The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1849-08-15

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seen, much less drunken one. Bruce
tired and wearied, was sitting on a
stone at the foot Of the mound on W hicl,
the cottage stood, without being aware
of its vicinity Sleep was beginning to
crawl over his worn and tatigued facul.
ties, and that miserable feeling was
stealing on him, --that miserable feeling
the drunkard experiences, but no pen
can dcscribe---or language eithcr--it is
regret ccrtainly;-.-but the word will not
convey thousandth part Of the misery
of that fccling;---with the rarchcd
tongue, and the fevered brow, and the
clouded mind, struggling between phan.
toms, and facts, unable to discover the
clear position in which he is placed.
While sitting on tho stone, short
and hoggish kind of grunting and
grumblinS aroused him from his apathy,
and looking up he saw something NOV
ing that seemed moro like giant than
a man land exclaiming in terror sWho's
there" received for answer the very
echo of his own words, who's there?
-Wha dye think is here, you stupid
brute?-,its me; dye think is here, you
stupid brutc?--its me; dye ken wha
that is?' 1t was Jamie himself hang
ing on to the garden fence, round which
he had made tour five or six times.
looking for the little gate, which he had
passed rs many times, without obscrv-
ing, and was on his way round again.
feeling every spar individually, without
being able to distinguish the gate spars,
from the others.
rs that yon Jamic!' cnquircd Bruce,
, in tone of astonishmcnt.
'Wha else could you think it wad be,
Master Bruce? You're very kind to
keep a body standing here all night.
waiting your pleasure
is this the house?' again enquired
Bruce.
'lIech me! hcch mep exclaimed Ja-
mic, 'yo mann be in a dcplorable state,
when yc dinna ken you're ain hoosc,
mech! hcch!'
'Wc,l, L was not quito sure was the
humble response of Bruce.
'Hcch mc?' was again the wished-to-
bc-signiliccnt exclamation of Jamie.
How DO YOU get up there Jamic?'
90, just crawl up Master Bruce
that's the way beasts get up, but it's
not the way | got up
Bruce clambcrcd up the cmbankment
and soon stood by the side Of Jamie,
wEo again his march round the house,
at the same time commanding Bruce to
follow.
Hanging by the peaked fence, lean
ing backward, leaning his whole weight
on the upper MISUNDERSTANDING to and
fro--thc fence gave way, and precipita-
ted jamie, holus bolus, down the en-
bankmcnt into the ditch among the wa
ter, which had washed lin rs clean rs
a new pin, before he could cxtricatc
Himself.
Jamie had, however, by the accident,
effected an opening, jamie crawled up
the cmbankment; and through the hole
he had made, he reached the door of
the house, at the same moment with
his sistcr.inlaw, who hearing the noise,
had got NJ, and come to the door with
q light.
Not dcigning to notice jamie, who
slipped into the house without speaking
she went and opened the gate for Bruce,
and led him to his chamber in silence;
then laying him on his bed, she, with
an aching heart left him.
Philip she said to her husband, on
entering her own apartment, this is
dreadful, and must be put q stop to, |
care nothing about that worthless fellow
jamie, but respectable young man
like Bruce, to come home in such
state, is shameful.
1T is indeed, but we cannot help it
Mary.
Yes, We can help it Phillip
Nonsense, Mary! what can We do?'
4 know what shall do answered
Mary dctcrmincdly.
what will you do?' cnquircd her
husband kindly.
'l'll do this much; I'll guarantee
that he has drank his last drop
Lord sake cXclaimcd' Phillip, tye'rc
no gann to kill the man, are yc?'
No, but III cnrc him tho.
i Gamma sec the possibility of that
Mary,
But ! can see it: and I've made up
my mind to it, before today; and I'll
do 1t, II you will promise that you will
) not speak to him one word while he re
mains under your root:-which will moi