Port Royal standard and commercial. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-12-23

barman to push out of the shop
wretched, ragged, drunken middle-aged
woman, who screamed and fought with
great energy. Of those present, some
took her part; others were for her e1-
pulsion. Possibly neither party were
much interested in her cause, but sim
ply interfered from love of the fun it
created.
Disguised with the scene, Trottie left
the shop, and went into the street, de-
termining to continue her road home
wards. She hadnot, however, succeeded
in passing the shop, when she saw on
side door, written also in gold embossed
letters: "Bottle Department. Being
somewhat of q determined character,
and having resolved that she would
carry home the rum, she entered this
department, where she could make her
purchase quietly and unobserved.
This, however, was hardly the case,
for she found it filed, though with q
somewhat more decent set OF customers
than in the barroom; but every sound
and blasphemous expression used by
those she had Just left was as audible as
if she had been among them. She could
hear that the barman was evidently sue
ceeding in turning out the woman, her
defenders at the time making still more
noise, and using more horrible execra-
tlons as they found the other party the
stronger.
Trottis could support this no longer,
and. before making her purchase, she
left the place, at the same time as the
woman was expelled from the other
door. When outside the house the
woman continued her vociferations as
loudly as ever, totally Indifferent to the
remonstrances of a policeman, who
earnestly advised her to 60 home, or ne
would be obliged to lock her up.
"You ungrateful vagabonds !! she
roared out to the barman and others en-
ployed in tho shop; "you ought to be
ashamed of yourself, for you know
YOU haven't q better customer than
me. Why, this very evening l pawned
the shoes off my children's feet; and
now I've spent all the money I've got
you refuse to give me credit for another
quartern. Oh you're precious set OF
Christians, you are! wouldn't have
my soul in any of your bodies for any
thing"
Here the policeman managed to drag
her away, while poor Trottie, thorough
ly disguised with the whole scene, con-
tinued her way homeward, leaving all
thoughts of the bottle of rum behind her.
When Trottie arrived at the house she
found all the family assembled; but
gloomy indeed was their appearance.
The stamp of hunger was on the faces
of all, and not without cause, for that
Gay, with the exception of half quart
ern loaf, they had eaten nothing. Trot-
tie, when she noticed their expression,
was very pleased she had not purchased
the bottle of rum. Without making any
remark, she drew from her pocket the
whole of her weeks earnings and placed
it in the hands Of her mother, who
silently kissed her, and then putting on
her bonnet, started off for the oren-air
market in the Whitechapel road, leaving
Trottie to converse with the others, and
make herself as useful as she could dur
ing her absence. After talking little
to her father and brother, and putting
the tea things on the table, she sat down
and silently reflected on the temptation
she had overcome. Presently an up
stair lodger entered the room, carrying
ON her arm a basket filed with good
things for the next days enjoyment.
Trottie asked what she had got, and the
woman, opening the basket, showed her
many delicacies which she had bought
plums, currants, tea, sugar, meat, vege-
tables, and other things, including a
bottle Of rum. :,
"You're determined to make yourself
happy tomorrow, said Trottie, looking
at the rum.
eyes," said the woman; "Christmas
comes but once year, and we may as
well be happy as not. My husband
works hard enough, and has enough to
try his temper, and it would be sad In
deed if he can't make little merry once
year. Why, we always look for it on
Christmas day. believe my husband
would sooner go without half his meat
than his glass of rum-and water and
pipe after dinner, and another in the
evening"
The lodger continued conversing with
the family for short time longer, when
Trottle's mother returned from the mar
ket.
"And what have you got, mothera'
asked Trottie. "Let's see If your bas-
ket is as we'll worth having as Mrs.
Thompson's."
Trottie's mother seemed to have some
difidence in showing the contents OF
her basket, and possibly with some
reason, for her purchases were vastly In
ferior to those made by the lodger.
Trottie also felt half ashamed of the ex'
posure, but made no remark.
"I see," said her mothert to the lodger,
"you've got something good there IL
that bottle. should like to have bought
one as well, but I'm sorry to say we cant
afford it"
"Oh," said the lodger, "you ought
to have made an effort. 1t will be haro
indeed if Christmas night passes of
without some jolli6cation:"
"We must try and be happy without
the BOTTLE" said Trottie's father, Joining
for the first time in the conversation.
."And not only be happy tomorrow
night, but every night in the week
I've rarely found any good come OF the
bottle, but I've known a great deal OF
harm. Twas never drunkard, but
can easily see now that if I'd kept away
from the public house altogether, ano
saved my money, we should not be IL
the strait We are now in. But it shan
occur again, though, if I can help it