The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1860-07-14

eArn tarN eteEPtu ~ u0its, 10 eFens
the remainder Of the evening, or Isthe
night. A number of 'scuttsrs'' had hap
lpeEed down from the city, and as eonse
iqaeIce su impromtu bail had been suggest
ed. The young men flushed with thei
three drinks, were only too ready to join
the dance. A hot supper had been preparet
toconeluie the festivities, of which Daytol
snd bis friends psrtook as a matter Of course
paying hfty cents each for the privilege
Another punch, another cigar, and they
started for home.
The eity clocks were Ginning Eve, wker
the young clerk reached his bedroom. Ii
was a cold, cherries looking place in ths,
darkest hour Of winters night, and after
groping about the mantsl in vain to And
bis match safe, he drew OF his boots aud
syer-eoat and ..tGmbled" into bed with the
rest of his clothes on.
The first bell failed 10 wake him out of the
ieep sleep which bis partial intoxication had
sealed upon his eyelids. The second also,
and it was not until the ehambermzid
pounded vigorously upon his door, that bs
rallied his scattered senses enough to know
whore he WAS. Telling her he - was sick
ard didn't want any breakfast he turned a
over again and took a new nap.
| When he awose the sun was shining
brigttlyin through the windows. He start.
ed az in terror, for punciuality was one Of
| the most stringent rules Of the counting
room and twice already he had been tardy
A third time would lose him his place. He
| LOOKED at bis watch-is lacked five minutes
to eight. Drawing on his boots, and thrust
| ing hs arms in his oyer-coat, he ran pre-
| cipitIesy through the streets and arrived
| al the store just ten minutes past eight. He
/ looked around in distress and then laughed
freely Neither Mr.. Seymour nor his part
ner wsre there, while the head CLERK and
| book-eeper were in the back room too busy
to nuice his abrupt entrance. He was
hard looking case though. His hair was
matted, his unwashed face flushed with the
heeticof liquor, his eyes sunken and dull,
and hs dress disordered.
james perceived ut glance that some
thingwas wrong, and fearful for the conse-
quenes should either Of the partners come
IN ant see him IN such plight, he hurried
to hin, and putting into his hands money
ed Letter which the book keeper had Just
givenhim to carry to the Office, told Kim TO
harry III with it,and he whispered very softly
''Harr, step into barber's shop us you
come lack
Dayton pressed his friends hand warmly
and Sed rapidly on his mission, but al
though his hair lay in glossy curls when he
came tnck, and his collar and bosom were
fautIe,sly white, for he had taken On omni-
bus anc gone home and changed his linen,
bis courtenanee vet wore marks Of the last
evenings spree, and he blu.hed as he looked
up orce from the goods he was labelling and
saw tae keen eyes Of Mr.. Seymour fixed
an1iossiy upon him.
As eley went home at noon, james talked
to him very earnestly on the course he Was
pursuing, and urged him to break off at
once from his dissolute associates, and join
him ia his evening studies. ''Mr. Seymour
has been very kind to US both, Harry;
taking US almost out Of the poor-house,
and not only giving US respectable liyel-
hood, but admitting US TO the friendship Of
his family. Ii behooves US to be grateful, and
show him that We appreciate his kindness.
Besides, Harry, the course you are pursuing
will be sure to end in your ruin. How much
did last nights spree cost you?"
80 4 mere triae-Iot worth mentioning,
Jimmie.
s. But reckon it up, Harry. For the
sleigh'-
"WelI we paid dollar apiece, but it was
splendid affair, blood horses, sable driver,
md wolf-skin wrappers"
"And now your expenses on the road,
low many times did you drink 2"
"Why, let me see, once before we started,
ence, no twice down the river, and twice
tt Hollis"
"Aud how many cigars 20
''You mean shall make clean breast,
Jimmie. Well, then, one to begin with, two
10 keep up, and one TO finish only four"
"You took supper at Hollis 20
''Of course n grand good one, too, We
tad: boiled turkey, with oyster sauce, and
al sorts of nieknaeks, only fifty cents,
too"
James reckoned up the items. "Your
cents, Harry
$50 much--why didn't dream Of it, but
then a fellow must spree it once in n while,
you know. All work and no play makes
Jack dull boy.'
"But our recreations, Henry, should be
in accordance with our income. Yours is
five hundred year now. Just think Of it:
FIVE hundred year, and yet you spend two
dollars and twenty cents for one evenings
amusement. and only last week YOU paid
three dollars for ball ticket, dollar for
a carriage to convey you and your lady to
the hall, and another for your supper, and,
If mistake not, fifty cents for a boquct.-
Henry. your money won't hold out at this
rate. You'll soon have to borrow, and
once in debt, you'll fnG yourself deep in
trouble"
"Perhaps you think ought to have paid
you the ten dollors owe you, instead Of
spending so much on fun, first"
81 am free to confess, do, Henry but
let not that debt trouble you. shall never
press you for it. But it is not the money
you spent last night that worries me most.
You came within an ace Of losing your
place this morning. Had either Mr.. Gill
bert or MIR. Seymour seen You when you
entered the counting room, you would have
been discharged at once. And Henry, it
would have been a hard matter for you to
have found another one withouts recon-
mendation from cur firm. Henry, | talk to
YOU a. would ~ = brother, and warn you
to- dag, that unless you reform your habits
at once, YOU will be a lost man. So begin
now. to do better. 60 with me to the In
.,itu,. tonight, ani hear the lecture
Come won, you' il shsn's cost you
cent '...
"Ican't Jimmie. ] am engaged TO party
Apd he turned away abruptly, conscious
that hi. friend had spoken truths to him,
but ~ithon. sahcient maniiness to treasure
them up. There were tears in Jam.s's eyes
as be ven. cn alone, and he murmurej,
"sealed, sealed TO RUM
Time passed on, .nd the two clerk. went,
on their respective ways. For ntime Hen
~ Va. mere cautious, ard Mr.. Seymour,
who watched him closely, had hopes Of him:
but his love OF li1uor "a. stimulated by his
late hours and evtl compositions. and il coon
became habit for him 70 drink as morning,
noon, aud night. Ills pleasures, too. drained
hi. purse. He borrowed Of one, then bor-
rowed Of smother to pay him. Then he
re.or,sd TO cards, and 70: awhile Was fu.h
with money, and Of course spent more, and
drank deeper. But bis luck turned and he
was rennile... and wh.s vas worse, in
asbt 10 professional gamblers, who threat