The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1875-01-13
Detroit Free Press. lst.
A NEW YEARS STORY.
How Old Jim Drayt ton swore on.

How Old Jim Drayton Swore OF.
He came to town last night to drink
the old year out and the new year in
There are men who can remember
when he had a cottage of his own
when he was well dressed and had a
frank, honest face when his children
went to Sunday y-school and his wife
was we'll clothed and carried a happy
face Old Jim found himself going
down the hill, and almost in a year he
had changed from a hard-working
respectable man to ragged, lazy sot
and no effort on the part of those who
loved him could stop his descent. His
home went, his furniture went, good
clothes and happy faces disappeared,
and wretchedness and poverty moved
into the old tenement-house on Beau
bien street with him.
Do you remember when his child
was run over and killed? Old Jim
was dead drunk while the body lay in
the house. Were you ever at the
Central Station Court when he was
| sent up for drunkenness or for beating
his wife? Have you never seen him
sleeping his drunken sleep in the
alley? Haven't you heard the police
speak Of "Old Jim Drayton?" A red
wicked face, having not one soft line
in tired eyes, looking stupidity and
vacantly at you-a battered hat--rag-
ged clothes-you surely must have
| met him at some time.
Old Jim meant to have a big drunk
That was a good way to wind the old
giving-he had staggered home drunk
1rh HI
were heard wishing that Santa Claus
had not passed them by the father be-
came angered and beat them. The
bar-keeper knew him rs he entered
the saloon and called for drinks He
had called there dozens of times b. .
fore, and his face was as familiar as
the sight of the big decanter from
which he poured his drink.
wait a minute, said the bar
keep ", who was wiping off the bar;
and old Jim sat down at one of the
tables.
Two young men came in and sat
down near him. Jim was in the
shadow, and they did not know who
it was. AS they drank their beer they
spoke of the dying year, and of their
resolves to break of some of their bad
habits, and finally one of them said:
Some one was saying that Old j i'm
Drayton had cut his throat!'
Its good news, if true" replied the
other. No one will miss the old sot
not even his family. His wife and
children are in rags, his home hasn't
q comfort, and if he'd only die folks
would feel like helping them He's
the lowest drunkard in Detroit"
"Yes, I've often wondered why he
didn't jump into the rlver,' rejoined
the other. IT ever get as low and
ragged and mean as old Jim Drayton,
Ill shoot myself"
Old Jim heard every word. If he
had had glass of whisky down he'd
have leaped up and cursed them, but
he was sober-as sober as he had ever
| been in ten years, and he made no
move. Was lie low and mean? Did
| every body feel that way toward him?
Did everybody notice his poor old
house, his ragged children, his red
face and watery eyes? Did men speak
to each other of his degradation, his
neglect of his family-would his death
he good news to the public?
DO you want whisky or gin? asked
the bar tender. but old Jim did not
hear him He had leaned back
against the wall, pulled his hat over
his eyes and was thinking. Drink
had robbed him of his honest look,
his frank tone and his strength and
skill, but it had not robbed him of
| memory. He could 60 back over the
decade and remember his pleasant
home, his happy family and his own
| honest, Independent feeling. Shame
came with memory. He had not got
so low but words could strike him.
Two or three men came in, and
/ while they were drinking one OF them
asked
Isn't that old Jim Drayton in the
corner?'
Yes, that's the old sot,' answered
another
| Wonder if he ism going to swear
| off-ha! ha! hal" laughed the third.
The words stung old Jim again.
They called up something of his old
| spirit, and he sprang out of his chair
and exclimed:
! Yes, L am going to swear of
you swear of-you-ha! ha! hal
laughed the men.
| But l will l know I'm drunk
ard, and that I'm ragged and low, but 1
| can reiorm!
That's goodi" they laughed, big
gest thing out Old Jim Drayton
swearing of, ha, ha y
Il will-with Gods help. I WILL p
he replied, striking the bar with his
| fist.
The shouts of laughter followed
him as he went out. but they strength
ened his sudden resolution. He
| walked directly home. He stopped
| for moment at the gate and wonder
ed why he had never before noticed
how gloomy and wretched and lone
some the old howell looked. 1t was a
fit home for a drunkard and a wife
beater. He opened the gate, raused.
then turned and went to the grocery
on the corner, aud with the money he
meant to get drunk on he purchased a
| few little toys for the children and
returned and entered his desolate
house. He stood in the door tor an
instant and looked around at the bare