Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1876-12-16
\ WITH A MORAL ATTACH
rawN
alta Cruz Sentinel publishes

eAfyAC q oAAiAA 4GiuiutuG NJlCc at the
marble counter Of brilliantly lighted
saloon of the town Of Nj. The
uausuai sound Of female voice In the
pace attracted the attention of the
inmates of an adjoining room, where
the young sports OF the town were
wont TO assemble of an evening for a
quiet game of poker. My life, if that
don't sound like Amanda's voice,
said Tom Bottle, pressing forward,
while the bartender stood spell-bound
at such demand from fair lips. They
were fashi0nably dressed ladies, both
young and good-looking, besides being
not altogether strangers TO more than
one of those assembled there.
Their attention was diverted toward
the open door where stood Tom Bot
tie, who was not tall man with some
half dozen or more heads peeriug
above his, with az expression Of the
utmost Amusement depicted upon each
countenance.
Good evening. Mr.. Bottle" said
tine voice, quite unabashed.
This is my friend, Miss Fisher, Mr..
Bottle. We thought we'd step in for
m hour to while away the time with a
game Of cards. Am glad to meet you
here, Mr.. Bottle. Come Minnie, said
she. turning to her friend, and the two
sailed past the crowd into the card
room before Thomas Bottle could re-
cover from his astonishment and rage
at this new freak of the partner of his
bosom. lie at last found voice to say
grayely. Why, Amanda, what brought
you here Come, I'm going home p"
A suppressed litter passed from one to
another of the groupe as the ladies
stepped up to the table, aud taking uD
the cards, commenced shuIiing them,
at the same tine seating themselves
with a nonehalance quite amusing.
NoAdin0'to Fred Morton, the animated
lady said.
Come friends, don't let us disturb
your game" She then whispered to
Fred, who returned to the table fol-
lowed by the others, all excepting Mr..
Bottle, who, livid with rage, paced
the floor like a Gagged lion. Stopping
in front of his wife, with eyes flashing
with fire, he would stamp his foot and
tell her this had gone far enough. She
had better go home at once.
Without taking the least notice of
his words the lively Amanda appeared
the picture of c0ntsntment, and be-
came at once engrosssd in the game.
Come, boys" said Tom, break up
this game. | will have my wife 60
home with me now, this instant
No notice whatever was taken of
this extraordinary demand. and find
ing that he could accomplish nothing
by force, he then came to her side and
begged and pleaded with her to go
home with him.
"How preposterous T. exclaimed she,
gaily. why, pray, are you in such a
hurry to go home, Mr.. Bottle? Your
wife don't expect you yet awhile GER
tainlv."
MY wife don't expect mel ex-
claimed he bitterly, taking the words
from her. why, Amanda, you'll
drive me crazy, you will.
Don't be familiar; Mr.. Bottle.
Don't for goodness sake, make these
gentlemen think we are anything more
than mere acquaintauces. What would
your wife say Mr.. Bottle, to hear you
tell me was drivingyou crazy? Surely
Dir. Bottle. you must have been i'm
ing for me? [ craveyour pardon, gents,
our friend here insists upon insulting
me by urging me to accompany him
home He is "a married man too
Did you ever hear anything so absurd!
But, Amanda. you must and shall
come this very minute J! fairly shrek
en- the exasperated man.
Hear him now, whispered the
roguish lady; would any one suppose
a man could labor under such delu-
sion? Jest as if he, Mr.. Thomas Bot
tie had any claim upon me to warrant
his making such vehement demands
expecting me to leave such enticing
comnany to 90 forth alone with him =
you will pay for this madam, put
In Thomas, with indignation.
From your purse 2" said she lnquIr.
ingly
Come, come, enough of this, Mrs
Bottle. | insist"
Surely, sir, interrupted the lady,
you will not go till you have treated
the crowd. Come, barkeeper, bring
some not punch for all.
No, madam, I'll neither drink nor
pay for drinks" aud taking her by the
elbow he raised her to her feet.
Turning herself with Sdignity. she
glared upon her victim like tigress
and exclaimed Thomas Bottle, what
am 1 to think of man who goe:
where he is unwilling to meet his wifel
Whose friends are unwilling to extend
to her the civility of social glass
Thomas Bottle, henceforth We meet as
strangers"
Come, Amanda, do stop such non.
eeueo and come home" said Tom pull
ing her sleeve.
Don't interrupt me, said she. with
a Jerk from his grasp. Ill go when
am ready; not before. You, sir, may
go rs soon as you like. | came here
without your protecting care, and | car
90 without it, HencefoTth, sir, you
and | are as If we had never met.
say it In the presence of these people
unless there is a marked change IL
your behavior, sir. Never shall We
sleep under the same roof again, sir
Never
Il promise you, Amanda, began ht
in peuitent voice, IF you'll only
come home, I'll do anything you say
Don't make any promises to break
with the dawn Of day, sir. | must
have something besides promises now
Promises cannot compensate for al
that have endured, for all that
have suffered before | could summon
courage to take this step. To-uigh
I We made a break. | find it not 81
bad "a place after all. ! may come
again, II | have sufficient motive fol
coming. [ want my friend here to see
how young men of the present day pass
thcir evenings in innocent games, Sc
that when tempted to marry she may
know what to expect. Good evening
all. And Mrs. Amanda Bottle anc
her friend swept past the bewildereC
Thomas out in the open air.
From that day forth Thomas Bottl,
was changed man He never tell;
ms wife he has any engagement t.
meet a friend down town. He never
enters a salOOn, for 4 vision haunts hin
still. He walks through life temper
ate, industrious aud respected, and hi:
only desire is that the legislature viii
permit him to change his name.
4 correspondent of the New York
Herald sends that paper some inter
esting election figures from tbs returns
from the Western States which, when
examined in detail, proves the immen.
-ifv of the loSSpS nv the ReDu blipou