Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1896-12-24

pecting her, "Forglveness in one han,
and 4 turkey in the other" she crieC
between her bursts of laughter. Their
the anguish Of the whole thing was
borne in on her again, and she turnec
from her laughter To Sohs till the baby
pulled at her dress in alarm and addet
his to hers.
She caught the boy in her arms-tht
boy he had never seen. Surely his
heart could not hold out against his
son.
Never mind, baby. darling" she
cried softly; hes got to come some
time and we'll have everything ready
for him SC"
She unpacked The turkey and put II
in 4 cold place The baby eyes fol-
lowed i. longingly. ana ever and anon
he piped out:
Mamma, div boy some schickem
Tomorrow, tomorrow, boy, she an
Swers gayly for she can't bear to see
his face. her only sun. cloud over. She
diverts him at last though he is hum
cry and sleepy. &rd-last touch Of sat
ire-hangs up his stocking. 1t hal
been part of her plan
How she lived through that long
lonely evening she never could realize
afterward 1t seemed as If the con-
centrated misery of almost three
years rent and crushed her soul
1t grew to be o'clock -10-ll. And
still she sat and listened listened.
fearing not the strange and unaccus-
toned sounds about her, but listening
ever for a step at the door Half pas
II. She had fallen into a do2e, when
there was Il sound, ana she spcang
from her chair.
Down ut the station Silent Bill had
passed a day utterly revolving to his
tenacious better nature 1t was a small
town and more brutally degraded shan
most of the camps of the west Poo
pie who expected any good never came
there, \ missionary had tried II once
or twice and had been obliged to leave.
sadly, with no good accomplished that
he could see.
When Silent Bill had reached there.
he had felt Il deliberate. reckless long
ing to etface himself as the man he had
known. lie almost felt that in coming
there he had entered into some compact
with the devil, but he could not throw
off the training and traditions Of his
life in day. Misfortune, not crime,
had made him a wanderCr on the face
of the earth, and in the midst OF the
debauohery III which he had placed
his conscience and tastes ut
tered continual protest. Before ny orn-
ing dawned he had lost in gambling
the $500 which he had brought with
him. He never left the table at which
he first seated himself till it was gone
He did not greatly care whether he
won or not, He was playing for The
fierce fever Of the game stimulated his
interest by hard drinking He was not
used to this, and never knew how he
got to bed, or whether he had lost his
money fairly or had 1t stolen from him.
But when he woke next morning his
whole soul was protesting against his
degradation. He could not endure 1t.
and as soon us he could he drank more
whisky, He had no trouble in getting
trusted. Was he not the man who had
discovered the Poor Man Luck? And
before night he Won back half as much
as he had lost. He did not lose his
head again. He did not mean to. He
drank only enough to keep his odious
from singing him too deep
ly
And all this time Bob Mahaffy was
lying unconscious in the corner of a
saloon his message untold. And up
the mountain, in the lonely cabin, a
woman was eating her hemt out with
anxiety and fear
II was night again, the night before
Christmas, when emerged Mahatty
from his corner and partially ft1m his
And finally he ran ga INST Silent
he righted himself after the collision
he stood and stared at Silent Bill.
Did poor taste he said at last
thickly, when a mans got pretty wife
watin' fer i'm at home. Why doncha
go home?"
Silent Bill looked OF Bob fercely,
with his hands clinched and the veins
standing out on his face.
You brute, how dare you speak like
that to me? What dye mean?"
Mahaffy slid back coupe Of steps
and tried to assume an air Of dignity
Der look out Bill, n not trine wi
waiten fer i'm nome Why doncha
home? jes' gobback. Pete tol me t
tell We"
Something in his tipsy gravity So
bered Bill little. He seized the other
by his Shoulders and shook him. If you
don't tell Inc what you mean,' he said
sternly, 'I'll choke you ID breath
out" Mahaffy tried to strike him, but
lid not succeed
GO home TO yer wife" ne snarled.