BILLY'S FATHER.

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume X, Issue 904, 25 April 1891, Page 2

BILLY'S FATHER.

■ The sols 1 'oocopaUon.. df * iUttlo-jßilly seemed;>< b? to'fo'lowyliketaimmttn-and ■kntittte'V satellite, WeMrurikett f 'iie»e?ado welltwbora he. owned aa a father, -! f Bo was a thin scrap and made ; to Iqo!? jnores^fyr, Kfa; | ah|i% clothes being; some years, $op strmir and short/for bim.i .;; t;-, ; tl^ a^iVi Billy's father was a clever aiyl i«fcilful tailor,, whjb4bbbed rib one biat himself and b6y. When he was sober hecoald command work almost at any ift«§) <3>Hfr?.)je sel(to^ir^v|ra&-o»ob«Lf >^chad no wife, no friends, "npime Iti >'look: after him, or gaide.'or advllej : ldr n 4illj dared not offer- a wrod of, protest, or do> anything but follow with his white face= and ! pinched body to quietly gqard man wBo : owned' him when I \vas no longer able* to guard himself. It. wag a' common thing fot; Billy'^ cblibodleps face to',appear suddenly a't'ttie at all hours of the night, .^Hen hV'woalilf simply soy— r.: •.,-■'.!.■" - 1 ', i ;l.'^'' 'Is father here V and - shape* ishi* action by the answer. .-W-.-y x ?; r^"-^ If-StdeSrriah \fas brought m ifc mean* a fine of five shillingrs or s^ven <>ays, and oftenest the latter, 'so' thac'-'Byiy was free to forage for himself foFUat time. It seemed to me that Billy, gave-' a sigh of content aod hopfifafnesgi .wh^n he learned ibatwe had picket! «p hir father. $m% prfmtofced sbstineDw

and, indeed, more ihnn once Steed man did make vow.fco that effect hn'd keep it bravely for some days after his release. " M '■'■'' ':'■'' :;v i ■■''•■ !.':!■' Billy's was tiot a! bright intellect, and* his education had been only such poor stuff as his mother could 1 before she drifted awny into the la'fcTTof shadow. He could "read an ! tf write little,. and ! "il^& : do many things which 'are usually taught onJx, to^ir}^ cqnto, eta and sew, and wash a flo^^qy.bjiish a grate, aad cook; **ntlc traaWl fc^ibed* ( But m his>SttiaU wayljje-ucouldcjdrflasonti and, after "hiudh < ! thln<kiii^.*i& fpa^*i»i ideas before tn8 iI/ 6 < ne I;>i ni^ht ; ' ! itf I ta' I n6vel' t shape. t " 1 Sometime r for being drunk, cqfi(^f j^^e§[J[inq" m for three mpnjbhi^jpafceadj^i^YSri;; days? ' ,yi."i.>U JwtmU w.v • Three months^no^ sadhiV.a -jpenjiUyi; was ever heard of for simple' UMnkannasS 1 I said m Burprise. l^''^St^y i> tto :! vpu v Tish to get rid of hf^V6 r pg?" ( Osr:n ;-.V *I dont jbutifhe^as^epj mi*W& drink for that tin»9oifcftj«oplAs?AT% want it again. He!;Vfo.uld'ube;! : ..QUje^ 5 He said so to me thMaSt time. iiJi"* I had a doubt aboutjrfchstACiire but did not care, tb.'dint Hhe»r;e>igerif;^ye?i shining up at me by .sayiug-Iso, so I merely answered — :p..u)T)ou<>?> 1 It can't be . dorie^iß%^i x;H& 1S merer violent, If he ass^uljgdqany one saverely, he might heyiftmUtedi to the Sheriff Court aid ther.e k .ggyhjesrnontbs but he is always, r /juj#fej.aQd\'^up,yl m drink so, there's not mj|ch chance of that. Billj ft d /r:- unaer l>^ 9l ; i hg ; hfj ;; ,pj ;; ijie, lamp, cjnsjif. iffithinf,? the--np.endef#n *%? Centra^; -As Ivajteffereibl uaweihiß Jfrcej •ink wi>.h'"a loot 'b^thtrngbtfalnessiofit for a man ; then he loo^Sd'-^^gUiri and sM^Bg^j^^^ }" a?!oi!^ ( ' I daresay 'it.would-}<butAen4seß:>doe.Bs strike yM/^e^ fee 1 !*'*"« bUil^H Urn lnu 1 Nbt'often' toW&tftf fat, i woujatft Wtf wwym 6 ta r <cw « Oh S; yQu^an^tq ( cu.^^im^en^ nfl B Jj { Yes j?tpofcher:pisaidh^, Mfa.gbtftj.Jryj. That 'vras'iiri^England/f before ; we( Qafftfe here : she died there. I'm English r efcoar iihat'rwhy 1 'tho'^'dyg' here" 7 faughK : afc> m<*< and HgnV W wttfi 1 rife. TlMdfe Hike my way of speakm — and, or course lie sigfl-ifitamtiyi jad^erf .^^^.f jgJijg^Jere; is father/pf «* i^pvi'M^^n^m u;h-7 .7 w ><*-,&& Next to'thtf €feiitr«l} o-as; <; ai pi age j jpl ■ call for Billf^a'^Wfrsoh's-p'ublic-house which "sas aoout equally distant from theip-wretehedrchoaae^n^he^Oanjongate^. Steedman liked 9 4)\%Wbcjus^,^e.cause it W«S ia~& retired place, and not too far. ( Continue&MrFitufthlKaffe.)