The Press., 1896-02-06
(Continued from last weekly
w. C. T. U.
. A Tale of the Crusade.
 IN TWO CHAPTERS

"I must. Mother Is trying to do better again, and it might discourage her if l staid away.''
 "Danma's been drinking" lisped the pretty elder child upon his knee.
 The man set the children abruptly upon the floor and rose angrily. "No wonder you hesitated to tell me; but the children few have such g grandmother. Tell me all about it, Lucy"
 Mrs. Hall slowly recounted the story. Her husband paced the floor while he listened.
 II must see her, and she will not hear mild words this time. I could bear the disgrace myself, but you and the children! it must stop" He put on hat and over- coat and passed out.
 Mrs. Hall was sober enough to recOg- nize her son and to seek to evade his re- breaches. A bottle lay on the bed, and she d1umsily tucked it under the coverlid.
 "Oh, Johny, is it you? didn't know but you'd think yourself too good to come and see your old mother" she said, peev- ishly. "Come, kiss grandma, Matte" :" she urged, extending a shaking arm to her grandchild, who had followed the father. But the little creature shrank back.
 "Come and play in the other room, Matie," said John Hall, and turned to lead the child out. His mother quickly pulled the bottle from it's hiding place, and greedily put it to her lips. Her move ments were reflected in the little cracked mirror, and her son sprang quickly back, and wrenching the bottle from her, burst into tears and threw himself down beside the wretched woman.
 Little Matte climbed back upon the pill low and patted alternately the silver hair of one and the raven locks of the other. She smoothed the wrinkled old cheek and would have put her rosy lips to the trembling mouth, but drew back from the whiskey- tainted breath.
 ''I'll try Johnny. You can pour it out and I'll try once more, but it'll be hard er'n you know. The only way out of il is when God takes me from it.'
 The man poured the contents of tho bottle out and put it back on the mantel piece. "Let it stand there for witness mother. will help you try again" H. tidied up the room, lit fire, and prepared a fragrant cup of tea. After that the! sat and talked until little Matte had fallel asleep. 'I'll come early in the morning and take breakfast with you, and then w will move you home,'' he said, as he kiss ed her goodbye.
 The night was long one to the tempt ed woman. A thousand demons seemed to hover about her. The clock strucl ten, eleven, and she could not sleep. Th' ugly bottle upon the mantelpiece seemed to beckOn her. She blew out the light tt hide it's turing fram her eyes. The mid night hour sounded. She was cold, anc huddled by the fire that would not warn her.
 The hours wore on, her head ached anC her weary limbs writhed with pain that z draught of the tempting fluid would have eased. Her tongue was parched anC cracked, and neither water nor tea re- lieved her thirst. Two o'clock, and stil no rest each of the thousand demon de sires had brought ten to aid in tempting her. She rose and dressed herself anC vainly tried to relieve her parched throa with water, and warm her cold limbs by exercise. When it was four she measured out the rice and set things in order fol breakfast, in anticipation of her boy'4 coming.
 Then devilish suggestion was whis pered to her. She was too weak as sh, was to withstand temptation, but witt one more drink to steady her nerves, sh' would be herself and able to cope witt the enemy. She went to the mantelpiece but her son had done his work we'll, tn bottle was empty.
 She looked out into the darkness an' could see the red light that always burned over the door of the "'HOuse of David. She pushed the rice back on. the stove that it might be ready by her return, anC throwing thin shawl over her head grasped the bottle in her eager hands anC started to the saloon. Her Overmasterinl desire carried her safely there, and thu proprietor himself answered her untimel, summons. He was startled by the wo mans wild appearance.
 ''If them women hadn't come here yes terday, wouldn't give it to her," he nut tered in response to the slight flickering of conscience. He even urged the poo creature to warm herself by the barroon stove till daylight.
 No, no," she said, "4ny boys coming home to breakfast, and must get it fol him '