Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-06-02

| VI o6S'uo was Hidu dt UfSt, 10r
it was only the day before that Jim, for
the hundredth time, had promised never
to drink another drop, not even IN q case
of sickness.
But what was the use of getting mad
with such poor, silly imbecile thing as
he was at that moment. He was not in
o condition to appreciate regular mat
rlmonlal blow up, and she wisely re-
solved to reserve the Walls of her wrath
to be poured out at more convenient
season.
She looked at him and thought of
losing the little place-oe penury, degra.
dation, and the poor house. A lucky
thought aross, like the Phoenix from the
flames, out of the contemplation Of the
dark future; and after few moments 6
deliberatIon, she put on her bonnet and
cloak, and hurried over to the village not
half a mile distant. -.
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, at prices vary
ing from nine shillings to three dollars a
head, depending on the value of the case.
All the people of the town had been da
guerreotyped, and the omnibus man was
the most popular man in the village. All
the danes and maidens had been taken,
and every Jonathan and Jehiai who could
boast of Susan, a Ruth, or Sally, was
taken with her by his side in the picture,
his arm thrown lovingly around her neck,
and looking unutterably affectionate.
But Mrs. Scroggins was not sentimen.
tai !: she had got over all that long before
Jim took to drinking. She proposed to
put the skill of the daguerreotyplst to a
more practical use than that of getting
the good will of lover. She entered the
saloon, and though heart did beat little
at the degradation of exposing her do
mestlc matters to an entire stranger, she
demeaned herself with all the frmness
becoming the trying occasion.
Fortunately for her, all the people in
the town had been taken," and it was
dry time with the artist. In as few
words as possible she stated the case to
MIN. and the young gentleman readily
promised cooperation.
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.
The inebriate sat in precisely the same
position in which his wife had left him.
lie was asleep in a high. backed chair,
which kept his head up, so that every
thing was favorable to the sitting.
Ia trice, Jim Scroggins's old hat,
ragged clothes, long beard, DOING, drum
ken expression, and all were transferred
to the plate.
But the picture did not suit the artist;
he thought one taken when the sitter was
awake would be more correct represen.
tation. Mrs. Scroggins thought so too,
and when the daguerrcotypist had put in
a new plate she walked Jim up.
What dye want 2" asked Jim, with
a yawn.
"Wake up !" and the lady gave him q
smart pinch, which opened his eyes,
giving out the true expression of the
drunkard.
The ar was prompt, and in an in
slant ed IN second Of Jim Scroggins
was on the plate.
The original, not being required for
urther use, was suffered to sink away
and complete his nap.
The pictures were put into a frame,
and Mrs. Ssroggins produced her money.
" Nothing, ma'am; shall not charge
you anything"
g But, sir, am able to pay"
The artist shook his head, resolutely
refusing to touch her money. Of course,
Mrs. Scroggins was grateful, and gave
the artist an invitation to take tea with
her, which he accepted. In the course
of the meal, the daguerreotypist told the
story Of his own life-how he had been
brought up in the midst of intemperance,
and knew all about it. His father had
died drunkard, and leaving his mother
penniless, he had supported her from the
profits of his portable saloon. Mrs.
Scrogglns of course sympathized with the
young man; and readily understood why
he would not take pay for the pictures.
But what was better than all, the
young artist took quite fancy to jim s
only daughter, pretty girl of eighteen
and, after tea, insisted on taking her da.
guerreotype. And the sly rogue pre-.
tended that the first was not good one,
and took another-one of which he took
away with him.
The tea things were cleared away, and
when he did 60, the poor girls heart fol-
lowed him, and half the night she laid
awake to think of him.
| CHAPTER III.
Jim ScroggiRs recovered from his de-
bauch, but the first thing he saw when
he came into the kitchen in the morning
was two daguerreotypes, which lay upon
the table.
He picked up one of them, and started
back in confusion, when he recognized
his own distorted features.
He examined the other. 1t was the
countenance Of the first, with open eyes,
and looking ten times more hideous than
the sleeping pic. lure. al.--
"Geod gracious /" exclaimed be, "did
| lnnly &C L. a I,