Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1894-11-02

clung to her side. My mother
rose and prepared bed for Fan
and her little brother: The next
morning my father went home
with them to see if he could not
make some appeal to Tracy 10 be-
half Of his helpless children.
Tue man was sober now aud re-
pented. He promised earnestly
that this should be the last time
that he would drink rum.
"But he's promised that so many
times" sad Fan, YEARLY, follow
ing my father a short distance from
the old house. HE promised It
over and over To mother before She
died, and he'd keep his promise II
he could. lie can't while there are
saloons a;ound. But there'll be
one less IN this neighbO' hood some
day, if this happens again !"
It did happen again. 1t happen
ed three days later, but this time
TracS did not at first turn his
children out of the house. lie fell
to the floor IN a dTunkea stupor
the moment be stumbled across his
threshold, and lay there help
less, degraded C. c.eature, a shame
and sorrow to his children and to
hlmstlf.
Fan had put little Carey to bed
before his father came home. Now
she sat aloue in the dim light of q
smoldering fire 10 the rusty stove
at one end of the room. Her
father lay, breathing heavily, just
where be had fallen when he had
stumbled INTO the house, and Fan
sat or crOuched down Oh the floor
b, the stove and looked at him.
Finally she got up and touched
the sleeping man lightly on the
shoulder.
"Fatber,D she said.
He made no reply, and Fan bent
over him and shook hin lis htly.
"Father," she said again, "doWI
YOU want to 90 to bed 7
He struck at her in the darkness,
and sprang suddenly to his feet,
raging and cnrSlng. Fan knew
what might come,
She ran to the bed and dragged
Carey from 1t. His clothes ware
on a chair by the bed; Fan picked
them up aud fled from the house
with the child in her arms, a ragged
old quilt wrapped around him.
She did not step running until
Care,'s weight compelled her 20 do
so. lie cluUg to her, frightened
and crying.
"There, there; dOu't be srraidi
sister will take care OF YOU" said
Fan, soothlngly.
She sat dOnn on = fallen log
nut on the child's clothes and
wrapped the old quilt around him.
saying to herself as she did so:
an do 1t! III do IL l've said
that I would and 1 wilil But II
give Jim Flfer fair warning frs
I'll 80 and tell HIM TO his face
"There are We going now
FAnw asked Carey, as San fumblet
about e6citedly, trying to tic on'
o: the tittlc fellows ragged shoe'
IN the darkness. care re going
TO Mr.. H4Iley's again, NAnl7
IL hate to 90 up there again
Carey"
But IT'S raining now, FaO, an'
We can't etay out here in the wood
oil night. car ve1'
"NO, not it it rains, Carey; bu
we cAn-I knOw where we'll 60
Carey!" she said With sudden reso
Hutton. 'Tjs where We'Ye got th'
beat right to 60; it's where we've
got a perfect right to 20; come on
She sprAng suddenly to Der fee
aud started down the road at sucl
rapid rate, with the little boy
band clasped so tightly in her'
that he begged:
: "Wait Fan, wait ! You so to-
fast and yOn will hurt NY hand.'
81 didn't mean to, Clrsy. III
walk slower now.'
In half an hour they came t
jim Fifer's saloon down by 10
Ferry. Tue little one.TOomed Iran
house was dark, And Fan shoe
! her fist savagely toward it as sh
5 hurried 10y with Carey clingin
close to her side.
"I'H do this neig borhOOd
t service 10y Kidding 1t of fyou. Il
r tlo it this minute if 1 didn't nav
4 Carey with me-" she gssped.
s jim Fier lived in new hous
{ at the edge of the timber a shor
r distance from his saloon. 4 br:gh
!. light shOne in two of the frou
8 windows of the house.
4 IN - -. y .otl II. o., l. Al,