Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-05-07

ana ltlHl was Il great dEJf. liner
| was no need for him to deny him
self anything, or exert himself il
any direction. Three or four hour
daily in the office, and the rest q
the time was his own. John Ces
grove had reached the point when
his life seemed utterly contempt
ble, because utterly selfish, and th,
worst of ii was, he saw no way 0
making it different. A great long
ing for something substantial
something he could lay holt! of il
spiritual things, had taken posses
sion of him. He wanted something
in his life beside sham and show
and yet there was not single per
son in "the set" his mother spoke
of to whom he could open his heart
Now, as he left his mothers room
he was aware that this desire had
perceptibly lessened. 1t looked to
him now like q sentimentalism,
and he laughed at the idea of ever
being anything but what his cir
cumStances had made him.
"What are you going to do
noW?" Mrs. COsgrove asked her son
as he was leaving her room. "You
know / receive this evening, and
you must be here to help me-"
"Very WE'LL" her companion re-
piled respectfully; "I'll try and re-
member. I think I'll go now and
look at some mustangs, just ar
rived"
eff you buy one, John," the lady
replied, "do try and pick out a
pretty one. Some of those animals
are hideous."
1.-THE outside again % the young
man said to himself, as he left the
house. "Not a word about strength
Of limb, or power of endurance,
grit, pluck-nothing. A pretty
mustang !" and John laughed
aloud.
AS he passed down the street
wondering what it all meant, and
what existence was good for any
way, he suddenly came upon Earle
Dawson, the subject of the boudoir
lecture. 1t needed but a glance to
tell that the young man had been
drinking. He did not stagger, nor
was he in any way stupid or silly,
but his face was flushed, and his
fine eyes were aglow with excite
ment. John stopped and shook
hands with him.
81 was just thinking about you,
Cosgrove," the young man re-
marked. Now John had an honest
liking for Earle Dawson. He had
always been attracted to him, and
never more than at this moment.
"I'm going over to Carl's to look
1t some mustangs" he said kindly
% his companion. "Won't you go
5oo?'
"Are you going to buy ?'' in
Iuired Earle.
"WelI, yes, I've about engaged |
o." John replied. Though the
act is, 1 don't care much about |
)Olo."
"YOu don't look particularly jol-
"" Earle remarked, with a laugh,
which had a ring of bitterness in it. /
Though don't see what you've
rot to fret about. I have Just lost
ny situation. Twenty-Five dollars
| week gone to the dogs ~
"How did it happen ?'' John
lsked, with real interest.
"Oh spreeingr'
81 didn't suppose you drank in
business hours, Earle"
"Never did, to any extent, but
enough to ruin me. The fellow
Who drinks at all is likely to drink
It any hour, and it is all FOOLS talk
o say that he isn't"
"What are you going to do
low?"
"Ask me something easier"
"Have you any one dependent on
your salary?"
"Yes, sir /; father, mother and
lister. Twenty-Five dollars a week
s what we have lived on for the
)ast two years. My father is par
1yzed, you know"
For a moment John COsgrove felt
IS if he was paralyzed. But after
III, what could he say? He had
oOled away money more recklessly
han Earle ever had. of course no
me had ever depended on him for
ood and shelter, but some one
hould have depended on him, he
old himself. What had he been
loing with his money day after
lay, month after month? Twenty
i've dollars week! Why, he
would sometimes spend as much in !
single evening. For fully five
the two young men walked
N in utter silence, then John said
bruptly: earle, in many ways l
ave been fool, and worse than
OOl. You seem to have been Grim
nal in one thing only. To crafty
OUR appetite you have risked the
of those nearest and
earest to you. 70 crafty my
elfish fancies, | have forgotten
You are a better fell
DIV than l am, Earle, enough
ight."
"You've lost your senses, Cos
rove" Earle replied sharply. 81
aw you drinking wine with the
oys the other night" he went on,
and [ said to myself, if that fell
0w don't say No right away, he is
)st. l was in something such a
lood as you are to-day, and as you
ave been for the past few weeks,
7hen | took my first drink, and |
ave never stopped since. Drop it,
ohm, if you want to have any re-
pect for yourself"
"I hope you won't be offended,
,arle, if ask you why you don't
ractice what you preach ?" John
lquired.
ooh! it don't make any difference
hat becomes of me ~ was the sad
aspOnse.
cor what becomes of your fami-
y P''
eff anything should happen to
le, COsgrOve, my folks would be
lken better care of than / have
yer been able to care for them.
or their sakes | wish ] was out of
ne way entirely" {
1t was no use to talk. This, John
osgrove thoroughly realized. !
What could he do? he asked him I
elf. There was a vacancy in his !
lther's Office which Earle could fill '
he would only stop drinking, but /
Irely there was no hope of that. {
Would it be of any use to eXtort a '
promise of this kind from a man I
lready under the influence of '
quor? No! and yet something l
lust be done. 1t was inexpiieable, t
ut someway John felt as if this !
-as his opportunity. They had ar {
we'd now at their destination. {
LET us walk on a little turther," {
Ohm said, and then fell to think '
lg again. |
Earle" he said at last, 81 want {
ou to come to my Office tomorrow :
lOrning. If you like, I'll put you '