The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1873-09-11
PLAYING RESTAURANT.

"Sidney, / am tired of this said little
Harry Hunter, as he threw down his bat and
ball. "What else shall We play ~
81 know" said Sidney ''lets play keep
ing restaurant. I'll be the bar-keeper, and
YOU make believe you are coming in to get a
drink. I'll fix this board on these bricks
for the place the man stands behind when
he pOurs out the drinks; I'll put these old
bottles on it, and these blocks for cigar boxes,
as we see them fixed in the windows There
now, that's right; but bet you can't do
your part, Harry you re too little"
"Can't I?-deed can, though-elegant, :"
said Harry, gleefully, "cause | saw pa do it,
and he ought to know how"
"Pd like to know where you saw pa taking
a drink, Harry? I don't believe it," said
Sidney.
''But did see him" said Harry. stoutly.
81 went walkin' with him yesterday, and
when we got by the place at the corner
where the windows are fixed like our bar
here, only ever so much nicer-well, pa told
me to wait minute, cause he wanted to see
man in there, and when he opened the door
| saw such pretty things-big glasses and
pictures, and shiny fixin's, and lots of other
things, SO l pushed the door open wee little
mite, and peeped in"
DWELL, said Sidney, who was much inter
ested, ''what did pa do?'
81 can't show you without tumbler y
was Harry's reply; "but I'll find one" and
he scampered into the kitchen, and was back
in twinkling with a cracked glass he found
on the table. "There! now I'll show you, y
and he placed the glass on the make-believe
bar.
He went off short distance and returned
with his hands in his pockets, walking with
a comical strut, in imitation of his fathers
long strides. Brandy" said he, elevating
his childish voice..
Sidney turned around, and pretended to
pour something into the glass, which he gave
to Harry, and he could hardly keep from
laughing as the mimic topper turned his head
back, as if draining out the last drop of the
supposed contents, smacked his lips, wiped
them with his tiny handkerchief and placing
on the bar piece of paper as a substitute
for stamp, strutted away.
Sidney could hold out no longer, but burst
into a roar of laughter, upsetting, in his
merriment, the whole establishment, and
sending blocks boards, bricks, and tumblers
all in one confused pile at his feet
''Now, Harry, did pa really look that way?
| didn't know he ever drank any liquor. Ma
says its wrong" said Sidney, as soon as he
could get his face straight
eyes, he did do just that way showed
you, and when Pm man, I'll do so too.
When he started to come out, | ran out on
the pavement, and / heard man say, eff
Hunter goes on in this way, he'll be in danger
SOON What did he mean, SidneyF %
Before Sinney could reply, the dinner bell
rung, and the hungry little fellows rushed
into the house.
Seated at the window overlooking the play
ground, the father of these children had seen
and heard, through the halfclosed blinds,
all that had transpired. Words are power
less to express the feeling that agitated his
breast. The childish lesson, so unconscious
ly taught, was not lost, for never again did
he drink a glass of liquor; the little ones
had cared him by playing at keeping a
THE Little Soccer