American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-01-16
How Old Jim Drayton Swore on"

he had cottage OF his own: when ne
was well dressed and had frank, honest
school and his wife was well 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 in
to the old tenement-hOuse on Beaubien
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 drunken
ness or for beating his wife? Have you
never seen him sleeping his drunken
sleep in tho 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 hst-ragged
clothes-you surely must have met him
1T some time.
Old Jim meant to have q big drunk.
That was a good way to wind the old
year up. He had been drunk Thanks
giving-he had staggered home drunk
Christmas night. and when his boys were
b card wishing that Santa Claus had not
passed them by the father became
aneered and beat them. The bar-keeper
knew him as he entered the saloon and
called for drinks. He had called there
dozens of times before, and his face was
as familiar a. the sight of the big de-
canter from which he poured his drink.
"Wait q minute" said tHe bar-keeper,
who was wiping of 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 OH
some Of til, ir bad habits, and finally one
of them said:
Some one was saying that old Jim
Drsyton had cut his throatI'
It's good news, if true" replied the
other. " No one will miss the old sOt-
not even his family. His wife and chill
dren are in rags, his home hasn't q COM
fort, and ii 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 river" rejoined the
other. IF l ever get SO low and rag
ged and mean AS old Jim Drayton III
shout myselfr
had = glass of whisky down he'd have
lesped up and cursed them, but he was
sober AS sober IS he had been for ten
years, a1d he made NO move. Was he
low aud mean! Did everybody 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 be good news to the public.
Do you want whisky or giny" asked
the bartender, but old Jim did not hear
him. He had leaned back against the
wall, pulled his hat over his ewes and
was thinking Drink had robbed him of
his honest look. his frank tone and his
strength and skill, but it did not rob
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. He had not got sc
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?"
"Yes, that's the old sot," answered
another.
" under if he isn't going to swear of
The words stung old Jim again. They
called up something of his old spirit
and he sprang out of his chair and ex
claimed:
"Yes, am going to swear of I"
You swear otf-YOU-ha! ha! hal!
laughed the men.
But riu! know I'm drunkard
and that I'm ragged and low, but l cal
reform!"
That's goodr' they laughed, d" bigges
thing Quit Old Jim Drsyton swearin!
oH-ha, hal"
Il xill--with Gods help, WILL h
replied, striking the bar with his fist.
Their shouts Of laughter followed hin
% he went out, but they strengthened
his sudden resolution. He walked di
rectly home. He stopped Tor u momen
~ the gate and wondered why he ha'
never before noticed how gloomy ant
wreiched ard lonesome the old hove
looked. 1t was 1t home for drunkar
and q wife-beater. He opened the gate
paused, then turned and went to til
grocery ON the corner, and with tn
money he meant to get drunk on he pun
chased = few little toys TOR the childre
and returned and entered his desolat
house. He stood in the door for an il
slant and looked around ut the bare AN
battered walls, the bare floors, tn
crept away. fearing his drunken wratt
He knew what moved ner and it cut hin
like y knife.
Mary, come herer' he said, as h
closed the door and held out his hand
am not drunk Tonight"
She slowly approached him, wonderin
If drink had not crazed him.
Nary be said ~ he clasped he
hand. IL haven't drank q drop to
nightr
-Uh, james," she sobbed. breakin
right down in An instant.
They Call me old Jim Drsyton; sa
I'm \ sot. wonder why don't die; sa
can't REFORM" he went ON, but IL
going to stop drinking-I have stopped
She put her arms around his neck, bu
could not speak.
From to- night, as long as l live, T.
be James DraytOn xgain-sOUer-stead
"A kind husband and good father! g
and wake up the children, Mary, and le
Ms all pray t0gether!"
is father going TO kill us?" they whit
pered ~ hey were aroused from thei
wretched beds.
No-no-he's sober-he's going to b
good again" she sobbed.
At midnight the voice of prayer, broke
by sObs, WIS heard in the old howell, an
old Jim Drsyton, kneeling at his chail
said:
"Asry-children-may Heaven hel
me " w 4 better manp
So may it.-Dctroit Free Press.
Ancient Ornaments.
On removing the upper slab of beat