The Indiana State sentinel., 1877-02-07

walk Mosher home one ight after we'd
punished couple of bottles Of old crow
whisky at our house, and he caved in all OF
a sudden, and laid him out on the steps OF
that very church till could get carriage
Those were my last two bottles OF crow, too
It's too bad the way the good things of this
life paddle off"
The captain raised himself in his berth
sat on the edge thereof, stood up, stared
out the window, and began to pace his room
with bis head down and his hands behind
his back. Little by little he raised his head,
dropped his hands, flung himself into
chair, beat the DEVILS tattoo on the table,
fprang up excitedly and exclaimed:
81 IN going back on all the good times L
ever had"
You're only getting ready to try new
kind, Sam" said Fred.
"Well I'm going back on my friends"
Not all of them, the dead ones would pat
you on the back if they got chance.
"a world without whisky looks internally
dismal TO a fellow that isn't half done liy-
ing"
"It looks firstrate to a fellow that hasn't got
any backdOwn in him.
Curse youi 1 wish I'd made you back
down when you first talked temperance to
me-"
''Go ahead then; curse your wife-dont
be afraid; you've been doing il ever since
you married her"
Crayme few at McDonald's throat; the
younger man grappled the captain and
struggled and glared like a tiger; Fred
gasped between the special efforts dictated
by self-preservation:
Sam, promised to-see you through
and Tm-going to-do il, tiff, if | have to
break your neck,
The captain made one tremendous effort;
Fred braced one foot against the table, put
knee on the captains breast held both the
captains wrists tightly, looked full in the
captains eyes and breathed a small prayer
for his own safety. For a moment or two,
perhaps longer the captain strained violent
ly and then relaxed all effort and cried:
Erred, you've whipped me-
"Nonsensel whip yourself, exclaimed
Fred. ''if you're going to stop drinking"
The captain turned his face to the wall
and said nothing; but he seemed to be so
persistently swallowing something that Fred
suspected a secreted bottle, and moved an in
vestigation so suddenly that the captain had
no time in which to wipe his eyes,
Hang il, Fred, said he, rather brokenly,
"how can what's babyish in men whip full
grown steamboat captain"
1.-The same way that il whipped g full
grown woollen mill manager once, ] sup
pose. old boy" said Mcdonald.
us that so2" exclaimed the captain, aston
ishment getting so sudden an advantage
over shame that he turned over and looked
his companion in the face. "Why-how are
you, Fred? | feel as if l was just being in
troduced. Didn't anybody else help?''
eyes, said Fred, "a woman; but you've
got wife, toe"
Crayme fell back on his pillow and sighed.
''If / could only think about her, Fred!
But can't; whisky is the only thing that
comes into my mind"
Cant you think about her." exclaimed
Fred "Why, are you acquainted with her
yet wonder? rllnever forget the evening
you IAge married"
THAT was Jolly, wasn't it?'' said Crayme.
"i'll bet such sherry was never opened west
of the AlIeghanies before, Or
Hang your sherry!'' roared Fred. ITS
your wife remember. You couldn't see
her, OF course, for you were standing along
side of her; but the rest of us-well l wished
myself in your place, that's ALL
ibid you, thought" said Crayme, with a
smile that seemed rather proud; 'well, /
guess old Major Pike did, too. for he drank
TO her about twenty times that evening
Let's see. she wore a white moire antique, /
think they called 1t, and il cost S21 dozen,
and there WIS at least one broken bottle in
every"
And made up my mind she was throw
ing herself away in marrying fellow that
would be sure to care more for whisky than
he did for her" interrupted Fred.
wasn't any whisky there. | tried to get
some of the old Twin Tulin brand for punch,
but
''But the devil happened to be asleep, and
you got chance TO behave yourself, said
Fred.
Crayme looked appealingly. Fred" said
he, tell me about her yourself; I'll take it
as favor"
"Why, she looked like lot of lilies and
roses, said Fred, except that you couldn't
tell where one left off and the other began.
as she came into the room l felt like get
ting down on my knees. Old Bayle was
telling me a vile story just then, but the
minute she came in ne stopped as if he was
shot"
t'He wouldn't drink drop that evening"
said Crayme, and I've puzzled my wits over
that for five years"
"She looked 30 proud Of you, i" interrupted
Fred with some impatience.
"Did she2'' asked Crayme. ''Well, guess
! was good looking fellow in those days;
know that Pike came up to me once, with a
glass in his hand, and said that he ought to
drink to me, for I was the finest looking
groom he'd ever seen. he was so tight,
though, that he couldn't hold his glass
steady, and though you know never had
a drop of stingy blood in me. il did go to my
heart TO see him spill that gorgeous sherry"
'She looked very proud of you" Fred re-
peated. "but can't say why, for I've never
seen her do it since
'You will, though. hang you.' exclaimed
the captain. Get out of here can think
about her now, ard don't want anybody
else around. No rudenesS meant, you know,
Fred
Pred Mcdonald retired quickly, taking
with him the keys of both doors, and feel
ing more exhausted than he had been on
Saturday night since the building of the mill.