The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1870-07-07
WHAT GUSSIE DID.
BY JULIA N. TIIAYER,

II was a jolly good dinner; and was
eaten, no small portion OF it, with the
highest relish, by that fortunate
youth, Gustayus Adolphus Brown
And no wonder; he had just returned
from a celebrated "InstitOOt," where
hasty pudding and mOlasses were con-
sidered n means of grace and mental
development. The home china and
and silver contrasted brightly with
the cracked porcelain and rickety
knives and forks of the 'InstitOot"
Table cloth and napkins were beau
tifulIy white. Invitingly odOTifer-
Gus were turkey and oysters, and ri
ceterds, which means jumble Of
soup, vegetables. jellies, puddings, cOf-
fee. ices, and champagne.
Mr.. Brown, from Gussie's point Of
observation, of course, was all fond
parent should be; Mrs. B. was moth-
erly and indulgent; Molly B. was full
of sisterly admiration and UDseliish
devotion.
Even Aunt Jane kept her speetae-
les in her dress pocket, and never once
squinted over them her horror at see
ing Gustavus AdOlphus attempt TO
swallow his knife, or take down his
whole oyster patty at one gulp.
Then, the only guest at the table.
DR.. SOandsO, from Somewhere, who
was very entertaining, and told a
great many funny stories.
The conversation must have run
somehow, upon eating and drinking,
for the Doctor referred, once to Alex
ander the Great, who died at the early
age of thir1y-fOm from drunkenness
and glnttony. "A striking warming
to Young America" And here Gus
sic thought the Doctor looked at him;
but be never minded, and went right
on eating his sixth tart, or there
abOuts, just As if nothing had hap
pened.
But when the deeanters were GpeB-
ed, GustaVus was really astORished
for the Doctor, with great gravity and
pOliteness, drank to his host i'm a glass
of cold water. This caused some mer-
riment at first; but was afterwards
followed by very earnest discussion
on the subject of "total abstineuce.n
They all adjourned TO the drawing
room, and Gustavus, curled up in
''Sleepy Hollow" Al the farther cor
ner of the room, was soon deeply i'm
mersed i'm the ARABIAN Nights"
But he could not shut out all eXter-
nal sounds; consequently dispOm-
QniG, deliTiuBl tTeDlcRS, psychology and
and physiOlOW mingled familiarly
with enehanter's wands and knights,
and castles5 and he saw, at one
glance, you might say, the man whose
breath famed up when he lighted his
pipe, and the wonderful, fl0Hd-wrapt
genii of the diamond cave.
In fact, between the WODdsPs of SCI
ence on one hand, and the wonders of
fiction on the other, Qussie was not
at all surprised to observe the walls Of
the room gradually receding, the
ceiling expanding into lofty, vaulted
roof; TO find himself, in short, the
only occupant of a wonderful cave,
adorned with beautiful staIactites,
and gushing fountains, and lighted
with a soft, unearthly radiance, that
seemed to emanate from myriads of
diamonds. ~ .@
"Ah % he thought, with a sigh of
supreme satisfaction, Otis true after
all, then; all that about genii and
magicians! Now if only had Alad-
in's wonderful lamp-but here is
something" And STOPPING down he
picked up-what? an empty cham
payne bottle. Was this, then, his
talisman? At least, he could find no
other; so, magician like, rubbing it
thrice upon the ground, To- a distant
rumbli6g sound, mingled with shrieks
and laughter, tliSn p fierce eTacklilg,
as of flames, ending with y gF9aB,
then vast volume of smoke, FOllia2
in at the mouth of the cave, envelop-
ing everything in its sombre folds.
Gradually this cleared away suffi-
ciently to disclose two eyes OF flame, a
bloated, satfrOn-colOred face and hair
that writhed like living serpents.
"What will you, young master ,
You have called, and obey" said
this strange being in hollow tones.
"HOrTid creature who and whence
are yOu?" cried the boy, with great
effort overcoming his surprise and
terror. Speak the truth, IcOmmand
YOU"
al am the Demon of Alcohol" re-
piled the spirit, in 4 pompous, swag-
geFing manner. "a million faithful
subjects own my sway; mountain
loads of goodly grain and fruits are
heaped upon my altars, and sixty
thousand human victims perish year
ly there. More ia number than all
your teachers and preachers, are those
who serve or curse mankind through
me. Famine and pestilence have
scOurged the human race, but mine is
the "wOrm that never dieth, and the
mo that is RRnf y l.. .
however | disguise myself, tits all the
same Whisky, brandy or gin, ale,
beer cider, or luscious wine, tits !,
Alcohol, in each and all OF these, that
mounting to the brain, steal away
mems sense and Judgment, and turn
their keenest wit TO maudlin foolish
ness.
''The heart, that restless, little en-
gine, that beats, beats, night and day,
moment by moment ah! / know
how TO clog its delicate wheels, and
make it labor heavily, or cease, with
out an instant's warning. Hark the
bells toll; that's another of my vie.
Tins launched into eternity"
The boy was spell-bOnnd and the
fiend went on.
"And to think how men deceive
themselves Your father takes a bot
tie of wine, with his dinner, 10 aid .di-
gestiOn, and does not know, poor fool,
(you needn't double up your fists; you
compelled me 10 speak the truth,)
doesen't know, say, that the more he
drinks the less rapidly his food di-
gests; for am there to irritate and
stupify, and finally destroy the diges-
tive powers. The cOachnnan takes q