Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1842-08-04
WHAT WILL YOU HAVE?

WHAT WILL YOU HAVE!
After days work of calculation and
copying, was under the rnortif>ing me-
cessity Of waiting en- hour in The bar
room Of low tavern, to secure the SER
vices Of a mail-guard, who was to car
ry parcel for my emp!oyers.-Amidst.
the smoke, the splitting, and the clatttrI
Of a crowt! Of Inn haunterS, I could not
but find some subject for rejection
The presiding genius of the bar was a
bloated, carbuncled, WHISPERED young
man, whom / had long known as the
abandoned son of deceased friends. |
sighed and was silent. Ever and a.
non, as one after another, or squads of
two, three or more approached this
shrine to receive and empty their glass
es, and deposite their sixpences,
heard the short, peremptory formula of
the Bacchanal minister-FEhat aciU you
haze? brandy? gin? punch? What aciU
goa haoe?o And the victims several
ly made their bids, for smaller, a
cocktail, sling, or ajulep, as the case
might be. The constant repetition Of
the "form in that case made and proyi-
ded," set me upon drowsy mediation
on the pregnant question.-What aviII
yo,s haze?
Methinks | can answer the question,
said | to myself as [ cast a glance d.
round the murky apartment; and first
to the young shoemaker, who, with a
pair of newly finished boots,is asking for
'sgrog." What will you have? Young
man, you will soon have an empty
pocket!
There is trembling, ragged man,
with liyid spots under the eyes. He
is machine-maker, and has lodgings
in the house. What will you have:
All! the bar-keeper knows without an
answer; he takes gin and water. Poor
man! | also know what you will have
Already you have been twice at death s
door; and the gin will not drive offthat
chill. You will have typhus fegeg,
/ There comes my neighbour, the
! book binder. His hand shakes as he
raises his full glass. All! Shannon-I
dread to say it, but you will have TIE
paEsyi
the glasses We're washed out, not
cleansed, in the slop-tub under the bar
shelf.-Now a fresh bevy comes up,
cigar in hand. Gentlemen what will
you have2 | choose to supply the an
swer myself, thus:--jhe baker will
have an opop!eay, or sudden fail in
!; his shop. The tailor in green glasses
will have, or rather has already, a con-
sumption; and fear the three oilers
in their train, will have the next cpl
denis that shall sweep off our refuse
drunkards. But what will that man
have, who leans over the table, seem
ing 10 pore over the last Herald? He
is scarcely resolved what he shall
drink, or whether he will drink at all.
| understand the language Of his mo-
/, tons, he is renegade from the tenn
! perance ranks. lie ieas borrowed mon
ey this week. John, you will have
lodgings IN jai}! Sorry, indeed, am
to see this den, Mr.. Scantlng, the
cooper. Not 10 speak of himself, |
have reason to believe that both his
grown sons are beginning to drink. :
He looks about him suspiciouSly Now
! he has piucked up courage. lie takes
whisEeg. You will have pair Of dl9t:l-
Zen sons
That young fellow in tie green frock-
coat, and coiourcd neck cloth, is mu-
| s;cian, a man Of reading, and the hitS-
| band Of a lovely English woman. He
takes his glass with the air of GreeE,
drinking hemlock. You Will have q
heart broken uife!
What! Is that lad of fifteen going &c
the baro He is! and losses off his cog
mac with an air. You will have an
| earJy DEATH
The old man that totters out of The
| door has doubtless come lrither tC
drown his grief, His last son has dice
/ in prison from the effects of braul il
| the theatre. His father has looked un,
atterable anguish every sober momen
for two years. Wretched old man! yot
will have the halter Of "a ssticide'