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


den: but he had not been in the viii
lage a week before everybody called
him Jerry Marden, and within six
weeks he was known as Jerry Mud
dler. But why Muddler? Who gave
him that name, and why was it given?
The giver is unknown-for who e
knows the giver of nicknames ?-but
the reason for its being bestowed was
that Jerry was always muddled with
drink.
He was a very good shoemaker, but
he stood no chance with George Stew
ems, a sober man, and so driftea into
becoming a cobbler.
3 Jerry's one idea was to get job, and
having done it, to invest the proceeds
a drink at his favorite beer shop,
The Dram Arms" The consequence
was, that Jerry was seldom sober, and
bad he not possessed an iron constitu-
ton, two years of such a life must
have killed him; but he dragged on,
working to-day and idling tomorrow,
and drinking whenever drink could
be got, and finally he drifted into
. debt.
His score at 1.-THE Dram Arms was
a large one, and the chalks stood up
against him like files Of soldiers, but
Jerry ignored their existence-paying
off little now and then, and drinking
more. each time increasing the army
of debt against him, until n evening
Mr.. Richard Rewitt, the landlord OF
the aforesaid "Oram Arms" cried
"halt."
II can't 60 on any longer, jerry"
+. he said. 1.-THE last sum 1 had of you
was three shillings, and you have paid
nothing for a fortnight"
"Work is slack" murmured Jerry,
"but the harvest is coming on, and
then everybody will have their selling
and heeling done, and 1 shall be able
to pay you off,"
"Perhaps So" returned Mr.. Rewltt,
"but you will have as much as you
can do to square off what is up there.
Look at them. Those chalks are a
standing disgrace to any nan. You
ought to be ashamed of yourself"
Jerry looked at the accusing marks,
and really felt aghast at the long list
against him. No spider courtesy en-
treating a fly to enter into his parlor,
could have been more oily-tongued or
smiled a more persuasive smile-that is
presuming that spiders dosmile, which
is lust possible, but when Jerry gotlnto
the tolls, and had been well confined
inThe web, mine host, put on another
face and tone.
eff YOU drink" he said, "you must
expect to pay for it. My brewer would
stand no nonsense from me, and | must
have my money from YOU"
only one pint" pleaded poor Jer-
ry.
Not half a pint" replied the land
lord. Go home and work, and pay
YOUR debts like a man."
The entrance of a customer with
ready money cut short the converse
ton. ard Jerry stood back a pace or
two while the other was being served.
When that was done, and the beer
drunk, and the stranger gone, Jerry
made>a final appeal.
"I've been a good customer to you,
Mr.. Rewitt. Almost every penny l've
earned has come into your till. I've
nigh lived on beer, if living it can be
called, and NY wife and children
have had to shift how they could fol
bread"
THAT'S nothing to me- said the
landlord.
LET me have one pint"
Have you the impudence to ask
for it with that shameful lot of chalks
staring you in the faee?"
Jerry did not reply, but he took s
long and earnest look at the recording
files, and drawing his hand across hi
dry mouth, hurried out of The Gran
Arms"
"Who is that you've been talkin!