The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1875-02-25
sTAUNTON VIRGINIA THURSDAY FEBRUARY Is. 1876.
Old lin Hravton Swears Of.

@A7
Old Jim Dravton SWears Of.
~ ;,.,,4 - ,,.;,,- ~. .,,,
Lie came 70 town Ess n us 'aa u. , ~
year OUT anu VIC NV ha ootta,a -
VINO can ielepei VIZ. nssa M 5a,,
ms OWL Wne'f ,e W. ~ vi IL ;lJre tya,t to
frank honest tace wilen nls cllaiu.a u msts ~
oa,uay-scnooi, .nu n.s c,a Tn, fn,,nd b;,,,
any =. ~. :. ,;I ,d I,,ost IN Z. vaa,. ,a
self going down NH. anu aul,ose ~ yea. ~
had ehahgeu lfo ma'u , ~ tl,i, srt -
man. 10 iazy sou: anu ~ III ~ .ns pn.t
tilose WHO loveu iiia ,ad
LIS nome Weht,nls Aurhilu'S
any, nappy laeos 49, - = M ,oise
ana poyeity noaeu ll;t i hin ~ 70s A'os'''
On Deauolen ss,oI. i 49, n, ab;,d sr,n
10 you renemoe a wnsa NJ c', aaa d,,.,l.
over anu heui ~ t ~. 80 ..s We
ever at Iile GenIlal oe.s'oi
sent up lor uruhen s;s = -. s H.
iiase you nesul II.s ',l tn No.
sleep IN the a.les: Iayse yoa 81, AZ pJ
llce speaA u ss.st l;,,o !,
~
Eyes, looh'Is ssup.a 49,, s,si ,,,,st
battered has-iagessea c.7tiie'--yo' surrey iii''t
nave met mn at soile lihe. - M.
Old jim meant TO nave a Dig drunk. ii, a
was goQq Way,io wing !lie oiu year up. AiS
had been drunk thanksSl4lilS, ne naQ sIaSsSSefeu
nome Cnfistlnas hlSnt, any Wheu MS wy "el :
neard wishing thaI DllI's ol'lss li1u iio. p'ssoa
tnein ny the l%'lef pec',hie "aa o."I
them. Ihe par-keepef Knew MN rs ne elite1eu
the saloon anu called TOT drinks. az, is.a caleo
tnere aoAehs " tiil.os oo1o. - a'.e.
as familiar as the siglt OF the Dig aecaltef IRON
which ne poured ms afllk.
''Wait minute, slld the BARTENDER, "ho
was Wlplng on inc OAR anu GU oldl s''I oo"n
at one OF the tables.
Two young men came IN anu s' + homn a nua,
him. Jim was Ill 1he snaaow, anu 'ley a'u llo'
| know who it was. As they drank eiieir peei
| they spoke OF the dying year, au'i u Inei ie,
solves to break OH some OF thelr pau haots, aho
| finally one said:
| ''Some one was saying tnat OH JIM Dfaylon
! had cut his throat e ).
| SITS good news, if true, replied the other
''No one will miss the OLD sot, not even ms
family. His wife and chillren are in rags, his
| home hasn'ta comfort, and If he'd only die
folks would feel like helping them. He's the
lowest drunkard in Detroit y,
Eyes, I've often wondered why he didn't
jump into the river,' rejoined the other. III
| / ey4r get as low, ragged, and mean as old Jim
Drayton Pl shoot myself !"
Old Jim heard every word. If he had have
had glass OF whisky down he'd have leaped
up and cursed them, but he was sober, as sober
as he had been for ten years, and ne made nc
move. Was he low and mean? Did every
body feel that way toward him? Did every.
BODY notice his poor old house, his ragged chill
dren, his red and watery eyes? Did men speak
to each other of his degradation, his neglect OF
| his family. would his death be good news to che
public?
s.Do you want whiskey or gin?" asked the
bartender, but old jim did not hear him. He
| had leaned back against the wall, pulled 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 go back over the
decade and remember his pleasant home, his
happy family and his own honest, independent
feeling. Shame came with memory. lie hat
not gone so low but words could strike him:
Two or three other men came in, and while
they were drinking one OF them asked:
ISN'T that old Jim Drayton in the corner?'
Eyes, that's The old sot, answered another
SWonder ii he isn't going to swear OIL, M
ha ha p laughed the third.
The words sIunS olu Jim again. Ihey caliee
up something OF his Old spirit, ana he spraqs
out OF his chair and eNclalmed:
N1es, l ON going to swear OIL
You swear oH-foU-ha! ma! ha. Tic hel
laughed.
But wiH! | know I'm druhkard' al, ahe
that I'm ragged and low, but can reform!
That's good:' they laughed, "elggese 1'iln \
out! Old Jim Draytoh swearing on, Ma. IA
u wlil-Wlth COD nelp, aoa1! ne fepl'eo
striking the par WIN ms hsI, !.
Their shouts OF iaugher followed nun as 1T
Went out, but they stfehg!henea ms s'ao e
resolatlon. ZIG walheu "a ulfectay no' HI, II,
stopped for a moment at tQe gaze ana wo We,
Cd Why nc haa never petole ~, nos o1 NOV nov
gloomy, Wreeceu any iolesoale Iao u.u NOV.
looheu was = ~ noli1 i9 9 a.,
a Wl1e-oeatef. ~ opeieo 'iie sa'e, PAUSE 81.
then turned an a w s' 70 sne grocvly on s.'
corner anu VIII thc lliohss US ~ =
eFh on ne pulcn.sgu ~. ,o' a.
1u IN t ao, for
mouse. lie stoou III Ie ooei iol az lls,aie a., -,
looked aronnq z the pate anu pasIv ~ va
TIC 9.. Knew what moved ler ana 1t cut nun liz
ssM.rv come here y, he said. as he closed Il.
door and held out his hand; Il am not drum
7 Tonight
Dle sloMiy appaoae ii:.' n''i'' "o''o0i'