Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1878-01-07
GOOD night little mother. I'll be

boys, tired with the days work. meet
ing to sharpen and strengthen their wits
together over a we'll cooked supper.
Nor would there have been. perhaps.
if the poor. foolish lads had not essay
ed, like some of their foolish elders, to
the poison which makes them feel as
gods and act as beasts
Il say. Brice. let's have champaign.
cried Phillips, when the supper. was
over, "Let's have the pop of the corks,
just for to-ulght" For Phillips had
made one or two journeys to New York.
and affected the reckless humors of
juvenile Anacreon.
Ned Moore rose, Il must go, Phillips.
promised to be home early"
"Not till you have tasted Brice's high
wine. Not step.
Il can't touch liquor, you know Phil
lips. 1t makes a fool of me. don't
want to stay and be Philljoy."
"You needn't touch it. Sit down
Sit down T. shouted dozen voices.
Ned sat down. The pleasant, easy
going fellow, they all knew. was an obsti-
nate spoilsport. Presently he tasted the
wine to please the others. He could not
bear liquor. Phillips might sip and
tipple all night. and be comparatively
cool and sober in the end, but single
glass made fool of Moore the second
made him a madman
Nobody had ever known him so wit
ty. He kept the table in a roar. The
means of such fun was there in abun-
dance, and they urged him to drink
more.
When Charley Hill drank he grew
surly. You've had enough" he growl-
ed. YOU'D better 60 home, Moore. to
your mother, wish she and Clara Will
son might see you and I'll call on Clara
in the morning, and tell her how and
where left her sweetheart"
Now, in fact, Ned cared more for his
old chum. Hill. than for all the Claras
in the world but he was in no mood to
be jeered about woman, SO he faced
Hill, white with drunken rage.
"Youplay the spy. do you I? Coward !"
AS | said, the liquor made bim surly.
He was reused at once. and struck Ned
full in the face. Ned was the slightest
of the two, and fell heavily to the
ground. He sprang up and closed with
him. and was thrown again and again.
before their companions could separate
them.
He's little fellow beside you !"
cried Joe Wilson. holding Ned back.
trembling and coloring. Shame on you!
Shame Hill !"
Hill stood dumb and sulky. But the
liquor and defeat had driven Moore
mad
Let me 60! Am l to bear blow ?
Let me 60, 10 ! never was struck be-
FORE"
There was dangerous CLEAN in his
eyes, that frighten the boys. Phillips
motioned 10 to take him out. He led
him into the cool air outside.
"You shall not touch Hill, Ned!
You don't know what you're doing. boy.
Why Charley is the best friend you
have in the world" wiping the white
foam from his lips. Come, let me
take you home"
I'll go home alone. Go in l want
neither help or advice" He turned of,
and Joe thoughtlessly vent in.
Hill had already repented. ''I'll go
after him and make it up" he said, ris-
ing and going out. The door closed be-
hind him.
"It's curious" said Phillips, 'that
one or two glasses of wine should make
such an idiot of that fellow Ned"
There was a sharp cry outside,
then dull heavy thud on the ground,
and then silence.
| When the men rushed out, Ned Moore
stood, sober and motionless, looking
down at his old friend, Charley, who
lay before him quite quiet, with blood
oozing from wounds upon his head. He
had been violently knocked down, and
as he fell. his head struck the curb stone
injecting a mortal wound.
/ began to write this story (Which
but for the change of names, is alto
gether true,) simply because l though
it ought to be told to the thousands Of
boys who will read it here But wher
the remembrance of the day of pain tha
followed comes upon me. | feel that
must be content to set down the facts al
briefly as may be.
The dead boy was taken to his owl
home. Where his friend has gone VIII
had killed him. no one knew. In tn
confusion he had disappeared. 1t wa
curious how strong the remembrance
was with every one. now, how near th
friendship had been between the tw
| boys. Even the mother of the dead bo
placed the guilt where it belonged.
''It was the wine that did it." sh
said; 81 have no anger against Ned
He would have given his life for M