The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-07-12
NV FIRST INTRODUCTION TO DE
TREMENS e. co,

am IN old commercial / have been OF
he road nearly thirty yea s. during which
{ ime have managed to make our house a
RockdaIe the most famous in the trade fol
Welsh iannels and railway rugs.
NV success, however with my customers
has not 50 much depended on the goodness on
chcapness of the goods had to offer, as upon
my personal abilities to please all sorts OF peo-
pie can sing good song and tell funny
story. / can drink wine, beer, or whisky, IN
any reasonable quantities. without growing dull
or drunk ! can even sit with teetotal Gus
TONER for mortal hours, over a p or two
of tea without swearing, always provided
here i, fair chance Of line in my order
sheet
One day last mouth was journeying in my
gig frora Shrewsbury to Chester; the day was
dull and damp, and Scotch mist peryaded
creation; The hedgcrows on either side of the
road, the people l met or overlook, the cows
and sheep in the fields, the crows and spar
rows, the houses ! passed, seemed utterly
miserable. wet through, done up and mysti-
fed. ! have weathered many storm, have
been wet and dry again two or three tunes
day; have been split into ditches pitched
ntO hedges and against stone walls; ] have
been robbed and nobbed by footpads and life
preservers but never before had | lost the
natural buoyancy and jollity of my dispo-
sitiOn On the morning Of the day in ques-
ton however, I felt like all things animate
and i,,animate ~ to speak commercially,
fooled OF course l had my remedy with
me in my driving-box, which soon pressed
into service; it was a pint flask, full Of the
purest Gienlivat. This is balm of Gilead
for any weather." thought l, as took my first
dose My mouth holds exactly one eighth of
a pint
Hundreds Of gallons have travelled the same
way but ! believe ambrosial nectar could
never have been so grateful to thirsty god
as that streak Of liquid sunshine was to me.
] felt MY chest expand, and my minds eye
could sce my other eyes sparkle with CLINT
of their usual fire. What cared / for wet with
out2 The whisky within was proof against
watery particles. and defied them in any shape
So, taking another drink to make sure l had
not served out short measure on the previous
occasion. j logged on, sometimes musing on
my past. sometimes specializing as to my
future. refreshing my memory and squirting
my hopes with spirits of the Elixir until in
due course I arrived at 'The Red Dragon,
mt Chester, full Of my usual spirits, and with
an empty flask.
by the time a kissing hot rnmp steak was
ready for absorption into my system, had
duly sent off my dispatches to our house
Business FIRST pleasure afterwards so / sat
down to my dinner pint of sherry, then had a
drop OF brandy to assist digestion, and then
my usual forty winks
I considered ! had now fairly got through
the business OF the day. and, frightening up,
| called for my pipe and forum of toddy, and.
resignirg myself to the soothing influence of
the weed and whisky. L alone waited patiently
for M arrival to spend the evening with; for
was alone in the commercial room, and the
only sounds cognizable to my senses. We're
those o. the rain peltng away at The window,
and the hollow rumblng of stray vehicles over
he paving stones.
| did not count never do but believe |
had arrived at my fifth grog and pipe, when,
feeling chilly. | drew the heavy armchair |
closer % the fire; this little act occupied
several minutes. for the handy legs of the |
stupid Did chair would make for themselves
place under the hearth rug. tried to circum-
vent tho awkward limbs, and temporised with
my toe. but the more kept on wanting to get |
them right. the more they kept on not want
ing to be righted, and being fidgety in all
title matters of personal comfort, | was posi-
lively obliged, at the risk of a rush of blood
10 the head. to lift the club footed old chair
with one hand, and to lay the refractory corner
IF the rug with the other
When, by this effort of exhausted nature,
had accomplished my object, l took q stiff
pull at my replenished toddy, filed my pipe
md lighted il. and, with the feelings OF a
man who has obtained victory, l threw my
,elf into my late cnemy's lap, pinched his
mahogany old arms with my elbows, stretched
,ut my feet upon his fender, and laughed out
light at my triumph, with my usual Jolly Ha
IN till the room rang again.
Ha ha! ha har till the room rang
gain. followed like an echo the Ha ha
hat originally belonged to me.
To my surprise and delight, found an arri-
,al had enscOnsed himself IN the fellow-c chair
o mine, had his jorum of teddy on the other
'orDer Il tho mantle, his pipe in full blast,
lis elbows ON the mahogany arms of my late
nemys own brother, and his toes almost
ouching mine on the fender.
l looked at the arrival, and the arrival
ooked at M. bowed to him. and received
court sous bend in return
Wet night said l.
Wet night, said he
And cold. said L. '
And cold said he
Nice fire. said l. l
Nice FIRE. said he. .....@.
He seemed TO try to give his words nv exact
htonaton. ,
He WIS hooking me
Damn it = said l. and laughed
Damn II said he. and laughed laughed
muCE IKE me, mat could not distinguish
ny difference. either in quantity or quality;
e WAS right to single Ha .
toc4 another pull at my toddy and so did I
Q! J ,moised my pipe serenely, and made !
cry deliberate survey of my friend He be- J
anne Immediately engaged in the same inter
sting occupation with me. He was man ! !
bout my own age, and evinced his taste by S
dop6ng style Of costume closely resembling
" Own noticed particularly, that his feet $
ere enaased in French cloth boots, with mar l
w tips Of patent leather at the toes, like !
'ine in TACT felt tempted to offer him con-
derwsAe odds that could name the maker
nd the aumber Of the lasts upon which they I
ere mnde His face too, seemed to be verv ;,
Ike my style Of face; there was the noble brow.
70 partially bald pate the expressive mouth, \
le magnficent toeth. the chiselled nose. the \
o not .hc eloquent dark eyes-the same sort \
eyes though, differing only from mine in A
ne itas particular feature His ewes had ! A
ID ring round each. caused perhaps by cold !
grief nor could he boast of rosy. fresh
'mpaevion such as mine; his was most de- =
dedly sholeric blue az indigo Ia,ncluded
onoo that he travelled for some drysalter.