The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-05-02

Tracey stood there in the cold, bare
headed and without wraps. They had
been crying, and Carey's lips were
quivering still.
"Will you let us come in out of the
storm, Mr.. Harley?" said Fan, with bit
terness in her voice. We've no place
to go, and l wouldn't ask for any place
for myseif-I'd crawl into haystack
OF stay in the woods a II night; but 1
don't dare to with Carey. He isn't
strong, and l wish you'd please take
him in, anyhow"
Come in, both of you." replied my
father. why are you out at this time
of the night?"
Fan hesitated.
''I'll have to tell you the honest
truth" she said presently. Father
came home from that ferry saloon
about an hour ago, and turned US out
He never would have done it if he
hadn't been drinking. He isn't mean
to us when he's sober. It's the fault
of the saloon that he acts so, and I'll
I'll tear doton that saloon to the
ground! 1 just aciNi"
She put an arm around Carey pro-
tectingly, and the little fellow chung
to her side. My mother rose and pre-
pared a bed for Fan and her little
brother.
The next morning my father went
home with them to sec if he could not
make some appeal to Tracy in behalf
of his helpless children.
The man was sober now and repent
ant. He promised earnestly that this
should be the last time that he would
drink rum.
But It did happen again. 1t hap
'pened three days later, but this time
Tracy did not at first turn his children
out of the house. He fell to the floor
in a drunken stupor the moment he
stumbled across his own threshold, and
lay there's helpless, degraded creature,
a shame and sorrow to his children
and to himself
Fan had put little Carey to bed be-
fore his father came home. Now she
sat alone in the dim light of smould-
ering fire in the rusty stove at one end
of the room. Her father lay, breath
Ing heavily, just where he had fallen
when he had stumbled into the house,
and Fan sat or crouched down on the
door by the stove and looked at him.
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 Ca
rey from it. His clothes were on a
chair by the bed; Fan picked them up
and fled from the house with the child
in her arms, ragged old quilt wrap
ped around him. She did not stoprun-
ming until Carey's weight compelled her
to do SO. He chung to her, frightened
and crying.
where are we going now, FAM"
asked Carey, as Fan fumbled aoout ex-
citedly, trying to tie one of the little
fellows ragged shoes in the darkness.
'Are we going up to Mr.. Hurley's
again?"
81 hate to go up there again, Carey"
''But it's raining now, Fan, and we
cant stay out here in the woods all
night, can we?"
No, not if it rains, Carey; but we
can-I know where we'll go, Careyr'
she said, with sudden resolution. ITS
where we've got the best right to go;
it's where we've got perfect right to
go; come on"
She sprang suddenly to her feet and
started down the road at such rapid
rate, with the little boys hand clasped
SO tightly in hers that he begged:
swat, Fan, wait! you go too fast, and
you hurt my hand"
II didn't mean to, Carey. I'll walk
slower now"