Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-03-30

mdklDS I'LL tutuA OtASIWicC. AACAC
was no display in putting down the
money-it was quickly done-but the
the happy light in the woman's eyes
as she took the receipt spoke more
than mere words or actions.
81 have been hasty with jerry" said
Mr.. Rewitt, when another whcle monfn
had elapsed without Jerry appearing.
"He promised to pay at harvest time,
and he did; but have offended him,
and the Green Goose has caught his
CUSTOM"
$50 and see him." suggested his wife.
Il intended to do so. Here, give
me out Toms boots; they want q patch
on the side; it will be an excuse for
my dropping in upon him."
"Tbat isn't much of a job for him,
seeing that you give George Stevens
the lest of work," said Mrs. Rewitt.
Stevens works better that Jerry"
replied her husband; "you can always
trust him to do his work when it is
promised, but Jerry keeps the things
for weeks together"
"That is true, but l have got a pair
of boots that want new fronts, and can
wait a week or two. Take them"
'I'll take both," said Richard Rev
lit, nothing like batting your hooks
while you are at it."
Armed for the recenquest OF Jerry,
the landlord set forth in the morning
that being a slack time when he could
be easily spared from home. Outside
were a couple of loafers, with no money
and no credit. Mr.. Rewitt favored
them with lofty nod of indifference.
AS he approached the door he heard
the sound of Jerry's hammer upon
the lapstone, and, to his utter amaze
ment, the voice of Jerry carroling q
cheerful ditty, which used occasionally
to come out within the tap-room as
the song of the raven. Raising the
latch the landlord of the .Oram Arms"
peeped in.
GOOD morning, Jerry" he said.
"Oh! Is that you, Mr.. Rewitt 2" re-
piled Je. ry, looking up. "Come in"
Jerry looked up, wondrous clean,
and had even been shaved that very
morning. His blue shirt looked clean,
and he actually had collar on.
Mr.. Rewitt was 80 overcome by the
change that he stood still with his
boots under his arms, forgetting that
they formed part of his mission.
"You look very we'll, Jerry" he said
at last. .....
"Never felt better in my life," re-
piled Jerry. ~ wish I could say the
same of you. You look whitish."
" l have got bit of cold" replied
the other, "and l have been shut up q
good deal with business lately. Trade
has been brisk; but how is it that we
have not seen your"
"Well-the fact is, SIR" said Jerry,
rubbing his chin, 81 have been busy
wiping off your score"
"But its done, man." said Mr.. Rev.
lit, cheerfully; "the door is quite clean
as far as you are concerned" '-.
81 am glad of that"
"Others have got their share" said
the landlord, facetiously,'" "but think
we could make room for you, if you
look us up"
mo, thanks, sir" returned Jerry, II
have had enough of chalking on other
peoples doors and now / chalk on nv
own"
"Chalk on your own!"
Eyes, Sir, have the goodness to turn
round and look behind. There is my
door half full"
It's nice thing to keep account your
SELF" said the landlord, who hardly
knew what to make of it, "for mis-
takes will happen; but"
mo mistakes can happen, SIR" in
terrupted Jerry, "for Pm the only
party as deeps that account"
But who trusts you to do that?"
"Nobody--I trust myself" replied
Jerry. "The marks which were on
your door showed what 1 did drink,
and these on mine show what did
not drink"
A light had got into the landlords
brain and he had pretty good idea of
what was coming, bat he said nothing.
THAT night when you spoke to me
about the chalks on the door being q
standing disgrace to me was the night
of my waking" continued Jerry. "No
man could have lectured me any bet
ter than you did, and thank you for
1t from the bottom of my heart. AS l
left your house l vowed to touch
drink no more, and came home and
told my wife 80, and we both LINED
in earnest prayer that I might have
the strength to keep my vow. The
next morning | went over and asked
George Stevens how 1 could go about
signing the pledge. He helped me
like man and it was DONE"
With his eyes wondering to and fro
between Jerry and the chalk marks on
the door, the amazed landlord still re-
NAMED silent. Jerry went on.
my wife wanted TO work herself to
death to keep me-" he said, "but
said no. You do what you can to
keep the children until my debts are
paid, and then I'll keep you and the
children too. So I went to work pay.
ing right and left, and when l had
paid all began to do what l ought to
have done years ago-feed my wife
and children. l had enough to spare
and would have spent more with you.
And many's the time I've been tented
to go-and I'm tempted still, but
when the feeling comes over me
take drink of water or q cup of tea,
put twopence into box I've got on
purpose, and score q chalk on the
door. All of them chalk marks are so
many twopence saved"
Mr.. Rewitt was unable to make any
particular remark, but he murmured
in a confused manner, you've got q
lot of EN-"
Eyes, there is a large family" re-
piled Jerry, complacently. "and the
more | look at them the better like
them. There is not much standing
disgrace about that lot; credit, if any
thing"
"Oh, yes-yes," returned the land
lord; "but-dear me-this cold in my
head is quite distressing. You must
have large box for all Of your two
pence"
"When get six together take them
to the postofice," replied Jerry; "there
is bank there better than any till.
They give nothing out, but bat banks
like that return you more than you
put in. Until l began to keep my own
chalks l had no idea how much your
till swallowed up. You would not trust
me for q pint, but / can have my
money out of the bank whenever I
want it."
"1hst's something" said Mr.. Rewitt,
tartly.
eft is everything to man who has
a wife and children to keep" replied
Jerry. THE best OF US have s'ckness
and trouble and rainy DAYS. and then