The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-12-31

was pretty drunk: ana ne went along at
an uneven gait, still hold of Jacks col.
lar. Meeting the Sheriff after going
short distance, he handed Jack over to
him and returned home. ~ IT,.
"Have you been sending Jack Styles
off to prison ?" asked Starbuck's wife as
he entered the house.
Eyes, and I'm going to send every
other scamp that won't pay me to the
same place. 1 have not to raise some
money to pay off this mortgage, or I
shall be turned out of house and home,
and you, too" he replied.
well, this man looks like an honest
kind of fellow. How much does he owe
you?" .&4.t
@Twenty dollars, or So" 81
Mot enough to pay your liquor bill
one week" thought his wife; but she
said nothing, as she dreaded to arouse
his temper, which might, when fully
under way, be compared to hurricane
or any other dangerous element. That
afternoon she sent boy with large
basket full of eatables to Jacks family,
for she had heard they were very poor,
and continued SO to do every week
while Jack was in prison. -..
After Jack was released he found
plenty OF work, and had many presents
given him by those who, knowing his
honesty, had been thoroughly indignant
at such treatment of him. So he man
aged to get along after that, and was
able to pay all his debts.
Fifteen years later, and Jack Styles,
now man of 55, and his son, fine
looking, promising young man of Is,
were doing a fair business in the gro
Gerry line, in the city of w., about
twenty miles from their former home.
So honorable were the dealings of this
firm with all their customers that after
they we're once established in business
which at first was on small scale, they
found their receipts month by month
increasing in way that was very en-
couraging. Young Styles stood at the
head of the concern, as Jack had very
little education; still the latter made
himself extremely useful in various
ways about the store. After they had
been about two years in business, Young
Styles one day said to his father: "You
remember Old Starbuck who once shut
you up in jail?"
II rather think I do" replied Jack,
with shudder.
"Well, he is living in this city on
charity he has spent his property, and
drank himself almost to death, making
him one of the most bloated, disagreea-
ble-looking objects you'ever saw"
lis his wife iving?" asked Mrs.
Styles. IF she is will surely go to
see her, and help her if she is in need"
Il hope you WILL" said both Jack and
his son, in breath. II think you will
find her on A street, one the vilest
in the city"
IF it is such dangerous street you
must 60 with me Jack. I would not like
to 60 there alone
Indeed, I WILL he replied.
So as soon as they had eaten dinner
they set out for the house of Jacks old
enemy, and after an hours search found
the old tippler and his wife in one of
the meanest tenements of the city. Star
buck did not recognize Jack, for he was
then suffering from fit of delirium
tremens, and hardly knew one person
from another. but his wife at once called
him by name, seemed delighted to see
him, and her thanks for the presents he
carried her, which consisted in good
supply of the choicest articles his grocery
store afforded, were unbounded. But
both Jack and his wife assured her this
was not the last of their gifts to her,
and they left her in apparently better
spirits than they found her.
In a few days Starbuck died, and
then Jack and his wife took his widow
to their own comfortable home, where,
according to the wishes of both, she
spent the remainder of her life, which
was not many years. She was lady of
great culture, having been brought up
and accustomed to move in the best
circles of society, and at the time she
married Starbuck he, too, was in high
standing and possessed of much wealth,
but through the baleful effects of liquor
he was brought down to poverty and
disgrace, while Jack, from leading a
temperate, industrious, honest life, was
brought up from small beginnings to a
comfortable, respectable position.
PITTsFELD, Mass.