News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-11-30
A BAR-R0OM INCIDENT.

"Hello, Pop! awake so soon?" said
the bartender to the queer little old man
who again dawned out of a watery un-
| consciousness on the bench behind the
stove, with a preliminary cough and
wheeze. "Tm coming to you"
81 suppose I remarked, when a
gratuitous drink had once more relegated
the queer little old man to the dreamful
shores, which, perhaps, seemed to him
like his native land ''I suppose, then,
that Poppy's story, if he has any, must be
widely different from that of the prepos-
ferrous wretch you referred to few mo-
ments ago?"
"Hew?" the barkeeper, asked in ap-
parent surprise.
The policy dabler, the lottery ticket
VICTIM" explained the imbecile who
could expect an occasional free drink
after having spent his foolish twenty dol
lars week here, year in and year out,
you know?"
"Oh!" replied the bartender, bliss
fully unconscious of ronical implication,
eyes, old Pop yonder, as they call him,
is different case. You see," with a
percepible confusion of manner, GIVE
known him for a long time-sort of un-
der obligations besides = dye under
stand? His story, too, might be writ up,
if you'd like to hear it, or even part
of it,
''Well, you see, this is about the size
of it. . said he, leaning far over ON Mis-
elbows and lowering his voice to conf
dental whisper. ~'Old Pop yonder is
pegging out rather lively, with pneumo-
mia or something of the sort, an liquor s
about the only thing that keeps him
alive. His doctor says that without the
stimulant he wouldn't last week. So
there he sets, and there he's been a set
tin every day fur month or two, and 1
supply the stimulant. Dye see ?"
cts really good of you," I observed.
" But then I suppose the former obiga-
tons you spoke Of"
"That's iist it I'm payin' 'em off in
this way" he interrupted. $50, every
morning the old woman-Pop's wife, you
know, and a decent, hard-working old
woman she is-brings the old fellow here
while she's out at washing or floor scrub
bing, and leaves him sort of In my care
till she comes to take him home In the
evening, for Pop himself is all but help
less. It's almost time for her to come
for him now," he added, with a glance
at the clock, which indicated quarter
to six.
81 say it's. really good of you," re-
peated the writer, with an interested
glance at the occupant of the bench, who,
though still in exile, appeared excep-
tionally uneasy, with labored breathing
and tremulous starts, as though mutely
suppicating for a return of the native
health and peace never more for him.
"And I suppose the hard-working old
wife is always grateful to you
''WeH, she is, an then again she amt" :"
said the bartender. 'Hold ON a minute.
He needs another stiffener I'm thinking" "
Poppy was accordingly aroused suffi-
GENTLY to imbibe another drink which
sent him to sleep, yet not without fit
of convulsive but feeble coughing, fol-
lowed by sundry deep and piteous sighs.
"Oh, he's been as bad as that before,
said the bartender, in answer to the
writer's look of concern as he again edged
in behind the counter. eyes, the old
woman's feelings toward me, that's the
oldest thing of all, " he continued. "The
doctor has told her what Poppy requires
to be kept from sinking, you see, and
she's willing for me to take care of him in
this way while she's out at work. But
then she's awful pious and strictly ON the
temperance howl herself; dye see?"
I nodded, and there was fresh inter-
ruption by reason of another "spurt'
from the street, during which the repre-
sentative man almost came to blows with |
an inebriated ceal HEAVIER, who rendered |
five cents instead of ten for a beverage, |
but afterward settled it by permitting the
coal HEAVIER to owe him the difference.
Then a travel-stained minstrel, with
harp on his back and desire in his soul
to exchange music for whisky, had to be
led out by the ear; some lemons were
purchased of vender, and an intention
ally obtuse customer, who wanted twenty
cents change from quarter, after absorb
ing ten cent drink, was threateningly |
called "dumbhead," and asked if he
expected to have his cake and eat it,
too, whereupon the barkeeper was once
more at my service.
"It's jist as L tell you," he resumed. |
'The old woman, though compelled to
let me take care of Pop in this way, is |
death ON temperance, and pious to boot.
Why, let me give you an instance" and |
here he became confused again. "What |
if L should tell you that the old people
Pop and his wife-have got a son, strong
and healthy, and both able and willing to
support them both, but that the old wo-
man refuses to take a cent of his wages
not one solitary copper-and all as mat
ter of conscience, Ell ?"
"Wages of dishonesty, perhaps ?" 1
suggested.