The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1870-05-14

wouldnt be done by the next SATURDAY,
should have told it to go to heaven, where
it came from, and not bother me with such
nonsense.
But there is such thing as drinking to
drown sorrow. | had the price of the boots
in my pocket-$14-and dived into the
first station on the road to perdition that 1
came to, and took brandy straight. There
met some old acquaintance, drink fol-
lowed drink, and the end of it was that I
next morning with a head that passeth all
understanding.
$14 gone, and no boots vet!
On the next Saturday, having again, by
the NEST rigid exercise of economy, accu-
mulated the sum Of fourteen dollars, l
called at that anti-veracious sooemaker's,
Oxhide Viren. | entered the shop this
time without the slightest misgiving, and
friendly greetings were exchanged.
''Fm glad said /, "to at last get these
demoralized old boots off. Why, they're
worn out of all recognition, and leave the
color of my bare foot in the sand every step.
Where's the new 'uns?'
"Well, well, Mr.. JONES'" said Oxhide
Viron, ''I'll declare I'm sorry-I would mt
for the world!-but the filters"
l fell to the floor in a swoon, and next
morning found myself not only in the sta
tion-heuse, but broke-utterly bankrupt
$2s gone, and he boots yet!
1t was two weeks before l was in a con-
dition to call for those boots again. ASH
approached the spot once more-the spot 1
now so bitterly hated-with the S14 in my
pocket, l soliloquized:
"Well, it's about time! Utterly bare
foot. Well, I'll take 'em this time, but
Oxhide Viron, Esq, makes no more boots
for me!-not for Jones! Confound HIM
This makes, may say, $42 they've cost
mer'
lie started, with a vexatiouS air, as l
entered, as though he had stuck his hand
with an awl-I wish he had.-and ex-
claimed:
"Now, l declare! l did think, certain,
I'd have them boots, but I've been laid up.
| struck my hand with the hammer the day
after you were here last "-(Sunday, read
err" and, until this very morning, haven't
been able
There is variety of despair which gene
rates calmness-a calmness, silent, express
sionless, but deep and awful. This was the
species of of despair which 1 now patroni-
zed, and with the smile of harmless
maniac, departed.
"1ou shall have them next week, sure"
he called after me. ''I'll 60 right to work
ON 'em now.''
''All right" cried.
l strobe away, calmly bordering. |
thought of my revolver, my razor of the
clethesline in the back yard, of strychnine,
morphia, laudanum, the Alta" and the
silent waters Of the Bay. asked myself
{" What is life9'' and Immediately gave it
up. I then repeated the first line Of Ham
let's soliloquy, and tried to pray. But my
praying machine had got all out of order,
and wouldn't work. l then directed my
steps to fashionable boot and shoe store
on Kearny street. near the base of Tele-
graph Hill, and bought temporary pair of
shoes at So, for those old boots wouldn't
stand it any longer.
"They will do me till those boots are
done," unused.
All, false prophet!
then plunged into $12 worth of dissi-
patton.
The next time 1 called on my bootmaker,
he had had sickness in his family; the next
time the rheumatism; the next time the
neuralgia; the next time change had been
made in the number Of his family; the next
time he had had the toothache; the next
time his boy had died; the next time
slight fire had visited him; the next time
he-he-hadn't " them - boots done yet.
did not discontinue nay visits. Habit is
second nature, and as regularly as Saturday
night has come, have ever since called for
&c them boots have become intimately
with the shoemaker's whole
family, while every saloon-keeper within
many blocks of the place knows me; the
has long since begun to seem
like home to me; the children of the vicini-
ty smile, clap their hands at the approach
ofmy familiar form, and run to meet me,
and the dogs wag their sagacious tails and
fondle upon me. I have now worn cut
wenty-eight pairs of temporary" shoes,
spent $1S7.75 and "them bosts'' are not
done yet!
WILL sHOEMAKERs LIE?