The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-07-15

Tor it had in the person of Cousin
Bill" an ideal town drunkard. who, at
last. had become a sort of recognized
Institution. He was a lank, awkward,
blearS eyed, ragged. and generally un-
washed. specimen of humanity.
1t would have been almost as much
Of shock to the good residents OF
Razorville to sec Bill sober. as to see
Judge Hollister stagSer down the
street in remote state of inebriety,
so accustomed were they to his eter-
nally prouaCted drunk. In fact, there
were two conditions in which Bill was
never remembered to have been-real
angry or perfectly sober. He had a
habit of disappearing for a day or two,
at times, and returning in n dlapi-
dated condition with some trophy of
the trip, sometimes filthy member
of the genus canis family, who would
accompany him in all of his orgies
until becoming disgusted at the nu-
nserous Cobblestones and hrick-hats
whose destina ton sevcrallY seemed to
be particular portion or his anatomy
--ycleped. ribs-togother with divers
tin reCeptaCles, which We're pCriodi-
cally attached to his terminal appen-
dage. he would deCamp. leaving dcvas-
tation in his wake, in the shape Of
vacant hen-COops.
Bill made his appearance ono even
ing at the termination of one of those
periods of Oblivion, accompanied by a
slovenlv looking fellow, who bore i'm
his arms a sunny-haired little girl of
about five. Both men were in an in
toxicated condition. and the tot would
now and again cry out and clap her
little hands in childish glee rs the fell
low who was carrying her would stag
ger in drunken inCapability under the
weight of her frail body, she recog-
nizng nothing in it other than that Of
means he was exercising for her
diversion.
At last. after describing innumerable
semi circles. the trio reached the ram
shackle structure which Bill inha bited
and the three disappeared within.
The child made her appearance on
the following morning in a clean
frock, and with hands and face like
the proverbial pin. She scampered
across the street, to where the other
little children We're playing. and, by
way of Introduction, divided amongst
them the stick of candy she held in
her chubby little hands. The prof
fered sweets were accepted with readi-
ness. but when they were exhausted
and the giver unable to replenish the
supply. they pushed her down and ran
off, saying. contemptuOuSly. and with
an elevation of the olfactory organ
they had come TO a definite conclusion
that they would not, under any cir
cumstances, associate with cousin
Blls" girl.
cousin BilIs' girl" poor little for
lorn creature, seemed to accept the
situation philosophically. She sat where
the others had pushed her. and fought
back the tears that swelled up in hel
blue eyes. This accomplished, she
arose, and gulping down IA little lumI
that persisted in lodging in her throat
she toddlcd back to her own play.
ground.
The stranger seemed to he the un
fortunate possessor of no little amour
of money for ever and anon. through
out the day, would Bill emerge, car
in hand. and wend his way to neigh
boring beer shop for a fresh supply o.
the jocund beverage.
The other, apparently, did not cour
the notoriety that Bill did, for neve,
while their carouse lasted was he seer
outside the door, and when he die
make his appearance, sometime later
resemhed Bill, tail and thin, but hi.
face, which was clcan-shaven and pale
bore traces of refinement that wa!
missing in the lineaments OF his com,
panion. Dissipation left its mark upor
him in the shape of a dull eye and
mouth, once compressed in determin
alton, but which was now beginning Il
droop at the corners.
Although neither of them did labor O
any kind, there seemed to be an ahund
ance of money, nor did they seek (,
better their surroundings in any shap,
or form, but led maudln existence
Bill openly, the other with cosenes
akin to secrecy.
Matters went on in this way fo
about the period of a year when on,
wild winter night the stranger went Of
with fit of delirium, in the midst O
prolonged debauch Bill was affecte,
by genuine and melancholy sadnes
at this occurrence. He hung about IN
body of his friend, which lay in a Mai,
coffin in a room of his dingy abode
and cried with the anguish of a fathe
over the lifeless body of his first born
At the funeral there was but one car
riage other than that which held tn
coffin. In it were Bill and the Httl
child. whose laughing face was presse
against the window, enjoying the nov
city of her first ride, and without on
thought of the occupant of the con
veyance ahead. Bill leaned back in tn
carriage with a wan and hagCard face
He had not the heart to take the chill
back from the window, although h
heard remarks which were occasione
by the sight of her, such as: Poo
thing, she ought to be taken away fror
that brute, now that her father i
dead"
IL was one of those duh, dreary day
late IN November that seem to be with
out an afternoon, so quickly does tn
darkness tread upon the heels of da,
Night was just beginning to fall a
they entered the cemetery.
The old Sexton and Bill, assisted h
the drivers, took the coffin from IN
hearse and lowered it into the newI
made grave.
A low, heart-rending sob broke fror
Bill as he heard the clods of cart
strike upon the coffin
The child, who had followed tho,
unobserved gave shrill scream an
hew at the sexton and tried to stay h
shovel. The kindly old fellow gatL
ered her, sobbing wildly, in his arm
and placed her in the outstretche
ones of Bill, who turned and walke
slowly toward the carriage with h
burden. "
Some few days afterward when ~
representative of the society who ha
unsuccessfuly tried 70 wrest the chi
he 20