Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-11-22

Yet Jack was in our mess, and he was
a constant eyesore. We saw that he was
reaching rapidly ahead of us in every
useful particular. and yet we wouldn't
open our eyes. We were envious of his
good fortune, as we called it. and used
to seize every opportunity to tease and
Iun him. But he never got angry in
return. He sometimes would laugh at
us, and others would so feelinglv chide
us that we would remain silent for
awhile.
At length the idea entered our heads
that Jack should drink with us. We
talked the matter over in the mess when
Jack was absent, and we mutually
pledged each other that we would make
him drink at the first opportunity.
After this determination was taken, we
treated Jack more kindly, and he was
happier than he had been for some time.
Once more we laughed and joked with
him in the mess, and he in return
helped us in our navigation, We were
on our homeward bound passage by the
way of Brazil, and our ship stopped at
Rio Janeiro, where we were to remain a
week or so. One pleasant morning we
six youngsters received permission to
go on shore and spend the whole day;
and accordingly we rugged up in our
best togs, and we're carried to the land
ing.
Now was our chance, and we put our
heads together to see how it should be
done. Jacks very first desire, as soon
as he got on shore, was to go up and ex-
anime the various things of interest in
the city. He wanted to visit the
churches and such like places, and to
please him we agreed to go with him, if
he would; go and take dinner with us.
He agreed to this at once, and we
thought we had him sure. We planned
that after dinner was eaten we would
have some light sweet wine brought on,
and that we would contrlve to get rum
enough into what he drank 10 upset him,
for nothing on earth could please us
more than to get Jack Small drunk,
and carry him on board in that shape,
for then we fancied that the captain s
favoritism would be at an end, and that
he would no longer look upon our rival
with more preference than upon our
selves. We had the matter all ar
ranged, and in the meantime we paid
} Jack all the attention in our power---so
3 much so that he at length signiied a
/ willingness to go anywhere to please
3 us, provided we would not 60 to any
: bad place.
Dinner time came, and most CAPT
tai dinner we had. We had selected
one of the best hotels. The eatables
} were dispatched With becoming gusto,
and then the dishes were removed, and
at sign from me wine was brought on.
"Ah what have you here?" asked
Jack, betraying some uneasiness at the
: appearance of glasses and bottles.
Only little new wine,"I replied,
} as carelessly as I could, Mere juice
of the grape"
"But it is wine, nevertheless, pur-
sued he.
SIT isn't wine," cried Sam Pratt,
who was one of the hardest nuts Nep-
tune ever cracked.
"No," chimed in Tim Black, another
OF the same stame stamp. "It's only a
little simple juice. Come, boys, fill
up"
The glasses were accordingly filled,
Sam Pratt performing that duty, and he
took care that Jacks glass bad good
!, "No," said Jack, as the glass was
, moved toward him; |" if you're going to
commence this, will keep you COM
} pany with water while you remain or
derby, but will not touch wine.''
This was spoken very mildly, and
with kind smile, but yet it was spoken
firmly. and we could see that our plan
was about being knocked in the head
We urged him to drink with us-only
one glass, if no more. We told him how
innocent it was, and how happy his
social glass would make us; but we
could not move him.
"Then let him go?" cried Tim, who
had already drank some. In fact, all of
us but Jack had drank more or less
during the forenoon. 'Let him go.
| We don't want the mean fellow with us,
at all !"
"That's it," added Sam. eff he's
too good to drink with his shipmates,
we don't want him."
"You misunderstood me-" said Jack,
in tone of pain. 81 am not too good
to drink with you, in the sense in which
you would take it. But do not wish
to drink at ALL"
"Too stingy that's ALL" said I: de-
termined to make him drink if I could.
But Jack looked at me SO reproachfully
as said this that I wished had not
spoken as I did.
elf you wish to enjoy your vine,
messmates,' said Small, at the same
time rising from his chair, "you can do
SO, out I beg you will excuse me. I
will pay my share of the expenses for
the dinner"
"And for your share of the wine,"
said Tim, ''for we have ordered it for
you"
Ono" returned Jack, Sc cannot pay
for any of the wine -
"Mean !" cried two or three at
breath.
Ono, no, messmates, not mean. I
will pay for the whole of the dinner
or every article you and I have had in
the house, save the wine.'
And as he spoke he rung the bell
He asked the waiter who entered what
the bill was for the company, without
the wine, and after the amount had
been stated, he took ont his purse to