Weekly Trinity journal., 1873-06-21
a FRIEND INDEED.


heap of filthy rags might be seen
stretched on some of the bales of paper
warehouse in neighboring city, with n
strong smell of stale tobacco and whisky
hanging about it. Turning it over (Which
you could do as thought were log, any
time after ten o'clock in the morning),
you would find the swollen, purple face
Of what had once been handsome yonng
man, but there was little hope that the
bleared eyes and thick tongue would give
an intelligent answer. The porters pass
ing by would push him aside, but not
roughly. The time had been when he
had been II jolly, generous young fellow,
and tavorite with all in the office
" Young Rodgers" some one would give
his history in five minutes: "Taken to
drink, no chance poor fellow. Stokes,
(thc proprietor) could not turn him out to
starve, 50 still gave him nominal sala-
ry, and suffered him to hang about the
house, lest he should take to worse cour-
scs than drinking" There were hints
too, of widowed mother, away off in
the country, who had been dependent on
him, and sweetheart, a pretty, clinging
little girl, both of whom, long ago he
had abandoned. But there was nothing
TO be done. The end, through the usual
horrors of delirium trcmens, was appar
emily not far off.
One day, as Rodgers was creeping to
the nearest bar for his morning btters, Il
man, whom he barely knew by sight,
took him by the arm and walked with
him into n quieter street. "They tell me
you are Richard Rodgers son." he said,
Dick Rodgers was the only friend had
for years, and for his sake, I'd like to
save his boy. Are you willing for me to
try ?" "Oh, you can try" muttered the
lad, with an imbecile laugh. This name
less friend, nothing daunted, took him to
chamber in his own house and put him
to bed. There he and his sons watched
and guarded this poor wretch for months,
like prisoner, keeping liquor from him
and trying to supply its place with medi-
cal treatment. A physician he employ
Led, but he was not able to pay for n
nurse. Any one who has had to deal
with victim of mania u pOtu can guess
how difficult and loathsome task he
had set himself. Ungrateful enough was
the task Mt first, for Rodgers struggled
against his tormentors with the ferocty
of-just what he was-a starving animal.
AS reason began to return and his unnat-
ural strength to vanish, he would beg
them in the intervals of reason not to fail
him, but to work out the experiment to
either success or death. 1t is my last
chance" he would cry, "ior Gods sake
be patient" This friend, with his son,
did work it out through all its foul, un-
mentionable details, and the end was not
death, but success. How soon," asked
friend of Rodgers, afterwards, t"were
you trusted alone ?" "Not for two years"
he answered laughing. g | was out Of
Jail but in Jail bounds. Do you remem-
Der that lank, muscuaryoung fellow who
had desk beside me in the Office lie
took it with the condition that he could
leave it to dog me night and day, to my
meals and to my bed. That was the son
Of the man who saved me. lie was tax
en- from II lucrative situation that he
might become my jailer. God bless him !!
How ! used to curse him Cant you
trust my honor p | would cry. Pm so
convinced your honor has got the con
SUMPTION the Scotch-lrshman would
say, Wen put no burdens on it until it
has recovered its health.'"
" Your friend was a wealthy man, no
doubt, and able to give both time and
money to your case" "On the contrary
he is but the owner Of II small hat store,
and supports his family out Of that. He
is rich and noble only in the deed and
spirit Of friendship" All this was years
ago. Rodgers is now an honorable man,
married to his old love, with his gray
haired mother by his hearth, bringing to
it the perpetual bcncdiction of benignant
old age. His friend sells hats-makes no
speeches nor bruit Of any sort in the
world. Nobody has recognized in him
hero. Yet who for the sake of dead or
living friend would go and do likewise :?
~. y. Iif6aHe.
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Poor JURORs.-The Southern Gross,