Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-03-31
.Here | Am, Mother. -
BY THORPE GREENLEAF.

ldr1Ly 1Of lFLnT1Snt, anu was soon q
favorite in the town and hotel. He
liked to come into my room and sing.
His voice was deep bass; my room
mate, Manis, sang part that was
never musician enough to name; Har-
rvs roommate, Jervis, sang a rich
tenor; and tried to carry the air. We
sang "Suwanee River" "Old Kentucky
Home" and such pieces occasionally,
but the old hymn tunes were best
adapted to our style of quartette, and
am obliged to say that we made some
good music on "Old Hundred "Ses-
sions," Coronation and like pieces.
On one occasion we sang, "Where Is
My Boy Tonight" and at its conclu-
sion Harry said:
eff you care to hear the story will
tell you where 1 first heard that song"
Tell it by all MEANS said the rest
of us.
81 will have to begin by saying that
until recently I was a pretty reckless
chap. My father has always been a
railroad prospector and surveyor, and
have been with him in camp ever since
I was a mere kid. He is a good man,
the leader of a choir in Evettsburg,
where my mother frequently sings
solos. I never hope to hear anything
this side the glory gates that will sat
isfy me as well as my mothers voice in
the First Cumberland church, at
Evettsburg.
Father was not careful enough
about my companions in camp, and
soon had drifted long way from the
right. But learned his business, and
when I was about 10 years old he put
me to work on one of his jobs. The pay
was not large, but it was nearly all
clear money and was too young to I'M
derstand the proper disposal of so
much. I got into the habit of spreeing
when I went to Evettsburg, or when IA
Their was not in camp.
well, when I was about 20. we
reached point in job where we had
been two weeks in the rain and mud,
and got to the end of section one
Thursday noon. Father said that we
| would have to lay off until the next
Monday morning because his plans for
the next section were not matured. I
determined then and there to put in the
best part of the next three days at
Evettsburg. on great old jamboree.
So walked back to the terminus, and
the two o'clock freight bumped and
banged me 40 miles to Evettsburg. Here
disappeared in Il saloon downtown,
and was soon oblivious to surrounding
events. The saloonkeeper was careful
that my whereabouts should be kept
quiet, and bundled me into his own liv-
ing rooms when became unable to care
for myself.
Father staid at his job preparing the
next week S work until Saturday after
noon. when he went to Evettsburg to
be present at his choir meeting at
seven in the evening. His train was de-
layed. and he went directly from the
! depot to the church. By strange
destiny, it seemed, mother was select
ed to sing, Where Is My Boy Tonight? p
for evening service.
ION the way home father asked for
me, and mother replied that she had
not seen me. They both became very
uneasy, father with an inl1Iing of the
truth, mother with all sorts of name
less breads. AS I did not turn up that
night father started a private police
man on a search for me next morning
before breakfast. He unearthed me
and got me to Il hotel, where d servant
was feed to sober me up. The police
man then went to report, but as my IA
Their was not at home, the whole miser-
able truth came out to my mother. He
said as he was leaving:
Mrs. Gendrin, would advise you not
to go to Harry to-day. He will be all
right tomorrow morning, and you can
see him before he starts back to camp.
You would only be needlessly distressed
at what you would see to-day, and you
can do him no good now. If possible, l
Will get him home tonight after sup
per-
Mother promised that she would not
try to see me until l should be sober,
| and went to the morning service. Fa-
Their came to me carly after noon, but I
was sleeping heavily and he thought it
best not to disturb me. When 1 awoke,
about five o'clock in the afternoon, 1
was duly sober, but had a raging head
ache When l learned that it was Sun
day / knew that my spree was at al end,
so called for cup of strong coffee.
While drinking il / heard from the po-
liceman that mother knew everything.
II was terribly cut up about it, and
my mothers sorrow-laden face arose
before me with great distinctness as
sat on the edge of that hotel bed. What
with that face and my conscience, you
can easily believe that the next few
hours were simply awful. Then the
church bell rang. and at the sound I
| aroused myself and said:
Mason, I'm going to church.
Where at, Harry?'
AT the First Cumberland
"You are in pretty rough shape for
church.
There were very few in the room
when I entered, but in 90 minutes the
immense auditorium was packed, for