th a sort of contempt mixed in, for the man.

"After a time his wife turned to him, and, resting her thin hand on his
head, spoke kindly to him, and referred him to the Lord for the strength
that he so sorely lacked. The man did pray, and I am sure he was in
earnest; and he asked his wife's forgiveness and took a solemn oath that
he would never touch another cursed drop."

"Good," ejaculated the judge.

"Good?" echoed Jean. "Wait, I have not finished yet. I went there
several times. I liked to go. It made me happy to see the look that was
coming into the woman's eyes. She took two half-dollar pieces from
under the pillow one morning, and proudly displayed them, telling me it
was the first time in a year her husband had given her so much. She said
she had hoped in vain, so many times, for him to reform that she had
given up hope, but that now she really believed poor Maggie's misfortune
would prove their blessing. They have not always been poor. Once, when
they were younger, they owned a nice home and the husband occupied a
good position. But he chose for his associates men who spent a good part
of their time in a certain fashionable downtown saloon, and to be social
he drank with them. He was not a man who could drink a great deal and
not become intoxicated, so, when he began to lie around drunk, they
pushed him out.

"Mrs. Crowley says the starting point of all their poverty and sorrow
and shame was on the threshold of the respectable gilt and glass palace
that bears over its doors the names of Allison, Russell & Joy. She knows
the place well. I think those gentlemen would not be pleased to hear the
things she says of them; for certain it is her husband would never have
been a drunkard if it had been necessary for him to have learned the
habit in a low grog shop."

Jean paused a second and looked at her father, but he seemed unaware of
her gaze, and she continued:

"Then I went in to-day to tell them that Maggie would be home in a few
days, and I found a change. The girl Cora was on the bed with her
mother. The blankets and sheets had disappeared. The few pieces of
furniture that the room contained were scattered in disorder. I will try
to tell the rest of the story as Mrs. Crowley told it to me. I will
never forget, father, the helpless despair that sounded in her voice and
manner as she talked.

"'Ah, Miss Thorn!' she said, wearily, 'It's all over--all gone. I should
have known better than to have hoped again