The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1882-04-15

/ lost much in popularity in consequence,
/ of which he was aware. and that made
. him all the more irritable.
/ About this time fine hostler. a very de-
/ cent, well meaning fellow. whose duty it
, was to take care of Ben. was pTnD0ted
( to the box-in other words. made a
/ stare drivcr-and another found to fill
/ his place, who proved To be quite a diff
/ elcnt character. much more disposed to
/ attend to that which did not concern him
1 than to perform faithfully lis legitimate
I duties enc of which was to LOOK after
/ the bear. attend to his wants. etc though
not to teach him tricks to render him
still worse than he had already power to
! be. At first he took no particular inter
est in his charge. and fed him regularly
enough: but after few days acqHaint-
ance seeing Ben in his better moods. he
discovered his true character. and told
the stable bows and loungerS that thele
WAS fun in the brute. and that he was
going to get it ont of him.
-Att'ht ltleIN, W tltll III tiliiltS Ntlt
he procured some molaSs"s in which he
poured a quantity of whiskev, aud set It
before the unsus ?ccting Ben. who. limo
Gently enough larped it up with great
delight. This was only for the sweet
howcver, for rs vet his civilization was
not so complete as it afterwards became.
The result OF the experiment was inst rs
great. Notwithstanding. and Ben. to use
a vulgar but most appropriate expression
got "aS drunk as a fool"
OF course Ben was not this time re
Sponsihe for his cnnd ton. nor the many
ridiculous capers he cut: nor could it be
justly said that I've was erCr responsible.
for what did the poor ignorant bear know
of rhp world outside of the stable yar''
or "f it's morality? His teachers and cX
ampleS were human. Could Il mere brute
ask higher authority? Ben was but -
beast without human intelligence to guild
/ him or human incentives to sohrirty. 50
! he allowed himself to be led on to tn,
daily degradation even of his brute ma
! ture.
| As Ben's example seemed popular. anG
was pretty generally followed by the men
! the landlord permitted this to 60 on. il
| he did not ahet it. seeing. of course, that
all the liquor was purchased at his bar.
! including that for Ben. who meanwhile
was rapidly perfecting himself IN the tri
of drinking whiskey. lie could aircadl
dispense with the sweet inducement and
take it clear. solely for the fuddle.
! Even the brilliant young man, with his
Ben's frequent companion. could do II"
more, when whiskey was furnished both.
Just for the fun of seeing them togeth-
err
Let me here diGreSs a moment to re-
peat the old story briefly. But eigh'
years back this Young man had come t.
the post, fresh from an Eastern Law
school i'll the bright morning OF his Ii e, So
full of promise. had twice ably represent
ed the Territory in c ngress. where. t"
gain political friends. he had too Otter
yielded to temptation. Now, like Ben
he needed no persuasion. The once proud
ambitions aspirant for political honors
was not above playing his part with q
diSsolute bear for free whiSkey. IL
would seat himself upon the ground. take
ly thrust his bead down among the straw
regardless of the bears fecbiv sqneaIcG
protest. calling him drunken brute, and
lecture him upon the disgracetuneSs q
his course. amid the uproariDus merri
ment of the vulgar throng, who. in thcil
secret hearts, reioiced to see one fai
above them by nature so degrade himself
Even in this mock elocuti"n there wer
frequent Scuti!latiuns of genius from his
bcsotted brain. When both became ST
Stupetied as 10 longer - furnish amuse-
ment. they We're left to sleep Oft the stu
por sometimes side by side though'usu
ally the man retired to the havott. where
after half-hpur or so. he awokc with a
raging thirst for more whiSkey. He
would make the best OF his way back to
the bears corner (whose stupnr lasted
longer than his companion and purlOin
the whskey that still remained in tn,
bottle: for Ben always drank from the
bottle now, and to see him draw the cork
was part of the entertainment.
The bear did not altogether like this
enforced compani"nshIp, not from any
sense of degradation at the association
with the human brute, hut when ht
wanted a little more whiskey to quiet his
throhhing nerves, and as this last DROP
of >olace WAS always gone when the mar
was around. he naturally concluded tina;
he was the thief, and resolved that h,
would rid himself of the nuisance. Beal
are cunning, and Ben i'll pursuance of :!
plan one night stopped a little short, roll
ed over before he needed to. and ieisned
sleep until the crowd had retired. and
tAe thisty eX-Congressman again APP
pearcd on the scene. There was more il
IIlc pbitit llldu usual lu!S IlHbt. " Hull
made the wary politician a little Suspi
ciOus of the bear: 50 procuring long
stick, he tried to poke the bottle ont of
reach, but in doing SO it tipped, and spill
ed some whiskey. Ben seemed so per
lectly stupeiicd he vehtured boldly in.
AS he stopped to pick up the bottle. Den
struck him a powerful blow on the head,
winch settled the poor nebriat1 forever.
Then swallowing the whiskcy himself.
the bear fell over, this time in L rea!
super.
The murderer and his victim were
found an hour or 50 after. side by side.
The news spread rapidly, and tie Lorri-
lied citizens locked to the scene. When
Ben opened his eyes all unconscious OF
the magnitude of his crime. he was as
tonished at the multitude, and greatly
pleased, began playing with the body of
his victim. \ murmur of horror arose
which awv.l the bcwildercd brute. and
the body OF the man was dragged away
without further notice from his destroy
er. Ben's doom was fixed from the first;
no trial was required, no more evideu,
was necessary. There was no, friend to
offer plea of insanity, or to prove an
alti, or offer by way of extcnuation the
fact that he was aturetied by drink, that
he had been led astray by bad example