Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-03-30
"CHALK YOUR OWN DOOR,"

His proper name was jeremiah
Marden, but he had not been in the
village week before everybody called
him Jerry Marden, and within Elk
weeks he was known as Jerry Middle.
The giver in unknown-for who ever
knows the giver of nicknames-but the
reason for its being bestowed WAS that
Jerry was always muddled with
drink.
He was very good g oemaker, but
he stood no chance with George Ste
vens, o sober man, and so drifted into
becoming cobbler.
Jerry's one idea was to get a job,
and having done it, to invest the pro
ceeds in drink at his favorite beer
shop, the "Ofam Arms"
The consequence was that jerry WAS
seldom sober, ard had he not possessed
an iron constitution, two years OF SUCH
life must have killed him; but he
dragged on, working to-day and idling
to morrow and drinking whenever
drink could be got, and finally he
drifted into debt.
His score at the "Oran Arms" was q
large one, and his chalks stood up
against him like files of soldiers, but
Jerry ignored their existence-paying
a little now and then, and drinking
more, each time increasing the army
of debtg against him until one evening
Richard Re@itt, the landlord OF the
aforesaid "Oran Arms" cried "halt."
81 can't go on any longer, jerry" he
aaid. "The last sum | had of you was
three shillings, and you have paid moth
ing ri fortnight"
"Work is slack" murmured Jerry,
"but the harvest is coming on and then
everybody will have their soling and
heeling done, and shall be able to pay
you off,"
"Perhaps go, returned Mr.. Rewitt,
"but you will have rs much as you can
do to square off what there is up there.
Look at them. Those chalks are a
standing disgrace to any man. You
ought to be ashamed of yourself"
Jerry looked at the accusing marks,
and really felt aghast ut the long list
against him. The inner door of the bar
was a regular blackboard, and he
trembled before it.
Now, when Jerry first came to the
"Oram p rms" the landlord was very
polite, and spoke as softly as you please
10 him. No spider courteously en-
treating fly to enter into his parlor
could have been more oily-tongued or
smiled p more persuasive smile-that
il, prcsuming that spiders do smile,
which is just possible; but when Jerry
got into the tolls and had been well
confined i'll the web, mine host put on
another face and tone.
"If 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"
"0nly one pint" pleaded poor Jerry.
"Not half q pint" replied the land
lord. GO home and work and pay
yodr debts like man."
The entrance Of q customer with
ready money cut short the converfa
ton, and Jerry stood back pace or
two while the other was being served.
When that was done and the beei
drank and the stranger gone, Jerry
made final appeal.
81 have been agood customer TO you,
Mr.. Rewitt. Almost every penny
have earned has come into your till. l
have nigh lived on beer, if living it can
be called, and my wife and children
have had to shift how they could tor
bread"
'That is nothing to me-" said the
landlord.
"Let me have one pint"
"Have you the impudeuce to ask for
II with tins shameful lot of chalks star
ing you i'll the facep'
Jerry did not reply, but lie took a
long and earnest look ut the recording
files, and drawing his hand across his
dry mouth hurried out Of the "0ram
Arms"
"Who is that you have been talking
to, RicAard?' inquired Mrs. Rewitt, en-
terri < the bar from room behind. :
Jerry Muddle," waa the reply. 81
have stopped his drink till he pays
up"
"Then he will go To the Green
Goose and get his drink there" said
Mrs. Rewitt.
They won't trust hina n penny" re-
piled her husband, with a grin-he has
tried it on and failed, and 80 l have
got him. If he don't pay up, | will
make him."
There's nothing to get of the house,
said Mrs. Rewitt, shaking her head. Il
have heard that there's not chair for
them To cit down upon; and Jerry s
wife-clean and tidy as she manages to
keep herself--looks more like a skele-
ton than like woman"
THAT ia Jerry's lookout" replied
Mr.. Rewitt, coolly. "If he can't afford
1t, he shouldn't drink"
The subject was dismissed, and Jer-
ry forgotten in the noise and hustle OF
the usual business. About nine o'clock
Jerry's wife, To the astonishment OF
both Mr.. hewitt and his wife, app cared
in the bar, but not rs they supposed,
for drink.
my husband tells me-" she said,
that he has q heavy score here. How
much is it?'
81 ain almost too busy to tell you, ~
replied the landlord, "but if it is press
ing l wiz reckon it up"
at is pressing; and l will be very
thankful ifyou will let ME know at
once how much 1t is" returned the
poor woman, who was indeed, wan and
pale, and almost justified the title OF
skeleton, which Mrs. Rswitt had given
her.
The landlord went through the
chalks twice, and FINAL announced that
Jerry was indebted to f2 II AID. Jer-
rvs wife received the announcement
with look of quiet dismsy, thanked
the landlord, and then left the house,
81 suppose she is thinking to make
an effort to pay it off," said Mr.. Rev
lit, addressing his better half, "and
hope she WILL but fancy it will be 9
little too much for her.
For a, whole week nothing was seen
or heard of Jerry; but at the eud oil
that time his wife appeared and pu,
down five shillinSs on the counter.
"Will you please take that off the
amount, sir" she said, land give me
the receipt
This was done with gracious smile,
and Jerry's wife departed. Mr.. Rewit,
announced his having hit the nail on
the head. The wife of the cobbler was
making an effort to clear of her hus.
bands debt.
At the end of second week a second
five shillings was paid, and then har-
vest came on-truly q harvest to the
agricultural lsborer, as at that time he
gathers in clothing, and whatever nee
essaries his harvest money will enable
him to procure. All the tradesmen il