Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1882-12-22
1MisCellanenMs.
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A FORTUNATE JEST.

y
thousand miles from the city of London,
had at the age of one-and-twenty, come
into the possession of large fortune.
Immediately thereupon the weather
friends assembled about him, and sought
to make him believe that they could
make life pleasant for him. lie was
fond of company; full of life; with no
restraint save his own conscience; and
he was easily led on into the glaro and
glitter Of convivial enjoyment.
His mother had died when he was
youth of sixteen, and his father had
lived but year longer And he had
no near relative to guide him.
Once he had loved beautiful young
girl. but his dissipatcd course had
frightened her parents, aud they had
forbidden him their house until he could
truly mend. This had so angercd him
that he had torn the image out from his
heart, resolving that he would never be
a slave
And he was living a brilliant, glori-
GUS life, he knew-or, at least, he told
himself SO. lie drank deeper; and,
anon, he camo>to the gaming-tablc In
short, every vice that wealthy spend
thrift might find feeting pleasure in, he
INDUCED in.
And the circle Of friends clung closely.
They sworc by him; declared him
trump They drank bis wine, and
robbed him Of his money; and if new
source of rare pleasure could be found,
they all went in for the enjoyment and
he paid the bill
One day, after bis eye had become
bleared and his stop uncertain, he met
the girl he had once loved, in the street
He read pity in her face, and saw tears
in her eyes ; and he tried to steel his
heart yot he thought of her until his
wild friends were again around him.
One day he went to the bank and
drew out thousand pounds.
That night he sat down in his own
apartments, with his own wine upon the
sideboard, and his own cards upon the
table and played with bis dear friends !
The wine flowed freely, he drank deeply
and the game went on recklessly. They
played for high stakes, and played fast
and late.
On the following morning the young
man awoke with bursting head and
aching eyes. By-and-by he called to
mind the events Of the night. lie
looked into his pocket5ook and into his
purse Empty, both ! And he rcmem-
bered that he had given his checks TO
various members Of tho party for large
amounts He found the counterfoils,
and they told him he had drawn his
checks to the amount of over two thou
sand pounds.
But what of that Before night he
had drank brandy enough 10 steady his
nerves aud mako him once more happy.
Another evening came, and again his
friends were assembled round his board.
He had got up grand supper for them
this time, aud after the various courses of
food had passed in order, came the wine
and the toasts.
And ono of the friends, 10 whom
large check had been given, got up to
offer a sentiment.
ELL up! Gil up" he cried /; while
/ give you the toast Of the evening
Here's 10 our sober and thrifty host.
May he be ever as sensible as he is at
this moment" m So
It was drank with cheers--thrce time
three
II was observed that from TINT mo.
ment tho spirits Of their host seemed to
fail him. He became moody and abb
stracted By-and-by some one bantercd
him upon it, and asked him what was
the matter.
IIe answered
II was thinking, did Tom tell the
truth when he said | was sober and
thrifty p
And thereupon they all exclaimed
"Of course be did !! Oh |! was ever
man sobercr or more thriftyY'
Because pursued the host, patheti-
cally, shouldn't want a friend to lie on
my account J!
"Oho! Sensible to the last Fill
up
But the host would drink no more
lie babe the others enjoy themselves us
much. and as long as they pleased, but
they must excuse him.
Without him, however, the sport
Jagged, aud when they found there was
to be no card-playing they soon dis
perSed.
And after they were gone, the young
nan sat down alone and thought, and
tho words, "Sober and thrifty "Sober
and thrifty !" rang his ears. and no re-
,eated them nloud