Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1871-11-30
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Something for Every Drinking
Man to Rca6.---

Something for Every Drinking
MAN to Rcad.-
'Grumble-grumble That's the way
Never anything in the house to eat when
- gethome from, work-or if there is, it
isn't 6t for a dog. Then when l speak OF
it, you cry and run on with a long string
of wantse 1 won't stand it," 146Ei
Ii was Sam Pilkington who spoke; his
sus poor, pale, patient wife, whom he address
.sWhy dent you talk back, Jane2 You
haven't the spirit of cat !"
Jane. was replying all the time. for tear
after tear chased each other down her
thin cheeks.
e"Why aren't the children at school
free schools-you can't say it takes mon
- 'sey to send 'em there !" f -
ell r edward. Emma, Samuel, Francis,
come here !" -
The four children, at their mothers
call, crept up from the corner into which
they bad crept when he, the father, came
in for they were afraid of him. ~ c5s4
1t was very cold, the ground was frozen
7 and covered with SHOW, yet not one of
III them all had a shoe on. Their clothes
were mended and patched all over, yet
hardly fit to wear in the house, not to
speak of the outdoor air.
t.Why haven't they got shoes and
clothes! q he cried fereely.
For he was sober to-day, and he was
worse than usual, for the want of his ac-
customed drink almost maddened him.
why don't you keep 'em fit to 60 to
= school? That's what | want to know and
/ will know it mighty quick, or I'll
trounce the life out of you %
-, "SamuelI want you to answer me,
truly, a few questions. Then you may
kill me and | will utter no word of re-
proach!"
well, ask 'em, and be quick about
it." a-s
"How much do you earn at the shop?'
1.-THE same as the other hands-nearly
twenty dollars a week"
=. ..How much do you allow me out of
that to keep house with
''Why, six dollars, you fool-a whole
dollar a day, counting out Sunday, when
I'm always out with my friends"
X Samuel, out Of this, four dollars a
week has to 90 for rent. or we would have
no rooms to live in. On two dollars you
expect me to feed yon and 9our children,
to clothe and keep shoes on their feet ""
"Well. you get washing to dor
I ~ W. DhnOCcs NdohthE u EGb a
. dollar a day! 1t is all l can get, and
more than [ am able to do :"
She was not weeping now.
"Well, Jane, it does look rather hard
never Mindful give you a little more
- next week. Have you got any money in
the house? | got to the shop late this
morning, and another man was at my
bench| can't work to-day %
HT have twpntv CENTS Samuel ~ @
Good. VIII you just run around to
the grocery and get me a bottle of gin?'
Yes. Samuel"
And Jane P~iIkington stopped down and
took the remnants of shoes, and the stock
ings full of holes from her feet.
"What are you doing that for, Jane?'
he asked, beginning to think she was 60
ing mad.
The ground is covered with wet snow,
Samuel-ifI get these wet, l have no
dry ones to put on and should | get sick
the children would starve entirely-they
are half starved now ="
And. barefooted, she took the bottle to
go out 13.z s-.~ ~ orb i.ita
e sf'Stop, Jane p he said huskily, ''Stop
this is too bad. 1 don't want hat gin !
Pm a miserable brute Il y hGG
gA.No, Samuel, you are my husband,
.and-and before you drank we were so
happy" -, -bGm
81 And now tears came in showers, and
not from her eyes alone-his arms were
around her as of old, and he fwept while
the children stood and wondered. 80
Est"Janei'' he sobbed, ..You asked me
once to sign the pledge. g L cursed you
and refused. But br ing it to me now,
and 1 will both sign it an d keep it l"d
s'Oh, my husband p she sob bed-"this
is the happiest minute of my life p,@
"Dear-good, patient JANET shall
BET I'll work harder than ever. and you
shall have all my wages with which to
make home what home should be -
Reader. to-day, in the whole length of
-Rivington street, ay, in all this city. you
cannot find a happier family than that of
the Pilkington's and all because a bus
band opened his eyes to home necessities
and outside dangers, signed the temper
ance pledge, and became a man.