The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1893-04-15
BAY ST. LOUIS MISS, SATURDAY, APRIL 49, 1893
III and almost starving within a

stones throw OF you, l don't see how
you could reconcile it with your con-
victions to pass by on the other side"
us this the case?" asked MIR. Wright.
IF 80, I will go to him at once and do
what can for him."
''It is the case. chanced upon the
young man in a filthy lodging-house
where slept last night, and, knowing
his history, thought would try to do
him good turn, little as he deserves
to be befriended by any friend of his
fathers
what has become of his father? I
never saw my uncle. All know about
him is that he dissipated his small for
tune and disgraced himself by stealing
money long ago. Still he is my own
flesh and blood. Where is he now?"
''ln endless torment, I suppose, if
anything for him; but it is just possible
that you may be able to save his son,
at least from temporal torment"
Rev. Clement five minutes later was
conducted into the miserable tenement
where his reprobate nephew lay toss
ing in the first stages Of typhoid fever.
While he was satisfying himself that
he had not been the victim of hoax
the man in the battered hat disap.
peared.
1t was not until nearly six weeks
later that Clement Warren was in con.
dition to relate his story to his benevo.
lent relative. Sitting up in the conval-
escent ward of fever hospital, he
made full confession. 1t was true
enough that he had been great black
guard; he did not attempt to make ex.
cuses for himself; yet he could not help
pleading that he had not had half a
chance. Both his parents had been
given to drinking; his mother had died
before his eyes in the agonies of de.
lirium tremens; his father, who had
risen suddenly from the extremity OF
indigence to wealth, had treated him
with certain cynical indulgence, but
had never taught him to discriminate
between honesty and fraud, nor ever
expressed the slightest wish that he
should curb his natural passions. When,
in order to pay gambling debt, he
had helped himself to large sum OF
money which he knew to be upon the
premises, he was quite unaware of the
magnitude of the catastrophe which he
was thereby bringing about.
but tho consequence was that ia
ther went bankrupt, so he cursed me
and kicked me out of doors Then ]
went to sea, and for the last two years
I've had roughish time of it. If you
want me to say I'm sorry, I'll say SO to
please you. am sorry. and I'd say as
much to father, too, If I knew where
to find him."
"Your father is dead" Mr.. Wright
answered, with a sigh. mo doubt he
was to blame; but, then, he was pun.
ished. AS for you, you are young, and
life still lies before you. You must
make your home with me until we car
see our way alittle more clearly. Afte,
time an opening will doubtless be
found for you, since you have had q
good education. No; don't thank me-
am a childless widower, and al
though ! am not rich man my means
are ample for my wants. BY the way
wonder who the unknown friend was
who brought me to you. He also wa.
evidently an educated man, though he
described himself and, l am afraid
only too accurately-as drunken
scamp"
But Clement Warren could throw no
light upon the strangers identity.
Only after the lapse of month, dur
ing which time his nephew had become
dOmiciled in his housahold ord L.I
gladdened his heart by showing sign.
OF a sincere desire to reform, did the
eye OF Rev. Clement light upon news