The bee. (Earlington, Ky.) 1889-19??, 1902-08-07

and was unable to get up. After a
little L went to sleep-a regular
drunken sleep.
81 seems that in the night some
time my mother became anxious
because did not come home. She
had not gone to bed but had fallen
into slumber upon the couch. She
awoke, as said before, some time
in the night, and fearing that harm
had befallen me, arose from the
couch, put her shawl over her head
and started out TO find me. And she
found me in a condition most deplor-
able, indeed. At first she thought /
was dead, or that had been brutal
ly treated by a highwayman. But
when she stopped down to look at
me, and saw, ly the moonlight, my
face, she knew that her only child
was drunk. She tried to waken me
she tried to get me into the house,
but she had not the strength. She
went to the house and got a pillow
and placed it under my head. She
covered me with blankets; she pro-
tected my face from the dew by
placing an open umbrella over me.
She drew her shawl tightly round
her shoulders and sat down by my
side. In the morning L awoke just
as the sun was rising. 1 found her
there. Great tears were chasing
each other down her cheeks. 1 saw
at once that my mother had cared
for me all night. She had faithfully
kept her lonely vigil watching her
drunken son, weeping and praying.
~ am awfully thirsty,'I said. My
voice sounded strange, weak and I'M
natural. got up; my mother rose,
went to the well and brought me a
cup of water. AS she handed the
cup to me she bowed her head that
1 might not see her grief; but 1 saw
a tear come down her pale cheek and
drop In that cup. L took the cup
from her hand and drank its con-
tents, tear and all. Yes, boys, L
drank my mothers tear, and 1 made
solemn vow that / never again
would drink her tears.
II led my mother into the house /;
L led her to the armchair, and as
soon as she was seated 1 got down
upon my knees.
Mother said 1, this is the first {;
and it shall be the last.
Charles" said she, running her
fingers through my hair, Il hope so.
God bless your
II looked up and my mother had
tainted. / took her in my arms,
as one might take a child, and placed
her on the bed. 1t was the begin
ming of what came near being ner
death. Days and nights and weeks
1 was by that sick bed 1 heard her
as her mind wandered, praying for
me, and pleading for my reforma-
ton. And at times she would mag
inc that she was talking to my faith
er. She would tell him of the plans
which she had for her son, and that
she hoped that he would be a sober
man. Every word she said was like
a knife cutting me; and many a time
1 wished that had died before / ev-
er tasted liquor. But thank God my
mother got well. 1t was long time
before she was able to leave her
room. 1 was her constant companion.
Somehow 1t seemed that her life de-
pended upon my care.
when the war broke out, 1 made
up my mind that 1 ought to enlist.
1 told my mother about it and asked
her advice.
Charlie, she said, Il am afraid
to let you CO.
" Afraid of what, mother? Are
you afraid that I will be shot?'
Worse than that
Mother, what can you possibly
mean?' 1 inquired.
"She blushed as she looked me in
the face. But her reply was one
never to be forgotten.
"Charlie, am afraid you will be
overpowered by strong drink
Mother SAID L, 'solemnly vow
by the sacred memory of my dear
father, that / will never drink an
other drop of Intoxicating liquor
without your consent.
"'Then you may go to the war,
Charlie That was her reply boys.