The daily gazette., 1878-02-09
ONE GLASS MORE.

whose toes were through his shoes, whose
knees and elbows showed their bones
NJ the gaping windows of garments drop
ping from him as tindcr drops; man
with hat that was crushed Into thou>
sand seams, and had the mark of a miry
foot upop 1t, man who had lain In gut
ters and slept In station houses, man
debased and degraded as only drink de-
bases and degrades, yet, for all that, one
at whom, having glanced once, you would
turn 10 gaze again, wondering how he
came to such pass, for, under 1t all, lay
the sad wreck Of agentleman. God alone
knows how 1t lives through such debase-
ment, as IL sometimes does, to be the
bitterest warning of all the many warn
ings written on the fallen wretch from
head TO foot, for those TO read who follow
after him.
There he stood, such as he had made
himself, the light from the street lamp
falling over him, cycling the pedestrians
as they hurried by homeward bound, or
turning their steps toward scenes of plea
sure. Men In comfortable garments.
People in fine attire. No one of all the
crowd in such plight as he. No one.
AT last, having watched hundreds of
strangers pass, s,he noted one,a "a rosy, portly,
middle aged man, fresh from his club
dinner, perhaps, content with himself,
and with the world, cigar between his
lips. Why, he hardly knew himself, but
10 this man Of all the crowd, he address,
ed misunderstanding him lightly ON the
arm with his skeleton finger: +.
"Will you give me something TO get q
drink with?' he said, There's some
red-hot stuff 50 be had down yonder for
five cents, and haven't that to get it
with"
The gentlemen turned.
Haven't you had almost enough OF
that sort Of thing? he said. Why didn't
you ask me for money for bread, and
make 1t easier TO nay conscience to helI
you?"
But his hand went into his pocket.
because when gave to bcggars, and
did not beg from Others" said tho man
hated liar. Rum Is what shall buy
with what you give me. You'd know
1t, whatever lie told. It's too late fol
any one to have conscience about me-"
The gentleman paused again, with hi:
hand fall OF the small coin he had gath
cred from his vest.
"I'm not a philanthroPist, or anything
of that Sort" he said. "Generally dom
bother myself much about people, I'm
afraid, but do you know, I'd like to d.
something for you. You're younl
man yet. Couldn't you be helped to
better way? Come aside with me e-dowI
this dark street. This is too public
place for any talk.
ave hardly had decent word spokel
to me for years." said the beggar, "Go,
bless you for these, but the curse is ol
me. I'll tell you my story, and you'll
see 1t is. / was doctor once-a man o
education and good family--and | mar
ried girl king might be proud Of
the sweetest, prettlesL soul, good and Low
ing-and was the apple of her eye
We were happy as angels are in heaven
but was not rich and after / ha,
struggled hard in my profession for sew
eral years, felt little dispiriteds an
the gold fever being upon all American
just then, made up my mind to go t
California, hoping TO make my fortune
as some had done, and as all hoped t
do. But when quite decided to d
this the great trouble came. Lily woul
not part from me. might 60 TO Cali
fornia il l choose, she said, but sh
would go with me.
s1t was no life for a woman, tbs
which intended to lead. Those anon
whom would dwell were no compaI
ions for her; but she was so persisten
and such brave little thlrg-not fes
nor misgiving in her heart-that aft,
while yielded. took my little q
with me to that wild place, and there
built little home-such poor lit
place for one who had had every comic
uHtil now-rough even for rough mar
oh, IL was cruel of me; l know
now. But l comforted myself then vii
the thought of the luxury that woul
surround her when Cur fortune WI
made.
"Of course, I tried my luck in Il
mines, but also hung out my doctor
shingle and when l was away, lii
under my advice, could prescribe almo
as well as for the low fever that W
, the curse of the place.
, "She sold qulnine for grains OF go
!, dust and tiny scraps of gold, and y
! could have lived even if l had had !
luck in the mines. But before long
before many months-I had luck
q strange sort of gamblers luck. 1 stru'
]. a vein of gold that yielded as few vel
do. 1t was like a story in the Arabii
Nights. l hid my good fortune fro
others, and made poor mouth and col
il, planned, and every night l had a litl
!. fortune under the floor OF our cabi
|, There were desperate men abont, and
" one who had anything TO lose was So
from robbers. Nobody would trout
d the poor doctor, whose luck was suppo
& ed to be so bad that his name was
proverb in the mines. And, indeed, m
p who felt elated over little finds, Il
" were as nothing to what gathered in
hour, offered me many kindness.
), had warned Lilly never to allow a VIC
a. n =.