The workingman's advocate., 1866-06-16


not afford to lose. In obedience to this ca
price Of custom, he drank little at tims,
il is true, but often, till the fall rush of pro-
duce came, and competition rendered the
pliance of every art Of the agent q secure,
as be thought, his share for his employer,
necessary. The frequsn- slipping now L-o-
duced its effect, plainly apparent to Mrs. NJ,
and her family Of boarders; yet nothing
was said till one day, the finest of that
autumn produce had been unusually brisk
Miss. b. said, ''that a little past the tine
Of tea, while We we're sitting by the FIRE
waiting for the head TO come, in be came,
but the worse for drink-he did not stagger..
be was only disguised. his wife saw bis
condition she had said that if Ersstus
should take 70 drink, she would take the
cure into her own hands this was her
chance 70 preach temperance.
The table was al ready for pouring tea.
when NJ. came in yet his coming delayed
II. Mrs. IL. continued to move about in
her good natured wGy, as usual, giving di-
rections TO her help, seeming not quite
ready. Removing his chair from the head
of the table to another room, and stepping
TO the foot, she said; ''Cone, ladies, we
will not wait for Erastus be is probably
detained BY press Of work which this ine
day has brought him. Ny husband can eat
when be comes Just as well 2" This wa
said in tone and manner that made il aD-
pear real We started, looked at each other,
then at Mrs. NJ, then at NJ, who sat on t. /,
sofa, rolling his great eyes, from which
supplying drink had driven the nymphs of
humor and wit, upon his wife, one hand
feeling Of his beard, the other trying to find
a button, or some place to hide in bis coat
pocket.
"Ain't your husband ? I thought"
You my husband No | married
Erastus Mackentyre; be i a gentleman and
An agent, ToU are Whiskey Jake, Old
Snelts, the saioon-keepers stool pigeon my
husband, indeed Come, ladies', don't let
lhis intruder spoil our tea T.
NJ. caught his hat and rushed out. Mrs.
VI. called after him
"lf you see my husband, Jake, tell him
to come home as soon As be can leave
His foot caught IN the rug, and he made a
false step-the first and last from such a
cause.
"Gin" - Z he 10 bis wife the next morning,
you are .rlmp, YOU have saved me. But
now did yCg carry the thing out so well
Did you know You came very near upsetting
What reason yesterday's work had left upon
it's throne? You see had an unusual run,
and you know what the custom is here Of
purchas RS drinking clinches with their pat
rons bad drank too much, knew, but
felt fully competent to conceal the fact till
/ came into the dining room once free from
the excitement Of business, and seated quiet
~ IN my own room, ! confess | was not my
self, brt until you spoke, | felt secure that
M secret was undiscoy cred. Your practical
joke finished me, and when you denied my
always so truthful and just,
the reality Of my metamorphosis was com
plete; felt that it was not IL that some
internal Hecate had transformed ne into the
wretch you took me to be. Feeling Of my
beard, and finding my pock book as | had
put il when left the Office, did not con
vince me OF my personality; | went into
the street, did not stagges but the horrid
impression hung to me that was not my
self ] went TO the office /; everything there
.,as as left it, and opened my blotters !;
tRere they were the minutes Of my last pur-
chase but did not feel satisfied. / went
to the glass-that would tell the truth; the
head was mine, and the clothes, but the face
that was not mine the staring eyes, sure
enough, were Ike Whiskey JAke's; the open
mouth was some like his, only not so .Arge,
and the lips thinner there was the same
blank horsor in the face, and this complete
iy paraiyzed what sense had left with
my hat in my hand | walked over to the
office OF my friend DR.. Stebbins; had
barely entered, when be spoke, "Why Mack
entyre, what ails you? are you sick ?" 81
dou't know wish you would tell me. Am
| myself, or somebody else 20 A loud guffaw
followed this appeal, which more than half
my reason. "Why, man." said the
doctor, "you have had driving business
to day; and you are little fuddled I'll
put all right, 50 tlat you can 90 home TO
your tea in five minutes" He gave me a
drug, aud was myself again, sure enough,
and as | was ashamed to come home, stay
ed at the hotel.
"But, Jennie, you viii never have to put
in practice your powers as a temperance
lecturer on me again. signed the pledge
early this morning, and have written Wayne
4 Co., to obtain another agent, il they re-
quire me to clinch my contracts by drinking
rum"
Mackentyre was not required to give NJ
his place as agent till year after be left
1t to take his place as a business partner in
the wealthy firm of Wayne & Co. and his
noble wife is now mistress Of one Of the finest
marb e-front mansions in the Empire CITY,