The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1880-10-13

Jerry's cottage was in the middle OF
the little village, standing back about
fifty feet from the road and although
its inside poverty had been well
known, the outside, thanks to his wife,
looked quite as we'll as its neighbors.
Therefore Mr.. Rewitt was not in the
least surprised to see that it looked
bright and gay on that beautiful au-
tumn morning.
AS he approached the door, he heard
the sound of Jerry's hammer upon the
lapstone, and, to his utter amazement,
the voice of Jerry carolling a cheerful
ditty, as unlike the cracked efforts he
used occasionally to come out with in
the taproom as the song of the raven.
Raising the latch, the landlord of
1.-THE Dram Arms" peeped in.
Good morning, Jerry,"h he said.
"Ah! is that you, Mr.. Rewitt" re-
piled Jerry looking up. Come in"
Jerry looked wondrous clean, and
had even been shaved that very morn
ing. His blue shirt looked clean, too,
and he actually had a collar on.
Mr.. Rewitt was so overcome by the
| change that he stood still with the
boots under his arm, forgetting that
they formed part of his mission.
"You look very well, jerry" he
said at last.
Never felt better in my life" re-
piled Jerry. II wish, sir, l could say
tt e same of you. You look whitish."
"I've got a bit of a cold," replied
the other, land I've been shut up a
good deal with business lately. Trades
been brisk; but how is it we've not
seen you?"
"Well-the fact is, sir" said Jerry,
rubbing his chin, "I've been busy
working off your score"
but it is done, man, =" said MI. Rev.
lit, c%heerfully; "the door is quite
clean, as far as you are concerned"
II am glaQ OF tnat."
"Others have got their SHARE" said
the landlord, facetiously "but 1 think
we could make room for you, if you
look u up"
mo, thanky, sir" returned Jerry.
"T've had enough of chalking on
other peoples doors, and now I chalk
on my own"
Yes, sir ; have the goodness to
turn around and look behind you.
There's my door half full"
"It's a wise thing to keep account
yourself" said the landlord, who hard
ly knew what to make of it." for mis-
takes will happen; but"
"No mistake can happen sir; inter-
rupted Jerry, "for 1 am the only party
as keeps that account"
"But who trusts you to do that?"
"Nobody-I trusts myself" replied
Jerry. 1.-THE marks that were on your
door showed what I did drink, and
them marks on mine show what I
don't drink"
A little light had got into the land
lords brain, and he had a pretty good
idea of what was coming, but he said
nothing.
"That night when you spoke to me
about the chalks on the door being a
standing disgrace to me, was the night
of my waking" continued Jerry.
mo mar could have lectured me bet
ter than you did, and THANK you for it
from the bottom of my heart. AS I
left your house I vowed to touch or
drink no more, and I came home and
told my wife so, and We both joined in
earnest prayer that I might have
strength to keep my VOW. The next
morning I went over to George Stew
ems and asked him how I could go
about signing the pledge. He helped
me like a mainland it was done"
With his eyes wandering too and fro
between Jerry and the chalks upon
| the door, the amazed landlord still
remained silent. Jerry went on:
my wife wanted to work herself
to death to keep me-" he said; "but l
said No. You do what you can to
keep the children until my debts are
paid, and then I'll keep you and the
chill rem, too So I went to work,
paying right and left; and when all
was paid off, / began to do what l
ought to have done years ago-feed my
wife and children. Ihad enough and
to spare, and I would have spent some
with you. And many's the time I've
been tempted to come and I'm
tempted still, but when the feeling
comes over me I have a drink of water
or a cup of tea, puts twopence into the
box I've got on purpose, and scores a
chalk on thedoor. Allof them chalks
are so many temptations and so many
twopences saved"
"Mr. Rewitt was unable to make
airy particular remarks; but he MUIR
INJURED in a confused manner,
"You've got a lot 0 f'em."
eyes, there's a large family" re-
piled Jerry, complacently, land the
more l lookes at 'em the better | likes
'em. There's not much standing dis
grace about that lot; credit if any
| 4In.