The Press., 1895-08-29
w. C. T. U. DEPARTMENT. Concluded from last weekly q. L. Harbour, in Youths CompaniOn.)
 FAN.


 Sometimes she whispered something to herself, and shook her head savageIy but she did not stir from her position un- til long after the fire had died out and the room was cold and dark.
 Finally she got up and touched the sleeping man on the shoulder.
 Father" she said.
 He made no reply, and Fan bent over him and shook him lightly.
 Father" she said again, "don't you want to go to bed?"
 He struck at her in the darkness, and sprang suddenly to his feet, raging and cursing. Fan knew what might come.
 She ran to the bed and dragged Carey from it. His clothes were on chair by the bed; Fan picked them up and fied from the house with the child in her arms a ragged old quilt wrapped around him She did not stop running until Carey's weight compelled her to do so. He clung to her, frightened and crying.
 "There, there; don't be afraid; sister will take care of you," said Fan, sooth ingly.
 She sat down on fallen log, put on the child's clothes and wrapped the old quill around him, saying to herself as she did SO:
 "I'll do it! I'll do it! I've said would, and aOiU! But I'll give Jim Fifer fair warning first. I'll go and tel him to his face"
 "Where arc we going now, Fan ?" ask. ed Carey, as Fan fumbled about excited ly, trying to tie one of the little fellows ragged shoes in the darkness. "Are we going up to MT. Harley's again, Fan ?"
 "I hate to go up there, again, Carey"
 "But it's raining now, Fan, and we cant stay out here in the woods all night, car we?"
 "No, not if it rains, Carey; but we car T know where we'll go, Carey!" she said with a sudden resolution. 'FIts where we've got the best right to go; its where we've got a perfect right to go come on."
 She sprang suddenly to her feet anC started down the road at such rapiC rate, with the little boys hand clasped SC tightly in hers, that he begged: "Wait Fan, wait! you go too fast, and you hur my hand"
 II didn't mean to, Carey. T'll wall slower now"
 In half an hour they came to Jim Fifer'i saloon down by the ferry. The little one rOOmed frame house was dark, and Fal shook her fist savagely toward it as sh' hurried by with Carey clinging close tC her side.
 "I'll do this neighborhood a good ser vice by ridding it of you. I'd do it thil minute if I didn't have Carey with me, , she gasped.
 Jim Fifer lived in new house at th' edge of the timber, short distance from his saloon. A bright light shone in two of the front windows of the house.
 "They're up," said Fan to herself. "It' a good thing they are, or I'd get lem up My fathers earnings have helped to pay for that house, and I've right to stay il it. I'll tell Jim Fifer so!
 She rapped loudly at the door. Jin Fifer opened it. Fan strode in boldl! with Carey's hand in hers.
 "I guess you know us, Jim Fifer," sh' said, when she had closed the door an( was standing with her back against it She stood and looked fiercely at him while his wife, sad-eyed, troubled-look ing young woman stared at the two chil dren in wonder.
 "I don't have to tell you, Jim Fifer that we are MT. Tracy's children. H. came home from your saloon mad witt drink awhile ago, and chased us out int the cold and darkness; he's done it man. time when drink has made him crazy We'd no place to go, and as your whisk. made him drive us out, thought you'C feel that it was your place to take us in.
 She spoke fearlessly, with her big shining black eyes fixed on the man. face. One arm was thrown protectingl. around her little brother, who hid hi face in her skirts and was trembling ant crying with terror of the man whom h. regarded as the cause of all their misfor tune.
 Before the man could make any repl, his wife uttered a cry, and ran to him anC hid her face on his breast. In a voic broken by sobs she cried out pitifully:
 70 James! James! is it true? Doe she tell the truth? ?"
 Fifer hung his head in silence, and Fal said in lower and gentler tone:
 "It is true, every word of it, Mrs. Fifer We've often been turned out at night int the cold and the wet, and we go ragged and hungry because of that saloon"
 "Jamesi James! James!" cried Mrs Fifer, in an agony of shame and distress
 There had been strange influences a work in Jim Fifer's heart for two or three days; a slumbering conscience had sud denly been quickened into life. Severa things had happened to trouble him. 9th CT cases of distress had come to him, anC his young wife had been pleading witt him that very evening to fOrsake the busi ness. He loved her, and he loved hi' own two little boys sleeping safely il their beds in the next room.
 He thought of them, and of the dis grace that he was piling up for their flu ture, as he looked at the two wet, ragged pale and hungry children of Joe Tracy.
 His wife was thinking of them, too, fol she suddenly cried out in a sharper not' of pleading distress: "James,. James think of our own two little boys!"
 "I am thinking of them, Martha" h' said.
 ''Then I know what you will do James," she said.
 He nodded his head two or three times I--