The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-04-18

slPHliltu u Willingness 10 go anywhere 10
please us, provided we would not go to any
bad place.
"Dinner time came, and Il most capital
dinner we had. We had selected one ofthc
best hotels, for the prices were no higher
there than at places of lower reputc, and,
in fact, not so high, for the low places
fleece a sailor most numerically. The eat
abes were dispatched with becoming gusto,
and then the dishes were removed, and at
sign from me the wine was brought on.
"'Ah, what have you herer asked Jack,
betraying some uneasness at the appear
ance of the glasses and bottles
only little new wine | replied, as
carelessly as | could. 'Nerc juice of the
grape
But it is wine, nevertheless, presumed
he.
at isn't wine' cried Sam Pratt, who was
one of the hardest nuts old Neptune ever
cracked.
No, chmed in Tim Black, another of
about the same stamp, Its only little
simple juice. Come, boys, fill up
"The glasses were accordingly filled,
Sam Pratt performing that duty, and he
took care that Jacks glass had II good
quantity of sweetened rum in it.
No, said Jack, as the glass was moved
towards him; 'ifyou are going to commence
thus, 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 it was spoken firmly, and
we could see that our plan was about being
knocked in the51head. Wei urged him to
drink with us-only enc glass, if no more.
We told him how innocent it was, and how
bnY,,, HE social ,,lacc ,vnp1I oh L,,t
we could not move him.
Then let him go" cried Tim, who had
already drank some. In fact, all of us but
Jack had drank more or less during the
forenoon. Let him go! We don't want the
mean fellow with us
That's it,, said Sam, with bitter smile
'Ofhc goes. If he's too good to drink with
his shipmates, we don't want him.
You misunderstood me- said Jack, in Il
tone Of pain i am not too good to drink
with you, in the sense in which you take it,
But do not wish to drink at ALL
TOO stingy, that's all, said /, determined
to make him drink if could. But he
looked at me So reproachfully as said this
that wished | had not spoken as did.
III you wish to enjoy your wine, mess
mates said Small, at the same time rising
from his chair you can do so, but | beg
you will excuse me. | will pay my share
of the expenses for the dinner.
And for your share OF the wine,' said Tim,
for we ordered it for you.
NO returned Small, Il cannot pay for
any of the wine
'VeaH!' cried two or three at breath.
No, no, messmates, not mean. ! will
pay for the whole dnner--for every article
you and have had in the house, save the
wine
"And rs he spoke he rang the bell. lie
asked of the waiter who entered what was
the bill for the company, without the wine,
and after the amount had been stated, he
took out his purse to pay it, when Sam
Pratt who was the acknowledged leader,
took hold ofhis arm.
'No-not So said Sam. you shall not
pay for it, for we will not eat at the expense
of one who will sneak out Of scrape in
this way. We want nothing more to do
with you, unless you take glass of wine
with us.
Very WELL, said Small; and as he spoke
| could see that his lip quivered, and that he
dared not say more.
''He turned towards the door then, but
before he reached it Tim Black ran and
caught him, at the same time exclaming ::
May be blessed if you go off so, any
way. You've commenced it, and now you've
got to stick it out
This was the signal for us to commence
again, and again we tried to induce Small
to take wine and when we found that urg-
ing would not do, we commenced to abuse
and scoiI. We accused him of trying to
step over US on board the ship, and of all
other bad things of which we could think
For while the poor fellow seemed inclined
to let his anger get upper hand; but at
length he Gained himself, and stepping back
to his chair said:
'Shipmates, will you listen to me for a
moment|
Silence gave consent, and in moment
more she resumed:
"'Since matters have come to this pass,
| have resolved to tell you what had
meant TO keep locked up in my own
bosom"
"Wc had always thought, from Jacl s
manner, that there was something peculiar
connected with his early life. and we were
all attention in moment.
"'My story Is but very short one, he
continued, and | can tell it in very few
words From the time of my earliest child
hood. never knew what it was to have a
happy home. My father was a drunkard
Once he had been good man and good
husband, but rum ruined ali his manhood
and made brute of HIM. ! can remember
how cold and cherries was the first winter
of my life to which my memory leads my
mind. We had no fire, no food, no clothes,
no joy, no nothing, nothing but misery and
woe! My poor mother lsed to clasp me
to her bosom to keep me warm, and once.
once ! remember, when her very tears
froze on my cheek O, how my mother
prayed TO God for her husband and |,
who could just prattle, learned to pray,
too a | used to see that husband and
father return to his home, and remember
how my mother cried and trembled
"'When | grew older had to go out and
beg bread. All cold and shivering / waded
through the deep snow, with my clothes in
tatters and my freezing feet almost bare
And saw other children of my own age
dressed warm and comfortable, and knew
they were happy, tor they laughed and
sang as they bounded along towards school,
These boys had sober fathers. | knew that
their fathers were no better than mine had
been once. for my mother had told me how
noble my father could be if the accursed
demon rum were not in his way but the
fatal power was upon him, and though he
often promised, and though he uften tried,
yet he could not escape.
Time passed on and | was eight years
old, and those eight years have been years
of such sorrow and suffering as pray God
| may never see another experience. At
length one cold morning, in the dead of
winter, my father was not at home. He
had not been ut home during the night
My mother sent me to the tavern to see if
| could find him. had gone half the way
when | saw something in the snow by the
side of the road. | stopped, and shudder
ran through me, for it looked like n human
form. went up to it, turned the head
over, and brushed the snow from the face.
1t was my father, and lie was stiff and cold I,
] laid my hand upon his pale brow, and it
was like solid marble. He was dead.'
Poor Jack stopped a moment and wiped
his eyes. Not one of us spoke, for we had
become too deeply moved. But soon he
continued
g i went to the tavern and told the peo-