A LOVING SON.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3029, 11 March 1881, Page 4

A LOVING SON.

" Yes, bub, this is the place," replied Bijah, as a hoy of 12 knocked on tho door. " Come in sonny. Did you expect to find your old governor in here this morning ? " " I kinder thought as how he might be here," replied the boy. " Just as likely as not, my hoy. We will look into the cells and make sure. Is your old man given to the flowing bowl ? " He's given to whiskey, if that's what you mean. The wonder is that you haven't had him down here lots o' times. That's him calling me from down there." The lad walked up to cell No. 5, peered throng the bars, and said : " Dad, is that you ? " "Ye 3 darling. Oh, Tommy, I'm so glad to see you. " " No use gushing over me, dad, " said the boy as he turned away. " Tommy—my Tommy ! " " Yes, I'm your Tommy, and all that, but you got yourself in there and now you've got to take the racket. Ma and I had a talk, and we agreed to let you alone. " "Oh, Tommy!" " No use howling, dad. It had got to come some time, and now's a purty good time for it. Feller can't he drunk over forty times a month in this town without someone knowing it." " Don't leave me, Tommy."

" Well, I'll sit down in tho court-room and hear the trial, but I haven't got a red with me to pay the fine, ii' you are sent up you'll have to b.aoe your lip and trot along." So soon as the court opened, Bijah handed out Tommy's father. Ho was a middle-aged man, strong, and well, and his looks were in his favor.

" What excuse have you for being very drunk yesterday ?" inquired his Honor. '"Lection, sir, and I'll leave it to Tommy," was the reply. " Did your election last from Tuesday to Saturday ?" "Yes, sir, and I'll prove it by Tommy." "Who's Tommy?" " That's me, sir," replied the boy as he rose up. " Yes, that's my Tommy, and he'll tell you that I'm a sober, hard-working man. Tell all about me, Tommy." "You can speak for him," added the court. " But I can't say much for him. We moved here from Toledo about six months ago, and dad has sorter gone to pieces. "Oh, Tommy!" pleaded the father. " It's true as preaching, dad, and I've got to own it. You haven't worked a day for three months, and you get drunk whenever chance offers. If I hadn't supported the family we'd have all gone to the poorhouse." " Is he a bad man ?" " Well, no. Dad is a purty good sorter man. He never fights ; he never abuses the family, he never whoops around. He's kind to us all, but he can't let whiskey alone. He's soaked full of it. You can smell him ten feet away. I've tried to brace him up, but it's no go." " Try me once more, Tommy ! If you'll try me once more I'll brace up like a horse." "No use, dad —no use. He'd better go up for sixty days. Maybe that will sober him off and be a check on him."

"Oh! Tommy!" " Tommy is right," said his Honor. " 111 send you up for sixty days, and I hope the stay there will do you good." " Good-bye, dad —be a man," said his son, as he reached out his hand.

" Good-bye, Tommy. It's hard, but I guess you're right. Give _>y love to mother and the children."