The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-05-27

10 go WlJn MIN ii ne would go ana take
dinner with us. He agreed to this at once,
and we thought we had him sure. We
planned that after dinner was eaten, we
would have some light sweet wine brought
on, and that we would contrive to get rum
enough into what he drank to upset him,
for nothing on earth could please us more
than to get Jack Small drunk, and carry
him on board in that shape, for then we
fancied that the captains favoritism would
be at an end, and that he would no longer
look upon our rival with preference over
ourselves. We had the matter all arr anged
and in the meantime we paid Jack all the
attention in our power-so much so that
he at length signified willingness to go
anywhere to please us, provided we would
not go into any bad place.
"Dinner time came, and most capital
dinner we had. We had selected one of
the best hotels, for the prices were no high
er there than at places of lower repute,
and, in fact, not so high, for these low
places fleece us sailors most numerically.
The eatables were despatched with be-
coming gusto and then the wine was
brought on.
"Ah what have you here ?" asked Jack
betraying some uneasiness at the appear
ance of the glasses and bottles.
"Only little new wine," replied, as
carelessly as / could. "Mere juice of the
grape"
"But it is wine, nevertheless" pursued
he.
1T isn't wine," cried Sam Pratt, who
was one of the hardest nuts old Neptune
ever cracked.
"No," chimed in Tim Black, another of
about the same stamp. It's only little
simple juice. Come, boys, fill up"
"The glasses were accordingly filled,
Sam Pratt performing that duty, and he
took good care that Jacks glass had a
good quantity of sweetened rum in it.
"No," said Jack, as the glass was mov-
ed toward him. eff you are going to COM
mence thus, l will keep your company with
water while you remain orderly, but will
not touch wine"
"This was spoken very mildly, and with
kind smile, but yet it was spoken firmly
and we could see that our plan was about
him to drink with us-only one glass, if nc
more. We told him how innocent it was,
and how happy his social glass would make
us, but we could not move him.
"Then let him 60 !" cried Tim, who had
already drank some. In fact, all Of lis but
Jack had drank more or less during the
forenoon' "Let him go-we don't want
the mean fellow with u.s."
"That's it," added Sam, with bitter
off he goes "If he's too good to drink
with his shipmates, we don't want him."
"You misunderstood me-" said Jack, il
a tone of pain. am not too good to drinl
with you, in the sense in which you woult
take it, but do not wish to drink at all. y
"Too stingy-that's all" said ], deter
mined to make him drink if ! could. Blu
Jack looked at me so reproachfully as
said this, that wished had not spokei
as / did.
If you wish to enjoy your wine, mess
mates," said Small, at the same time rising
from his chair, "you can do SO, but bel
you will excuse me. will pay my shar'
of the expense for the dinner.
"And for your share of the wine" sai'
Tim, {" for we ordered it for YOU"
"No," returned Jack; can not pay 70
any of the wine"
4" Mean Z" cried two or three at breath
" No, no, messmates-not mean. l vii
pay for the whole Of the dinner--for ever
article you and have had in the house
save the wine"
"And as he spoke he rang the bell. II
asked the waiter who entered what TIN
bill was for the company, without tn
wine, and after the amount had been state
.he took out his purse TO pay it, when SaI
Pratt, who was our acknowledged leader
caught his arm.
"'No---not so, said Sam. 'You shal
not pay for it, for we will not eat a
the expense Of one who will sneak out-of
scrape in this way. We want nothin
more to do with you unless you take
glass of wine with us
"Very well,' said Jack and as h
spoke l could see that his lip quivered, an
that he dared not speak more.
81 He turned toward the door then, bu
before he could reach it Tim Blake ran an
caught him, at the same time exclaiming-
80 May be blessed II you go off so, an
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