The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1871-10-21
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What a cold, bitter night was
this-this night before Christmas. !
Poor Han Clement thought SO,
as he hung on tie tci.ce tlat sur
rounded apretty cottage, and gazed /
into tie windows So costly lit with |
Christmas warmth and cheer.
"W ell" he muttcred, Its queer !:
that | should be here outside, half
frozen, half starved, aud all them !
folks inside there, with plenty to
eat, lots of fire, and no end to
nick-nacks for young one's stock
ings, too.
Its queer that some folks have
everything, willie a poor devil like
me, who works just as lard, Easn't
anything. No, rot a cent to spend
this blessed Christmas night -
"Wait, friend Clement; if you'll
forgive the liberty, | can explain
something of this queer mystery to
you, and find remedy for it, |
think"
go, it's you, Farson Green, is it?
| didn't know | was doing my
grunnbIing out loud. But III just
tell you that it's tie queercst thing
in nature. why some folks have all
the sweet in this world, and some
others that know ot-all tie sour"
Friend Clement, have known
you for years, aid [ Know you to
be, in tie main-a good man. But
i you drink, and SO do all those with
whom you associate. You must
pay for their glass rs often as they
do for yours. And stand treat with
them, ON all extra occasions. Now,
| if you would work up a few fig
ureS, you would find this amounts
to quite a sum, in the course Of a
year"
ooh, look here, Parson Green,
Pm tired Of that kind Of preaching.
You nor any other man ever saw
me drunk, and as true as Pm alive,
| never take more than three. stiff
drinks day, only on lection days
and 4th of July-then | do take a
little extra"
the cost of these three drinks day,
ard then add the extras, with the
occasional Lifts you give toward
repairing the damages OF your up
roarious companions then you will
see that enough might have been III
your pocket tonight to have made
yourself ard family happy. Now
Clement, | wait You to join oul
temperance society. You may de.
pend upon it, You will find yourself
inside instead of outside the good
opinion and respect of your neigh
bors, as well as inside q cheerful
home of your own making, next
Christmas. Take this five-dolla1
bill for your comfort tomorrow
, make up your mind to turn over :
new leaf and go with me to on
next meeting, and sign the pledge
!. ''Parson, you just take you
money, and go to the flames will
: it. When | want your advice III
, ask you for it.! Just you kee]
6 your mind on your sermon, and lie
other folks business alone 20
Dan Clement stuffed his hand
e in his pockets and walked smartl
/ home in high Indignation angr
+ with all the world in general, an
parson Green i'll particular. Opel
: ing the door Of has kitchen, the firs
e sight that appealed to his heart, d
e well as his eyes, was the row {
is shabby little stockings hung u
s around the chimney-work; awaiting
!, in the fulness Of children's faith, tt
/ @something" that would be pr
It therein. This smote him sor
If For, as everybody said, "Dan Cl
v ment's heart was in the right plac
: only-he ooatladrink.' He turEc
= to his wife. She, with strained eye
u was endeavoring to set the few la
le stitches i'll a piece of work, by tt
Dl dying light of their only lamp.
! "Why, wife, is the kerosene a
out? and couldn't the childrt
m have got little 90
- 60, yes, if your credit was good
- she answered.
st That hurt. Credit with the or
I'd Ger gone, then!
e "What in the name of goodne
/, are we to have for Christmas di
ner, tomorrow, wife 90
y "All we have in the house, Da
n is half salt fish, a dozen potatot
and a box of Indian meal. Al
we should not have had that, if '
u had eaten all we wanted for supp
Tonight