Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1896-03-12
THE GOOD ANGEL.
By OCTAVE THANET.
ICopyright. lsaa. b. the Author.l

N~o0 -0N1NAt AAC was BOII a
and we recalled many an evening over
bowl of genuine Virginian eggnog.
A noble fire blazed up Rogers colonial
chimney, as generous, if not so crooked,
as his ancestors chimneys in Berkeley
Maror, and we could, did we choose,
rest our eyes from its binding splendor
by search through the dusk and the
moonlit night outside the window panes,
until the vast dark bulk of the lake
shaped itself ont of the incesSant moan
OF its surf ON the beach.
Somehow our talk, which had started
lightly enough amid dead and gone Vir-
gilman revels. sank into a somber mood,
and presently we were discussing, not
AN occasional misstep over the bonnds
OF temperance, but the black probl an of
drunkenness itself.
The judge had high opinion of the
Kelley cure, but the doctor believed in
legislation backed by good stiff sen
tence in prison, Roger had listened,
saying nothing. but putting away at
that brier wood pipe of his Chat he
smokes whenever he is under ii e protec-
ton OF his own household gods. At last
he removed the pipe and POISED it in
ar, with the manner of one about to
speak. We all listened, for Roger does
not often discourse out Of court, and
when he does be is likely to have some
thing to say. Besides. Roger is the best
fellow in the world
have nothing to say against the
Kelley cure, said Roger in his soft,
dellberative tones. No doubt It helps
some men nightly, and that is not say
ing that the doctor here cannot give us
as good hypodermic as they gave at
Dwight; there is the c0ntagion OF SYM
pathy and the influence Of faith to be-
taken into account, you know. There is
sense, too, in what Ben, 2 waving the
pipe at the doctor, has to say about
fear as a deterrent, and dare say many
fellows have been reformed through
their affections, which is the pleasing
theory Of the ladies' My own impress
sion is that each case has possible
cure, if we could only find it. know a
man who was scared into reform, and
another man who reformed neither from
fear nor favor, but principally. think,
because he saw the odiousness of his
own vice in another mans actions.
That was a queer case.
You mean Jimmy, said the Judge.
See here, Roger, your wife isn't here,
and we are all in the family; tell us
about Jimmy. !"
Patty wouldn't mind, know. Tell
them, Roger" said his sister So in
the end Roger did tell us.
He rubbed the shining top of his
head, from which his brown curls are
receding his kind, keen eyes contract
ed absently he sighed and began.
My first acquaintance with jim
my, said Roger, ''goes buck u peri
cd that makes me feel my age, for |
was old enough to be in Harvard Law
school, and Jimmy was in knickerbock-
ers found him i'll high seat of cir
Gus III Chicago, exulting in the dangers
of the trapeze Ec had made friends
with newsboy-even at that tender
age Jimmy perilous sociability was in
full bloom-and they were exchanging
emotions Ny, squeals Jimmy, ain
she daring lady Would your mamma
Na4G NO Ni4Al4 AllllR WOultiIl
Who is your mammal said I. we
being already on terms Of camarade1ie,
thanks to the balmy influences Of pea
nuts and pink lemonade. Jilumy an
swered frankly, 'Ou. my mamma is
AIRS James Cunningham. and | amt
got any papa, and we don It live in Chi
cage, bat were visiting my Aunt Sue,
apl RaIpf1 yrCq, slu - 4.f-es $50, -, 4I5 -.
Gus, SO / ran away. / surmised that his
mother was dragging all the cisterns
and harassing the police about him by
this time, and / wheedlea him into Civ
ing me the street number, and the M
shot Of the incldcnt was, returned him
to ilis mother that afternoon That is
hoW / became acquainted with the Gun
nirghans. have felt a sneaking bh-
CATION to Jimmy ever since There We're
only Patty aud Jimmy IN the family.
married Patty. Mr. Cunningham left
his fortune Internationally to his wife.
There was $500 000-enough to spoil a
hos, not enough to fiji him with the
sense Of obligation that sometimes a
great fortune will bring Ii did spoil
Jimmy He was at my wedding, the
sweetest little golden haired angel in
blue velvet you ever saw. And after the
wedding breakfast while Patty was try
ing to console her mother lie tied an old
shce tull Of rice 70 the bridal carriage,
and then colai&cated q bottle Of cham
paane to cheer some choice friend Of bis
waiting in the stable and contrived
during the reyei to Tumble ont Of the