The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-04-16
His Last Twenty-Five Cents

a
OF our hotels-one very popular among
visiting merchants and transient SO.
journers, as ii is kept, and we'll kept, on
the European plan.
The old man amid the blotched and
wrinkled burrows OF his face, in his erect
carriage, and in his language, showed
evident signs ofhaving once been gen.
tleman--a man of position and iuLelli'
gence. His threadbare garments, not
ragged, but in places darned and
patched, showed lingering tokens of de.
cency, and told, toO, OF some tender hand
| that even in poverty cared for his per.
sonal appearance.
The bar-keeper, who looked to be toe
much OF a man for the position which he
occupied, said in kind tone:
"You had better not take any more,
Judge-you will feel better without it!'
"Only just one drink" said the old
man-"one more, to steady my nerves,
aud PHI go home-Jane's sick, and Pm
wanted thereW
"You have too much on now for sick.
room," said the bar-keeper, still kindly.
"Let me advise you TO 60 home nowW
"See, here's the money" said the old
man, laying down a quarter OF a dollar,
Il don't ask you to trust meV
l.
gave it to me to buy medicine for her
with, but dou't believe in SO much doc
tors stuff-its killing the grip
81 don't wish your money. You can
have no more liquor here tonight. Judge
-Pve said it, and 'tis as good as sworn
top replied the bar-keeper, firmly.
"Then, curse you, can.get it some
where elsel'' said the old man bitterly,
as he turned away and left the hotel.
"Was not that Judge -W asked a
gentleman who had observed this scene
from across the bar-room.
alt is the wreck of Judge -p' re-
piled the bar-keeper.
"Good heayensl When I last saw
him, he stood as high as any man in this
city. Twas here to purchase goods, and
having been swlndled by au auctioneer.
had business with him. How he has al
teredl'
"Yes, sir-he has been going down
very fast. l never give him any LIQUOR
when L can help it.; but, as he said lust
now, he can get 1t elsewhere, and such
poison, too, as will hurry him off faster
than the liquor we keep"
You do not drink, L perceiVeW
"No sir; good bar-keepers seldom do,
Like physicians, they know the effect OF
their own medicines, and distrust them
When they see, day after day, the
wrecks OF men once wealthy, honorable
ana intelligent, staggering before them,
or hear the maudlln 1oliies OF drunke n
men in decent garb, they are led to re-
Election, and shun the danger-even as
the mariner avoids the reef on which he
sees the shattered hulk and broken
spars OF a ship once strong and beauti-
fulW
"Irue-true, but it seems almost i'm
possible to realize that Judge - has
fallen SO low" said the gentleman, as he
turned away.
"Pll find 1t elsewhere p was the CRY OF
the poor inebriate, as he left F-'s
hotel.
Aud ne dld. DuJ a little way down
Mott street, he entered low and dingy
bar-room which was full Of sitting TO-
bacco smoke and called for whisky.
"LeHs see the color o. yer money,
first. No thrust is the word wild me pj
said the shOck-headed Milesian behind
the dirty smell designated as a bar.
For second the eyes OF the old man
flashed as il single spark of the fire OF
his lost manhood was struggling up
through the ashes of his ruin, then he
put his trembling hand in his pocket,and
drew forth the quarter.
"GiYe me back The changeW said he.
as he filled the thick-boJtomed glass to
the brlm; "glve me back the Change:
want it TO buy medicineW
s'There's no medicine like whisky.
ould man-mind that now?D said the
bar-keeper as he very unwillingly count.
ed out 20 cents, for this was a fiye.cent
bucket-shop!
AREN'T you going to stand treat,
chummy? Pm as dry as all out o. door,
and haven't a nary red" said a one.
eyed, barnacle-faced, bloated object,
whom 1t would be sinful TO dignity by
the title Of man, approaching him,
The Judge looked at him with shud.
der, and the bar.keeper drew back five
cents and set out another glass, taking
it for granted that the request would
not be refused.
"Here's to you-prosat, as we used to
say III our college days." said the "crea-
ture," as he poured a glass of LIQUID fire
of hell down his throat, and smacked
his black and biistered lips thereafter,
as ii he had been partaking of nectar:
"Come, sit down, Judge-doRt be in a
hurry to get out o. good company p'
said the bar-keeper, whose eye was on
those fifteen cents remaining.
go, no, Unjust 60 home, Pm wanted
there-Jane's sickW muttered the old
man, indecisively, however.
"You'll at least stop and take a drop
o. hot stuff wild me-" continued the bar
keeper, who couldn't bear to see that
money go out OF his den.
The poor man was not proof against
this invitation, and he sat down.
Two hours after that, reeling drunk,
and without a penny in his pocket, he
was thrust rudely into the street by the
Yender OF poison, whose den is literally
in the very shadow of the halls OF justice.
at that same hour III a wretched
room, almost unfinished, in rickety
old tenement house on Baxter street, q
poor girl, not yet eighteen years OF age,
lay on miserable couch, dying! Sne
had been beautiful-that could be seen
in her great eyes, bright now that they
were peerIng out through the mist OF
this cold world into the light OF the next
in her delicate features, worn as they
were-in her every look, wan and
wasted as she was.
BY her side, quiyering with his agony,
knelt boy but year or two younger
her brother. HIS dress and his rough
hands showed that he was no idIer-he
mad labored for her-for his Inebrlate
father; Tor, reader, these were the chill
dren Of Judge -. BY her side he
knelt, and sobbed and wept, Tor he felt
tnat the chill Of death was coming upon
har Tha liftIa min hand xuufah ha