The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1905-04-29
PATHETIC PICTURE.
Why Confirmed Drunkard Became Sober Man.

Why Confirmed Drunkard Became Sober Man.
There was not more hopeless, helpless drunk
ard in town that old Sol Russell. Everybody had
quite given him up in despair; in fact, he had
quite given himself up.
No use TO try. / can't help it" he would say
when people urged him TO give UP the drink which
had brought, only Sol, but all his family, down
to the lowest depths of misery and poverty. And,
do him justice, he really thought that he was
quite helpless in the matter.
Alfred Piersen was out in the garden one day,
photographng the house from various points with
the camera that had been his choicest Christmas
gift He had become quite an expert amateur pho
tographer by this time and always on the
lookout for good subjects for pictures.
Suddenly his lips pursed up. and he gave low
whistle lie put his camera in q good position; IN
another moment the suns bright rays had lndehbiy
imprinted upon the glass the saddest, most pathetic
little picture one could see in real life
Leaning against the fence just across the street
was old Sol helplessy drunk, usual, and waver-
ing perlously when ever he let got of the friendly
fence Clinging TO one OF ms arms and trying
with all her childish strength to support and guide
her drunken father, poor little Sue, shlTerlng
with the cold wind that penetrated her tattered
garments. and begging pitifully in voice broken
with sobs:
please come home. father. Oh please do try
to come home before the boys find youR
Her fearful entreates did not seem TO pene-
trate the stupefed intelligence of the drunkard,
and he held firmly to the fence without making any
effort 10 90 home So at last little Sue gave up her
efforts IN despair and stood quietly beside hm,
holding MS arm up as if she could keep hi mfrom
falling.
She might have been pretty little girl if she
had been The child of loving. careful parents; but
now She was so sadly neglected that you forgot to
notice the soft blue eyes and the long golden halr
that fell in a tangled mass over her shoulders IN
vour sv1npatbv for the distress that had stained her
face with tears and the ragged dirty garments
that so poorly protected her from the cold
Poor little Sue!" thought Alfred as the child
stood beside her father in touching hel7 'essness.
He knew what would happen next as well as que
Presently old Sol would lose his hold of the fence,
and would fall in the snow and mud TO become the
helpless victim of any mischleveus boys VINO mlgh'
come that way.
a saw. Sue. what's the matter! Can't you get
linn hOmel" he called.
No: he won't go for me, and I'm so afraid the
boys will get after him." Sue answered sadly
an lend YOU hand. then;" and giving the stu
pd man a rough shake, and holding INN nrlnIy OH
one side while little Sue chung to his other arm
Alfred helped the drunken man to reel unsteady
home Ia the bovel where the sick wife was anxious
ly awaiting him.
A few DAYS later. in one of his rarely sober
moods, Sol started out to look for work; and Al
freds mother. anxious to encourage hun IN ms
spasmodic industry, gave him some wood to cut
Sol worked steadily for time then with sign
Of WEAKNESS sat down on the porch TO rest al,
fred's window just above his head, was open' ana
mischievous little breeze caught up an unfloun'1
ed photograph that was lying there, and dropped
it right at SOILS feet. He took It up. ana looked
at it curiously. not recognizing it at first
Poor little gal!9 he soliloquized; then he
looked at the stupid face of the drunken father:
and with sudden recognition saw it was hlmselI
and little Sue
Great tears, not Of rnaudlin emotion. but Of real