rad. but something imIrll~i
him Ia keep on. and on hc went. his un'
certain footsteps taking him within an
inch % bitches. heap. ~ stone. AMI the
rows 20 tres that nsnk~i the paths. ~
last be reached the homestead gate. What
~as the matter with the htchl II SEEMED
possessed of devil. John never for
a moment suspected that he was the one
~ t.,Sse~sc,l.l But finally u yielded 90
hi. ftimbling. and swung hack with a
hang against the fence.
Ills mother. always n light slccirr.
hcard the unusual noise. and came Ia the
window to ne what was the matter.
"Some stny horsc or COW must have
push~i the gate op-n. fhe thought u
mus, sec that better latch IL put on
Thus mu.ing. shc looked down upon
the path. and saw the figure % man
staggering up tl,e walk
What is u that puts - fine an edge
uron a mothers in,uitions' Mrs iiurl'
stone hai never seen n son of hers intox'
ica,ei. vet her heart sank within her.
and she knew In n moment whose figure
,ha, was. and the cause % iis unsieadi.
ness. Hastily thrusting her feet into her
slipJers and wrapping her dressing gown
about her, she ran noi-clessly down
stairs. fearful let she should be heard
AMI Johns disgrace made known To the
family. With trembling fingers she
turned the heavy Ley In tho lock and
stepped out upon tho wide p,srza
Where was John
There-that limp aud lifelcss holy
lying ut the foot % the steps-that wa'
John-her first born. her beautiful boy
covered with mud. has hair tumbled
about and matted on his forehead, his
face pale and bloa,cd. breathing long,
heavy breaths That was John.
Once. ycarsa;o. shc had sen misera.
BILE tramp lying drunk In the gutter. and
hal p,tied him that hc could 10 80 bass
n thing. And here was her own scn In
the same condition. She knew at O
glance what was tho matter with him
and when she stoopcd down 10 put heI
hands upon his brow she smelt the stale
foul liquor that pulled up from his hall
open mouth.
"Johnl John!' she cried. In an agony
wake up. my son; come into tho houss
and let me put you to bed 10 IL youl
mother. John. who IL speaking to you"
No answer but Johns heavy snoreA
She COT down on the gravel. and held
his head In her lap. and tried every
means In her power Ia wake him; bu'
he slept on. She thought he must b
diving, and her hot tears rained upon hi'
face. Still hc slept Thcgray dawn VA
breaking over tho woplc,l east. Streak'
of silver and gold shot through the pins
trees. In % short time th. family would
be up. or a neighbr passing by would
stop TO ask what was the matter.
Just as sie was about To exert all heI
s,rcngth To lift him. she heard footsteps
ON tho gravel. and saw old Pete. the col
ored man Of all work, coming around
corner Of the house Oil Pete was M
carly riser. and liked TO have his chore'
done "beforc the day so, ahead OF him.
so be said. The old man stood for mo
ment and surveyed the -cene. lie tool
In the situation at glance. and from