Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1853-12-23

ing most tnuterably atfectionate.
But Mrs. Seroggins was not sentimental
she had gotten over all that before Jim took
to drinking She now proposed to put the
skill of the daguerreotype artist to a more
practical use than that of gettiug the good
viii of bashful lover.
She entered the saloon, and though her
heart did beat little, at the thought of ex-
posing her domestic matters to an entire stran-
ger, she conducted herself with all the frmness
becoming the trying occasion.
Fortunately for her. all the people in town
had been TAKEN and it WAS dry time with
the artist In as few words as possible, she
stated the case to him, and the young man
readily consented to go.
Taking his apparatus under his arm, he &C
companied Mrs. Scroggins to the cottage,
where Jim was sleeping off the effects of the
villanous New England"
The inebliate sat in precisely the same po-
sition in which his wife had left him. He
was sleeping in high-back chair which kept
his head up erect, SO that every thing was ia
yorable for the sitting.
In trice, jim Scroggins, ragged clothes,
old hat, long beard, dozy, drunken expression
and all, were transferred to the plate
But the picture did not quite suit the ar
fist; he thought one taken when the sitter
was awake, would be more correct represen-
tation, and Mrs. Scroggns ,hoaght so too,
ana after the daguerreotypis had put in new
plate, she wakee him up.
What d YOU want.' growled jim.
wake up" and the lady gave him a
smart pinch, which opened his eyes, giving
out the true expression of the drunkard.
The artist was prompt, and in an instant
the second edition of Jim Scroggins vas trans
ferred to the plate.
The original, not being required for further
use, vas suffered to sink away and complete
his nap.
The pictures were put into case and the
lady produced her money.
Nothing, ma'am, l shall not charge you
any thing
But, sir, am able to pay
The ATTEST shook his head, and resolutely
refused to touch her money.
OF course, Mrs. Scroggins was grateful, and
gave the young ATTEST an invitation to take
teawith her. which he accepted. In the course
Of the meal-the table being laid in the little
front room-the daguerreotypist told the sto-
ry of his own life; how he had been brought
up i'll the midst of intemperance, and knew
| all about it. His father had died a drunkard
leaving his mother penniess, and he support
ed her by the profits of his portable saloon.
Mrs. Scroggius Of course sylnpathized with
the young man, and readily understood why
he would not take pay for the pictures.
| But what WIS better than all, the young ar
tst took quite a fancy to Jim's oldest daugh-
ter, Il fair maiden OF eighteen: and, after tea,
insisted on taking her dagueneotype. And
the sly rogue pretended that the first one was
not Il good one, and took anothcr-one Of
which he took away With him.
The tea things were cleared away, and still
the young gentleman fingered, and talked a
great deal with the interesting little Susan.
But when he did 90, the poor girls heart fol-
lowed him, and for half the night she laid
/ awake thinking of the young artist.
| jim ScroggIns recovered from his debauch;
/ but the first thing he saw, when he came IN
to the Kitchen i'll the morning, were the two
daguerreotypcs, which lay open to his wonde-
ring gaze on the table.
lie picked up one of them, and started
back in confusion rs he recognized lis own
distorted features.
He examined the other ltwas the coun
terpart OF the first, with eyes open and look
| ing twenty times more hiJeous than the slee-
ping picture.
" Good gracious exclaimed he; "did |
ever look So Internal homely as that?" and he
proceeded to scrutinize the dagueweotypeo a
second time.
"Cuss me if l thought l ever looked so
cussed mean as all that, Id 90 down and
Jump into the river
II have seen men though. that looked Just
like that that ere" continued he, but them
was drunkards; now, | amt adrunkard though
| sometimes get a Little szzled. | never lit
my pipe at the pump, though. Howsomey-
or, them was took for lie, though when, OF
where have no kind o notion. There's the
old hat, and that's the old coat-no mistake
The footsteps Of bis wife caused him to drop
the pictures, and he fastened out Of the house
to avoid the tempest which he thought his
wickedne>s would call down upon his head
1t is notable fact, that he omitted his morn
ing dram, on this occasion, and his wife took
courage. Like pradent woman, rs she was
she did not say word about the occurrences
of Yesterday, aad permitted him to finish hi
breakfast in peace.
He got through that day without drinking
drop but on the following day the old ap-
petite clamored for the accustomed dram, and
in the afternoon, while his wife was in the
little sitting roow, he went slyly to the closet
where he kept the bottle.
But the first thing that met his gaze was
the two dagueTeotypes resting against the
black bottle. There was jim Scroggins
drunk, asleep; and Jim Scroggins, drunk
awake.
Them cussed dogerotypeSw muttered he
unconseiously starting back in confusion at
the miserable object they SO faithfully shad-
owed to him.
Jim stopped TO think. He fully resolved
never again to be the loathesome object they
represented him to be, Taking the blacl
bottle. lie went to the door with it, and viii