Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-12-10


a while, and leaving the room for a
moment, soon returned with something
in Ter hand, rolled 10 soft, white paper,
it was this shining curl of golden brown
hair. Then she found voice to tell me
how mother had dropped and died. and
lust before had herself cut for me this
wavy curl, and charged my aunt to de
liver few last loving words of counsel
to the dear boy she would never see
again in this life.
"She said," continued my aunt.
"that you we're confident Of making
money, not oEe penny of which she
begged and prayed. might ever be
spent for intoxicating drink OF any
kind"
Then followed the revelation l had
monentarily suspected and then
smothered respecting my father. l
learned how my poor mothers young
life had been blighted and her health
destroyed, from learning too late, alas!
that che had married q man of intemp
crate habits, who soon became mis-
cradle drunkerd, and died suddenly
from the effects of strong drink.
Carefully wrapping the curl in its
wsvy folds of white tissue. I placed it
in the secret drawer of an old fashioned
secretary, ard securely locked it. Soon
after this, through the influence of a
kind.hearted captain with whom 1 sailed
and here let me say he never offered
me glass of liquor all the three years
l was with him, or anything else in.
jurious-I obtained an excellent situa-
ton in ship chambers store, where
l received steady and increasing pay.
As I was careful about my money
ma tiers, used frequently to rake de-
posits in the bank, and also kept roll
Of bills neatly wrapped away in the
hidden drawers of the old secretary.
Having in time found many pleasant
acquaintance, and being socially in
clined, I found many invitations to
parties of pleasure at which wine was
frequently offered.
For several months the temptation to
taste even drop was steadily resisted +,
although the very smell of liquor
seemed to make me almost wild; and
little by little I yielded at last to the
oft.repeated opportunities and solicita-
tions to try the dangerous luxury. 1t
is true my conscience troubled me sad
~ on every such occasion, although l
comforted myself somewhat with the
reflection that not penny had ever
sp ent for anything of the kind, after all
my mothers particular Injunction.
Poor, foolish boy that was thus weak
~ to argue!
But the subtitle habit was beginning
to get q stronger and stronger hold
upon me. Several times had been as.
sisted home from saloons, and more
than once from private house; and as
yet, from the very first drink had ever
taken at the mates expense, I had al.
ways been treated" by some one
else. 1,
At last one night, there was quite a
company of us assembled in a brightly
lighted, richly ilded saloon, which
franklin Harris, one of my special
chums, had Just star ted, greatly to the
distress Of his good, pious mother,
when suddenly "the boys turned on
me and demanded drink.
"Come," said one, we've all stood
treat scores of times; it's your turn
INV uOn Oo A00ous AAaAs AuNAto uo w
smile for once. can't you ?"
1t all flashed over me in q moment
my mother's petition, the fact that l
had meanly evaded ever paying for the
drinks, yet always accepted them at
the expense OF my companions when
ever offered. How could accede to
their proposal-and yet that taunt of
being called " mean" especially when
my course justified it-no, I couldn't
stand that.
just then I remembered having
rolled mp and placed away my money
before going out for the evening.
Well, hold on moment" said,
and. trying hard to quiet my struggling
conscience, I ran to my room, q few
blocks of, and hastily snatching my
rell Of bills from the drawer, re-locked
it. and hurried back to Harris &C.
loon.
"Now for it," T said, upon re-enter-
ing. take all you want; see, here is
ample pay for all you can hold" un-
wrapping my roll OF bank bills. The
next moment I recoiled as il bitten by
Q serpent indeed.
NUM- 002vout oxO2H1W6O, WOA6
is this ?" for, like q living thing, 9 soft
coil Of bright brown hair swiftly I'M.
curled itself along the palm Of my
hand.
While I stood aghast, gazing as if in
terror at the mute power held in my
outstretched hand, I heard Frank Har-
ris say under his breath; not unkindly,
by any means:
"Ha! some young girls hair, who has
gone, I suspecti'
And We all of us have something of
the kind, I'll warrant" gently added
Fred Reynolds. whose sweet young
sister had died about year before.
" Come, Hal, put it up. boy; we won't
drink tonight"
"No! not tonight or any other night
ut my EXPENSE" I Numbered out, for
to control my voice at all, had to raise
it powerfully at 6rst; then in softer
key, added:
Boys, that is my mothers hair; she
is gone, you know, deadp and then
preached them q temperance sermon.
/ hardly know what said, in fact,
never quite knew; but we all went
home sober enough that night, and