The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-03-14

than ourselves. We had the matter |
all arranged and in the meantime we |
paid Jack all the attention in our pow
er, so much so that he signified will
liugness 20 go anywhere to please us,
provided we did not go to any bad |
place.
'Dinner time came, and most cap
ital dinner we had. We had selected |
one Of the best hotels, for the prices
were no higher there than at places of |
lower repute, and, in fact, not so high, |
for these low places fleece sailor
most numerically. The eatables were |
despatched with becoming gusto, and |
then the dishes were removed, and at a |
sign from me the wine was brought |
in.
"'Ah what have you here7' asked |
Jack, betraying some uneasness at the
appearance of the glasses and the bot
ties.
| Only little new wine Ire
piled, as carelessly as could. Mere
juice of the grape
"But it's wine, nevertheless, pursued
he.
"It isn't wine,' cried Sam Pratt,
who was one of the hardest nuts old
Neptune ever cracked.
NO. claimed in Tim Black, another
of about the same stamp. Its only a
little simple juice. Come, boys, fill
up
"The glasses were accordingly filed,
Sam Pratt performing that duty, and
he took care that Jacks glass had a
good quantity of sweetened rum in
it.
"'No,' said Jack, as the glass was
moved towards him, 'if you are to
commence thus, l will keep your com.
pany with water while you remain Or
!: derly, but will not touch wine
"This was spoken very mildly, and
with kind smile, but yet it was spok-
en- firmly, and we could see that our
plan was about being knocked in the
head. We urged him to drink with
us, only one glass, if no more. We
told him how innocent it was, and how
happy his social glass would make us
but we could not move him.
"'Then let him go = cried Tim, who
had already drank some. In fact, all
of us but Jack had drunk more or less
during the forenoon. Let him 90.
We don't want the mean fellow with
, us !!
That's it, added Sam, "off he
goes. If he's too good to drink with
his shipmates, we don't want him.
"'You misunderstood me-, added
Jack, in tone of pain. Pm not too
good to drink with you, in the sense in
, which you take it. But do not want
to drink at all
"'Too s,ingy, that's ALL said L, de-
termined to make him drink if / could.
But Jack looked at me so reproachful-
ly as l said this, that wished l had
not spoken as did.
"If yon wish to enjoy your wine,
messmates,' said Small, at the same
time rising from his chair, you can do
so, but l beg you will excuse me. l
will pay my share of the expenses for
the dinner
"'Aad for your share of the wine,'
said Tim, for we ordered it for you
"'No,' returned Jack, 4 cannot pay
for wine
"Mean' cried two or three at a
breath.
NO, no, messmates, not mean. l
will pay for the whole dinner-for
every article you and have had in the
house, save the wine
, Sand as he spoke he rang the bell.
> He asked of the waiter who entered
what the bill was for the company,
without the wine; and after the
q amount had been stated, he took out
q his purse to pay it, when Sam Pratt,
q who was our acknowledged leader,
f caught his arm.
> "'No, not so, said Sam. You
shall not pay FOR it, for we will not eat
:, at the expense of one who will sneak
, out of a scrape in this way. We want
+ nothing more to do with you unless
' you will take glass of wine with US.
every well, said Jack; and as he
spoke l could see his lip quivered, and
6 that he dared not speak more.
! "He turned towards the door then,
a but before he reached it, Tim Black
ran and caught him, at the same time
exclaming:
"'Now, old boy, you don't go off SO.
q You've commenced, and now you've
y got to stick it out
"This was the signal for us to COM
L mence again, and once more we tried
|, to urge Jack to drink the wine; and
we found that urging would not do we
o commenced to abuse and scott. We
accused him of trying to step over us
. on board the ship, and of all other bad
q things of which we could think. For a
n while the poor fellow seemed inclined
q to let his anger get the upper hand ;
!. but at length he calmed himself, and
4 stepping back to his chair, he said
v 'Shipmates, listen to me for mo
- ment.
IS 'Silence gave consent, and in mo-
e ment more he resumed
e "'Snce matters have come to this
pass, have resolved to tell you what !
II had meant to keep locked up in my
$. own bosom"
,s awe had always thought, from
1. Jacks manner, that there was some
d thing peculiar connected with his early
i life, and we were all attention in mo
,s ment.
y, "My story is but a short one, hC
N continued, 'and | can tell it in a very
h. few words. From the time of my
s, earliest childhood, | never knew wha
i, it was to have happy home. My
ri father was drunkard Once he haC
il, been good man and good husband
o, but rum ruined all his manhood anC
o, made brute of him. l can renembe
G, how cold and cheeresS was the frs
IN winter of my life to which memor,
c leads my mind. We had no fire, N
'st food, no clothes, no joy, no anything
nothing but misery and woe My poo
ut mother used to clasp me to her bosom
Id to keep me warm, and once remem
as Der when her very tears froze on he
X cheek. Oh! how mother prayed t
in God for her husband; and /, VIII
he could but just prattle, learned to pray