McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-10-02
casionally, but champagne is light, you

/
81 am temperance man, continued
Kingsley, with an emphatic gesture;
II don't mean to say thatI believe in
total abstinence. That is simply in
temperate abstemiousness. The bible
says, Let your moderation be seen of
all men, Now, total abstinence is
just as immoderate as total drunken
ness. We should shun both extremes.
In my opinion, the pledge has made
more drunkards, and consequently
more liars, than any other one thing on
the face of the globe! Do you play bill
liardsp"
"Not MUCH" replied Percy, unwill-
! ing to admit that he had never seen
billiard table.
"Come in and try hand" said his
companion.
Percy would gladly have excused
himself, but with show of alacrity fol-
lowed Kingsley up flight of broad
steps into brilliant room where a
number of gentlemen were at play.
believe l won't play to-night-Tm
rather tired said he, as they entered.
81 suppose So" replied Kingsley,
throwing himself on a luxurious lounge.
''Make yourself comfortable for
awhile
Following his example, Percy took a
sofa, and in the course of an hour gath
cred some knowledge of the game
True, he heard some things said that
sent the blood tingling to his brow;
true, he observed that the players in
variably supplemented their game with
visit to the bar below, and he thought
of his mother and of his Annie. New
ertheless, he determined that he would
learn to play billiards.
"Come in and have drink" said
Kingsley, as they ran down the stairs.
"Only a glass of lager, it will make you
sleep"
So Percy, yielding, found himself
standing at the marble bar drinking
from a glass held in richly-wrought
receiver of silver a beverage which, to
his untaught palate, was exceedingly
offensive.
at is better, certainly, if one has
ones own house and can afford to keep
a billiard-room, said Kingsley, wiping
his mustache, as they left the saloon.
''Then fellow can choose his COM
pany. But, since we can't have our
private billiard-rooms, are we to be de-
prived of this manly and elegant past
time? Of course, the society at these
public places isn't just the thing, but
what can man do?"
Percy thought of poor Tray, who
was cruelty beaten for no other reason
than being found in bad company, but
said nothing.
When he reached his room it was
nearly midnight. Though very tired,
he took up the paper, and looked again
at the singular advertisement that had
interested him before going out. 1t
seemed to apply to him. He was a
''yOung men from the country, seeking
employment and he might get some
very useful hints from the "Old Man of
the Moor" If clergymen went, as the
advertisement implied, he might,
surely. And he believed he would go.
Next morning he rose late, and took
breakfast in company with a very
pretty young lady, who declared, with
a very bewitching smile, that since they
sympathized in the matters of rising
and breakfasting, they must be firm
friends. Her hands were so small and
white, her complexion SO delicate, her
waist so slender and her hair so beau
tifully arranged in rolls and crimps and
curls, that Percy regarded her with in
tense admiration, and mentally con-
trasted her with Annie Collins. 1t
hardly need be SAID that his conclusions
were very unfavorable to the sweet
girl whose devoted heart was ever
magnifying his graces and accomplish
ments. Meantime, the young lady,
whose name was Sybil Pearson, en-
,tertained him with her pretty chit
chat, and he fingered long over his cot
fee. At last, with some constraint, he
said:
''Do you ever 90 to the theater?"
''Oh! yes! 1 never lose an oppor-
tunity," she said, with look that
meant, ''try me and see."
Have you seen the odd Man of the
Moor?'
mo; but want-oh! ever so much
to see it!''
Il would LIKE mean, 1 intend to
60. Would you
$50 with you? Of course wouldr'
''When shall we go?' said he, ami
matedly.
81 am engaged for tonight, and to-
morrow evening and the next. 1 can
60 on Thursday
Percy thanked her most gallantly,
and as it was now half-past nine, ex-
cused himself and went after the morn
ing papers. Sitting in his little room
he ran over the columns of "Help
wanted" and found two or three dozen
advertisements which he decided to an
swer. Not having the slightest doubt
that among them all he should find a
situation, he concluded which place he
would like the best, and started. But,
everywhere he went, the answer was
invariably to the effect that they were
suited
And this morning, in late rising, pro-
longed breakfast, and tardy applica-
tions for work, was but sample of |
many that followed. He was ever ''too |
lataS tO obtain q noSitiOn Some s.Irckv