The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1873-01-17
Playing at Keeping Restaurant,

light from the sun.-Rurdl Sun.
Playing nj Keeping Restaurant
"Sidney, | am tired of this" said lii
Tile Harry Hunter, rs he threw down hi;
bat and ball. "What else shall We
play?"
81 know" said Sidney; "let's play
keeping restaurant III be the barkcep
er, and you make believe you are coming
in to get drink. I'll fix this board Oh
these bricks for the place the man stands
behind when he pours out the drinks; III
put these old bottles on il, and tlest
blocks for cigar boxes, as We see them fit
ted in the windows. There now, that's
right; but l bet you can't do your part,
Harry; you're too little"
Can't I?-'deed l can though--ele-
CANT" said Harry, glcefully; "'cause |
saw pa do it, and he ought to know how.
"Pd like to know where you saw your
pa taking drink, Harry? don't be-
lieve it, said Sidney.
"But did see him" said Harry, stout
ly. 81 went walkin' with him yester-
day, and when we got by the place at
the corner, where the windows are fixed
like our bar here, only ever so much nj
eer-well, pa told me to wait minute,
cause he wanted TO see a man in there,
and when he opened the door | saw such
pretty things-big glasses and pictures,
and shiny fixins and lots of other things,
so l pushed the door open wee little
mite, and peeped in"
"Well," said Sidney, who was much
interested, "what did pa do?"
Il can't show you without tumbler,'
was Harry's reply; "but I'll find one,
and he scampered into the kitchen, and
was back in a twinkling with cracked
glass he found on the table. "There.
now I'll show you" and he placed the
glass on the make believe bar.
He went on little distance and re-
turned with his hands in his pockets,
walking with a comical strut, in imita-
ton of his fathers long strides.-''Bran-
dy," said he, elevating his childish voice.
Sidney turned round, and pretended
to pour something in 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,
and smacked his lips, wiped them with
his tiny handkerchief, and placing on
the bar a piece of paper as substitute
for stamp, he strutted away.
Sidney could not hold out any longer,
but burst into roar of laughter, upset
ting in his merriment the whole estab-
lishment, and sending blocks, boards,
bricks, and tumbler, all in one confused
pile at his feet.
snow, Harry, did pa really look that
way? / didn't know he ever drank any
liquor. Ma says its wrong" said Sid
ney as soon as he could get his face
straight.
"Yes, he did do just that way showed
you, and when I'm a man I'll do so too.
When he started to come out, | ran out
ON the pavement, and | heard a man
say, If Hunter goes on in this way,
he'll be in danger SOON What did he
mean, Sidney"
Before Sidney could reply, the dinner
bell was rung, and the hungry little fel-
lows rushed to the house.
Seated at the window overlooking the
playground, the father of these children
had seen and heard; through the half
closed blinds, all that had transpired.
Words are powerless to express the feel
ing that agitated his breast. The child
ish lesson, so unconseiously taught, was
not lost, for never again did he drink a
glass of liquor; the little ones had cured
him by "playing at keeping a restau-
rant. The Little SoUer.