Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-01-07
FROM THE AMERICAN MECHANIC.
WHAT WILL YOU IIAvE1
by REV. J. w. ALEXANDER, D. D.

by REV. J, w. ALEXANDER, D. D.
After a days work of calculation and
copying, [ was under the necessity of wait
ing an hour in the. tap-room of tavern to
secure the services of mailguard who was
to carry parcel for my employers. A.
midst the smoke, the splitting, and the clat-
ter of crowd of mn-hunters | could not
but find some objects of reflection.
The presiding genius of the bar was a
bloated, whiskered, young man, whom !
had long known as the abandoned son of a
deceased friend. | sighed and was silent.
Ever and anon, as one after another, or
squads Of two or three approached his shrine
to receive and empty their glasses, and de-
posite their sixpenceS, | heard the short
peremtory formula Of the Bacchanal minis
ter" What wiU you have s'--" "Brandy' gin?
punch3 What sciH yoW hare ?" And the
victims severally made their bids for a
smaller, cocktail, sling or julep,as the
case might be. The constant repetition of
the'form in that case made and provided, -
set me upon a drowsy meditation on the
pregnant question, "What will you have y
"Methinks can answer the question, ''said
| TO myself as cast glance around the
murky apartment. And first to the young
shoemaker who, with pair of newly-fn-
ished boots, is asking for 'grog," What
will you hayc' Young man, you will soon
have an empty pocket.
There is trembling ragged man with
liyid spots under the eyes. He is ma
chine-maker, and he has lodgings in the
house. What will you have All the
barkeeper knows without an answer; he
takes gin and water Poor man | also
know what you will have. Already you
have been twice at deaths door; and the
gin will not drive off that chill. You will
have typhus fever and death.
The glasses are washed out, not cleans
ed, in the slop-tuo under the bare-shelf.-
Now fresh bevy comes up, cigar in hand.
Gentlemen what will YOU have? supply
the answer Tor myself. The baker there
will have an apoplery or sudden fall in
his shop. That tailor in green glasses will
have consumption. And fear that the three
idlers in their train will have the next ep-
idemic that shall sweep off our efuse drunk :
ards.
Sorry indeed am to see in this place
Mr.. Scantling the cooper. Not to speak of
himself, I have reason to believe that both
his grown sons are beginning to drink. He
looks about him suspiciously. Now he has
plucked up courage. He takes whiskey.-
You will have pair of drunken sous.
That young fellow in the green frock-
coat, and colored neckcloth is musician a
man of reading and the husband of love-
ly English woman. He takes his glass with
the air of Greek drinking hemlock. You
have a hcart-broken wife.
What is that lad of fifteen going to the
bar He is; and he tosses off his Cogniac
with an air. You will have an early death.
The old man that totters out of the door
has doubtless come hither to drown his
grief. His last son has died in prison from
the effect of brawl in theatre Wretch
ed old man You will have the halter Of a
suicide.
| must take the rest in mass, for it is
Saturday night, and the throng increases.
The bar-kceper has an assistant in the per-
son of a pale, sorrowful girl. Two voices
now reiterate the challenge--What :oiU
you Aave9 Misguided friends l am great
ly afraid you will all have death bed with-
om hope.
My man has arrived. AS walked home
across the common, | thought thus: "And
what will he have, who day after day, and
year after year, doles out the devils boun-
ty to his recruits; and receives his sixpen-
ces, as it were over the coffin of his vic
tins You hardened tempter! (if memory
live hereafter will have the recollection
of your triumphs and the vision Of their e.
ternal results. You will have a terrible
judgment, and an eternity Of such rctribu-
ton as BELTS your life.