Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1885-05-07

lgood enough Tor you.
had nothing to say. All my argu
ments, tied up with blue strings. were
stored away where / could not react
them.
"Henry will soon be- large enough
to initiate the example of his father"
she said, referring to our little boy.
maud, don't say that" l replied.
81 will say it, for it's the truth. /
you can't stop drinking now, you can''
stop when the boy grows up to-"
"Now, here, Maud, 1 am going t.
stop"
dWhenp"
"From this time forward, will bcs
sober man."
al can't believe YOU"
"Can't you trust me once mOreP
"No. Every time / build up hope
you tear 1t down."
"Is it not better to hope, though tn,
hope may be in vain, than not to hope
at ALP"
1T is never better to be deceived
john"
"Try me to-day. 1 swear by al
that is sacred, by the love beai
you"
"Pshaw. The love you bear me
II you loved me, you wouldn't drink"
THAT is no argument. Maud"
"It is the truth, and the truth needs
no argument.
81 don't want any breakfast. I'll
go down town now, but mind you, III
be sober when / return.
I was unit tor work. My hand
trembled and my thoughts were con.
fused. took up an article which !.
had written the day before, while ]
was under the influence of liquor. Al
the time l wrote it, thought it was Q
gem of sentiment, but now the
maudlin lines were repulsive. Maud's
face came up before me. Surely she
was a lovable woman. mo temptei
needs come to-day unused. II will
90 home sober. will smoke while
she cuts the leaves of the new maya.
zine and then will read to her."
"Hello, john" exclaimed friend,
opening the door and thrusting smil.
ing face into the room. lizard at
work, ehp"
Hard at work trying to work." ]
replied. "Took little too much oil
the merry demon, yesterday"
"Better como out and get cock
tail P"
mo am obliged to you,"
"It's the best thing you can do. j
filled myself up pretty well yesterday
and felt like hell this morning. but
now, after taking cocktail or two,
I'm all right. L tell you what's fact,
john" entering the room and shutting
| the door, "there's no use of a man
| getting drunk. The trouble is, that a
fellow who swears off takes a drink
and then SAYS to himself, well, I've
broken my VOW and I'd just as well
get drunk This is a mistake. IL,
after taking two or three drinks, he
would go to work, he would keep up
his end in business sense, and would
retain his selfrespect. Come on, let's
| get a drink or two and then you can
work. Confound it you are not so
weak that you are afraid OF the stuff
are your One drink now would fall
on you like shower of salvation.
~ knew that his utterances were
the utterances CT sophistry; / knew
that child could see through the
flimsy texture of his pretended argu-
ment, yet went with him. AS shut
the door of my room, / saw Maud's
face-I saw the arms of my little boy
stretched out toward me.
"Well only take one round, Jake, ="
/ said to my friend.
That's all. Then we'll go back to
work"
Jake Howard was an insurance
agent and occupied room in the same
building where did my work Of des'
ultory literature.
We drank. Jake told me an amusing
story. l glanced at the clock. Take
one more. and then we'll CO." said be.
| We drank again. Lets sit down"
said he. We sat down. A mutual
friend-ttat great abettor of the temp
ter, that man who always drinks bu,
who never gets drunk-came in and
declared that we should drink W it'll
him. / asked for soda water, but
with the poo hoo of good fellowship
he exclaimed, Bring us three whisky
straights."
| went home Mt dinner time. wa:
not drunk, but / was far from being
sober. My little boy ran out on the
porch to meet me. l took him in my
arms.
John" said my wife, ''do you
think that you are steady enough to
carry him ?"
| / looked at her reproachfully. AS
turned to walk down the steps into the
ward, l stumbled and fell. Merciful
God ! the little fellows arm was bro
ken. i ran to summon surgeon
After calling at the Office of the sur
geon and leaving my call on the slate,
/ went to neighboring saloon to
steady my nerves. l lost my recol
lection. remember that brushed
sawdust from my coat. remember 8
dark night and a rainy day. remcm
Der drinking with one-legged man
but nothing was tangible. When
became sober, when consciousness
came upon me with dull, painful
awakening, l was in disrcputablt
part of the city. | had taken up my
abode in a den of ruffians. l ask yor
you who read this-would not dealt
by hanging have been too good fol
me p tried to pray, but what righ
had to call upon the great Master o.
Lifep None. 1 went home. Tht
house was deserted. 1 found the fol
lowing note:
"My Dear Lost Husband; can ne
longer endure the thought of living
with a drunkard. / do not leave you
in anger. have just prayed for you
do not suppose that we shall evel
meet again. Yours. MAUD"
CHAPTER III.
went away from the town where
had disgraced myself-where / hat