The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1853-08-25
The filthy stuff happilv. did mot ,at,

occupy II, than the neat. white hooreC
kitchen Of his cottage. But Jim did no
realize this unpleasant truth, and there
fore, leaving his shovel and hoe in the
stye. staggered to the house.
He was sight to behold as Mrs
Scroggins told the minister. The lob h,
had just performed was essentially dir
ty one, and Jim, as we have lust remark
ed being prudent. had prepared himsel
TO perform it without any detriment to the
neat clothes he ordinarily wore. He wa,
dressed in a ragged suit Of clothes, ant
on his head rested shocking bad ha,
with the crown stove in and the brim hall
torn of. As the liquor began to fuddle
him, he moved it over from its perpendicu
lar position, so that it rested quite iauntly
on one side of his head.
jim settled himself heavily in chair by
the cooking stove, looked silly, and seem.
ed disposed TO address himself to slum.
Der. his usual resort when incbrialed.
Mrs. Scroggins was mad at first, for il
was only the day before, that Jim for the
hundredth time, had promised never again
to drink another drop, not even in case Of
sickness.
But what was the use of getting mad at
such poor, silly, imbecile thing as he
was at that moment He was not in con.
dltlon TO appreciate regulate malrimon.
al blow up, and she wisely resolved 10 re-.
serve the vials Of her wrath. TO be poured
out at more convenient season.
She looked at him and thought of losing
the little place--of penury, degradation
and the poor house. A lucky thought
arose, like the PhDnix from the flames.
out of the contemplation of the dark pic.
ture; and a'ter moments deliberation,
she put on her bonnet and cloak and hur.
ried over to the village not half mile dis.
tant.
For week previous young daguer.
reotypist, with portable saloon-a kind
of overgrown omnibus-had been de-
lighting the villagers by giving them the
semblance of their faces, a, prices vary
ing from nine shillings to three dollars
head, depending on the value of the case.
All the people in the town had been da.
guerreotyped, and the omnibus man was
the most popular person in the village
All the danes and maidens had been ia.
ken, and every Jonathan and Jehial who
could boast OF Susan, Ruth. or a Sal.
ly, was taken, with her by his side in the
picture, his arm lovingly thrown around
her neck, and looking unutterably afIec-
tionate.
But Mrs. Scroggins was not sentiment.
al she had gotten over that long before
jim took to drinking. She proposed TO
put the skill of the daguerreo,ypist to
more practical use than that OF getting
the good will of lover.
She entered the saloon, and though her
heart did beat little at the degradation of
exposing her domestic matters to an en-.
tire stranger, she demea aned herself with
all the frmneSs becoming the trying occa.
sion.
Fortunately for her all the people in
town had been taken,' and it was dry
time with artists. In asfew words pos.
slble she stated the case to him, and the
young gentleman readily promised CO.
operation.
Taking his apparatus under his arm.
he accompanied Mrs. Scroggins to the
cottage, where Jim was sleeping off the
effects of the villainous New England
rum.
The inebriate sat in precisely the same
position in which his vile had left him.
Tie was asleep in nigh.backed chair,
which kept his head up so that everything
was favorable 10 the sitting.
In a trice Jim Scroggns' old hst. rag
ged clothes, long beard, DOING, drunden
expression, and all, was transferred to The
plate.
But the picture did not suit the artist
he thought one taken when the sitter was
awake would be a more correct represen
Iaton. Mrs. Scroggins thought SO too,
and when the daguerreotypist had pu' in
a new plate, she walked him up.
What dye wanl!' asked Jim, with
yawn. t d. &.
Wake upi' and the lady gave him
smart pinch, which opened his eyes, Civ
ing out tie true expression Of the drunk.
ard. @
The original, not being required for fur.
lher use, was suffered to sink away and
complete his nap.
The pictures were put into frame. and
Mrs. Scroggins produced her money.
Nothing. ma'am, ! shall not charge you
But, sir, am able to pay -
The artist shook his head, resolutely re.
fusing to touch her money. OF course
Mrs. Scroggins was grateful, and gave the
artist an invitation 10 take tea with her,
which he accepted. In the course of the
meal the dsguerreoty pist told the story Of
his own life-he had been brought up in
the midst Of inlemperance, and new all
about it. His father had died drunk
ard, and leaving bis mother penniless. he
had supported her from the profits Of his
portable saloon, Mrs. Scroggins, Of
course sympathized with the young man.
and really understood why he would not
lake pay for the pictures.
But what was better than all, the artist
look quite a fancy to Jim 8 only daughter.
a pretty girl Of eighteen; and. after tea
insisted on taking her daguerreotype.-l
And the sly rogue pretended that The first
was not good one. and took another
one Of which he took away with him.