The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1868-09-02
The Force OF Imagination.

1nerS is uoC City, Vo"A
lage in the United States, but has
it's own share floafers, or hangers
on about places where liquors
ate dispensed; and the case holds,
good in a thriving town in the
State of Maryland. Ny loafer,
or hanger-on, I will. style Bob
Bray. He was the bane Of John
ny Hemlock's existence, for John
ny kept a sfcorner grocery where
not only eatables- hut drinkaoles
were dispensed over the counter
Bob had a weakness for the :"ar-
dent" but labored under a disease
Of the pocket which Hemlock face
siously styled--"chronic impe-
curiosity" He would saunter in
through Johnny's open door half
a dozen times diurnally, and,wIth
admirable diplomacy, manage. to
abstract tumbler of old rye from
de :ssbsrrels branded pure un-
sduterated Monongahela," with
oat attracting the attention OF
Jehnny's otherceastomers, but not
the Argus eyes of Johnny himself:
One afternoon Hemlock, con:
cocsed a patatable fancy drink, and
last as he was about to place it to-,
his lips, a lady customer entered,
.soa he4was conpeHed~te forgo the
pleasure of imbibing until she had
been waited upon. The lady had
q number of purchases to make;
and, in the meantime, some half q
dozen men came into the stere;i
and among them Bob Bray. lie
soon exercised, his accustomed
strategy and found himself face to
face, with Johnny's fancy drink
His eyes sparkled, and without a
thought he "downed with it," and
smacking his lips, took a seat on
keg- of. .tenpeany nails, and With
refreshing, GOODNESS, commenced to
light his pipe. Johnny had wit
aessed the operation, and, with a
,mental VOW. determined to have
soms fun, and at the:same time to
rid hinslf.of his thirsty and: "im-
pecuniors" friend. :: :.
So soon as his customer had
been attended to, and her arms
loaded with brown paper parcels,
Johnny gave a sly wink to the
halfa dozen men, who were ranged
In all sorts Of positions about the
store, and appeared in no hurry.
to be waited upon, and commenced
drawing some old Bourbon for a
seedy, but paying: customer; ous
no sooner did his eye fall upon the
empty glass, than, he gave a
theatrical start, and, dropping the
pint measure, exclaimed in q loud
and. excited tone to his errand boy,
who had entered 1.-THE back door
in the nick of time;
sFer Gods sake, Dick, did you
drink thisg' and he held up the
empty glass: =:
'fNo, sir; you know I never
drink" replied the boy in some
what crusty manner:
Bob ,Bray~pricke up bis ears,
dropped his jack-knife, and with
balfdozen customers, surrounded
:8ohnny.
= >>~aIn tho name Of heaven, Bob
have you-did you drink thls?'
and ,Henlock glared, wildly at the
glass and leaned against q molas-
ses barrel the image of despair.
.Why-yes, Anything wrong;
itr' Bob looked green with un:
,dasned terrer.-He changed color
from white to red, fron scarlet to
sea water, and knecking the ashes
from his pipe, looked from Hem:
lock to.the:fatal. glass. :: :: -.
: "Wrong !" cried Johnny, t.vas
rank, deadly poisonA I mixed It
to kill rats with. I was to soak
some crackers with it, and scatter
them about the crevieess; and
row"
TINY God, Hemlock what am !
70 do2 IL believe I am a
dyingw and Bob made rush for
the coal-scuttle, and leaning over
It paid the penalty Of his temerity
After some few agonizing throes