Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1885-12-24
Written spe eially for the. Sentinel.
THE BARBER'SSTORY
TOM KINGS CHRISTMAS.
BY REMLY 9. sIDELINGER.

A few years ago I was doing busi-
ness as barber in Boston, and was
having a nice run of trade in neat
little shop on Black ST., just few
doors below the horse car station, not
far from Bowdoin Square, near HI.
Revere House. am thus particular,
for perhaps some may remember the
place.
| had as foreman, smart and in
telligent young man by the name of
Thomas King he was fine work
man, and suited my customers very
| well, and could usually be depended
upon, except occasionally, when he
would have fit of the "blues' and for
wcek or so he would then be in ii
| state of dependency, and no matter
how hard he would struggle against it
he would end his morose period with
a spell of drunkenness, in fact he
would go on regular ''tear" as the
rest Of men used to call it, and this
spell of intoxication, would perhaps
last a week.
When I saw one of those fits of the
poor fellow coming on, I would try
and divert his attention in some man
ner, and try if possible, to prevent him
from ending as he usually did with a
weeks debauch. Sometime | would
invite him home with me to spend the
evening, as [ would request his COM
pany to the theatre, but it would be
of no avail, for the result would be
just the same, and when [ got to the
shop in the morning l would be greet
ed with "Tom is on a spree again, sir."
In few days he would get all over
it, and return to work and be as steady
as one could wish, and sorry enough
he would be too, and promise to try to
do better.
Isometimes used to think that /
was doing wrong by keeping him, but
really I hated to part with him, [
liked him as man, and hewas as good
a workman as 1 could get, excepting
of course the periods l have mention
ed, and then he would try so hard to
do better, but one thing noticed, and
that was, that he would try to reform,
and not that he would. | think this
was because that he had so fine a sense
of honor, that he was fearful lest he
should break his word.
Tom was mystery to us all, and
sometimes used to think that he was to
himself also. He never mentioned his
past life to any of US, and if [ men
toned it to him he would manage to
turn my attention to something else,
and therefore, when 1 found that he
did not wish to refer to it, much less
dwell on the subject, I soon ceased to
refer to the matter altogether.
One summer, after he had been
working for me about three years, l
saw that he was feeling sort of down
hearted and that he had fit of the
"blues" coming on, and of course /
knew just what to to expect, and think
ing to draw his attention away from
what ever it might be that was roub-
ling him, / told him he had better
take the afternoeRef and 90 over to
the Hub BillarC :. and try and
amuse himself, as l knew he was very
fond of the sport.
It appears that he remained there
until the evening was we'll advanced, ],
and then started to go home, but on
his way to his lodging house he step
ped into number of bar-rooms, and
became quite intoxicated, and it was
in this condition that he met with
quite an adventure, and one that
changed his whole career.
While walking along Court Street,
he observed white bundle slowed
away in the doorway of an alley, and
he was just enough in his cups to want
to stop and investigate, which of course
he did, and what was his great sur.
prise, to find that it was nothing more
or less than a little girl about three
, years of age. The night was dark
and about to storm, and as he could
not see any one about to take care o.
} the child, he determined to take it te
his room, which was not far away
J This he resolved upon doing, for ht
: was so kind that he did not want th'
: child's slumbers disturbed, SO he take!
) the little midget to his room.
: The next morning when | got to th'
r shop was greatly surprised and pleas
{ ed to find Tom at his chair, though h
: was showing signs of his previous
. nights dissipation.
3 "Ah, good morning Thomas, good
3 morning, glad to see you around Toe
7 hardly expected to see you for /
: week, and it gives me great pleasnr,
! to be so pleasantly disappointed.
!. Yes, Mr.. S. / am here this morn
] Continued on fourth page.