The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1871-10-19

| me-. didn't care to go to my work.
didn't want to 60 home.
pretty soon saw, from the window,
10 Eckels coming up the street, with
bis jaunty step and CHEEKY face. I al
| most envied him. He came into the 81
loon, went up to the counter, and asked
for a drink of something strong. He
was in the habit of taking it regularly,
to keep his spirits up, as he said, by
pouring spirits down.
AFTER he had tossed off his bumper,
as he said, and sung fragment of an
old drinking song
Your mountain sack, your Frontenac
Tokay. and twenty more. sir,
Your sherry and Perry. that make men
Are deities adore, sir
He turned round to me. Stephen he
said, why don't you follow my exam-
pie? You see how merry 1 am. Do
look in that glass there and see how
woe begone you look. Why. you might
sit for the picture Of the Knight of the
! Rueful Countenance. Come, let me
prescribe for you just for this once. If
those megrims don't go flying away
then never trust me again. .Jim,' he
said to the boy behind the counter, 'fill
me glass; Jim did as he was bidden,
aud 10 took the glass and brought it UP
to me. Now, Stephe,' he said, you
know am your true friend. Just drink
this for my sake, just this once. There's
q potent spell in it. I'll warrant it to
send all those blue devils lowering
round you. flying away in '.presto be.
gone,' and he held the glass up to my
lips.
"'Not the whole it. 10, said, TAX
ing the glass. Il couldn't bear it, Pm
not used to it. you know
Better for you if you were,' he said,
as I raised the glass and drank off about
half its contents; 'hetter if you took
dram now and then, as do. Why,
you need it, with your temperament; !;
its nerve food. Your nerves get worn
and want renewing every day
HE carried back the glass, and then
came and sat down beside me. We fell
into conversation. 10 had such cheer
ful s, irit it was contagious. When we
had talked about half an hour by the
little clock on a shelf before us. the
empty, weary feeling had left me, what
with the stimulus I h ad taken, aud the
mental stimulus Of JOS companion
ship.
ut was growing dusk now. Jo got
up and ciapped me on the shoulder, MY
medicine has worked like charm, old
boy he said I've been watching its
effect. Why, you don't look like the
same fellow you did when I came in.
Any one might imagine you'd had a
fortune fall to you all Of a sudden, you've
frightened up so wonderfully. Now l
hope you'll have confidence in your
physician, and allow him to prescribe
still further. Come with me into the
back room, and let's take a game Of
cards to while away the time till the
oysters come, and cook ked, that you say
you are waiting for. You and haven't
taken a game together for long time.
Let's take one for "auld lang syne."'
81 ha" played cards, but never in
saloon. felt as if there was something
degrading about that. But when he
challenged the in his free, playful way
and 10 was the prince Of good fellows
only little reckless-I rose and follow
ed him into the back room, where there
was table and cards ready, and a pleas.
an, fire glowing in the CRATE, for it was
a cool evening.
1--WE sat down and played-I don't
know how long-until the boy came
and told US the oysters had come, and
asked how We would have them cooked
We told him, and he took them to Mrs.
Eldred, the proprietor's wife. They oc-
cupied rooms back of the saloon, and
she was capital hand at cooking oys-
ters
"'Here, you, SIR 10 called after the
boy as he went cut, bring the oysters
right in here when they are cooked.
We don't want to change our quarters
again
"Yes, SIR the boy said, and went
on.
"We'l, we got our oysters, and we had
another dram, 10 singing,
Wen take cup o. Kindness, yet,
For auld lang syne,'
and we sat up quite late, playing and
talking, Jo filling up the intervals with
snatches Of song. went home refresh
ed in body and spirit. The weary,
lsnguid, dispirited feeling had all gone,
and felt hopeful and strong. No need
to detail, to follow the steps Of my down.
ward course from this point. 1 found
the truth of the adage, 'E.sy is the de
scent to hell Iwent occasionally at
f1rst to this place where I had spent 80
pleasant An evening, for a dram, and
good cheer, and lively company, and
went home exhilarated and refreshed.
Then l went oftener, staid later, drank
deeper, and went home sometimes in
state Of beastly ication. Prudence
expostulated and recrim mated, sc,lded
and pleaded by turns. l was influenced
sometimes by her entreaties to stay at
home for an evening. but she had lost
the power over me, she once had.
II was sensible whittier my habits
were leading me, but I did not seem to
have power to resist temptation, especial
~ as the cause at home, that had first
driven me to these habits, still remained
In full force.
NOW l have made resolve not to
touch or taste' for six months. I'll
can succeed in this, hope to for long
er time, and then nerhans I sha II oscar ra