The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-19

Flora had developed into sweet-face,
woman. OF all that belonged to Simon
S1ade there was in her no marks of de-
terioration. But close view of her face
showed tht she had passed through care
and suffering. TOO good for Willy Ham
n,ond." people said. with all his be-
ing generous and clever he knows a lit
tie too much of the bad side of the
world" Slade came in and took a seat.
The odor OF his breath was that of 4
confirmed inebriate and there was a thick
ness in his speech. He asked after his
son Frank. One of the loungers told
him that Frank had gone cunning with
Tom Wilkins, neer-do-well. The
| lounger might have told him also, what
he whispered to one of his fellows, tina.
| Frank had taken his fathers most val
usble horse out of the pasture, hitched
her to buggy. which he had laden with
champagne and gone off on bender =
Entering into conversation with a lounger
the stranger learned that Frank had got
drunk as fool" before he was is and
lac acquired many other bad habits.
He was irretrivably ruined. Simon had
made money-yes-he must be worth $780,
900 now" Judge Hammond's distillery,
the rumor said, was to be shut up. Under
WHY'S management the Judge had lost
heavily by 1t.
| Green was still hanging about and it
was believed that he had found other vic
tins besides Willy Hammond in the viii
laEe. Slade had got the reputation of be-
ing stool pigeon for Green. But the peo-
pie had begun to whisper that he HIM
| self had got into the clutches of the pro-
fessional gambler-at least he seemed now
to be short of ready money. That night
the barroom was we'll filled. and Judge
Lyman, member of Congress, was there
discussing on politics and the wicked
ness Of the temperance people. The Judge
and Green went out together and wera
seen no more that night. Willy Ham,
nnoId came in. He was sadly change
for the worse, dissipated-looking, hard
ened and physically broken. He drank
half tumbler of raw brandy and whs-
pered to the barkeeper, who glanced up
ward with nod. Hammond disappeared
Soon after the stranger saw q woman
walking up and down in front of the
tavern. 1t was Willy Hammond's moth
Or, driven insane by her sons evil course
She had escaped from her nurse and
come to look after her boy. II could save
him, you know" she whispered, and
then went home slowly. Thus ended tina
Fifth Night in a barroom.
Next morning the landlord did not APP
pear until nearly 10 o'clock. and then he
looked like man who had been on de-
bauch. He and Green met with evident
embarrassment and GOODNESS. The cards
| had evidently been against Slade. That
morning the distillery was shut down. In
| the forenoon Green went by the tavern
driving the horse which had the day be-
fore been Willy Hammond's. 1t had
changed ownership over night. Inquiries
after Joe Morgan developed the fact that
he had never drank drop after the death
of his child and was Industrious and pros
porous. AS the stranger was that night
In the bar two young men came in and
Sade whispered to one of them that his
father had been looking for him. us No.
"a vacant?" asked the youth. Then send
us up a box of cigars and bottle Of
wine. If Harry Lee and Bill Harding
come in tell them where they will find
u.s." 80
In Harvey Green's room, also, that night
there was "a little game and the players
were Hammond Green, Judge Lyman
and Slade. Mrs. Hammond came to the
tavern begging that some one would find
her SON. that she might take him home
Willy went out to her, soothed her and in
duced her to go home. Then he went
back to finish his game" and the
stranger closed his experiences Of Sixth
Night in barroom. The next morning
man named Jacobs. a friend of Judge
Hammond's, came. by request of the
Judge, to the Sickle and Sheaf to find
Willy and induce him to come home He
hadn't been there for two nights. The
stranger, who had business dealings with
Jacobs. told him that Green's room was
No. II and that they would probably find
willy there. Together they went to the
room, in spite OF the protestations of the
bartender that young Hammond was not
In the house.
A knock at the door and the unshaven
face Of Simon Slads presented itself. "Mr.
Jacobs" said he. In surprised tone, do
you wish to see met" Jacobs pushed the