Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-07-10

broken W0en Incy mOSt ueSlreo W
last, no doubt, but I, who had become
a dwelling place for the devils, I
lasted.
'They carried the old grandfather
away, and his poor daughter got a
black dress somehow. One night Jack
went sneaking out of the house with
bundle under one arm and me under
the other. The bundle was his wife's
mourning dress for her father. he
took it to pawn-shop and pawned 1t
for enough to fill me twice. The
poor woman never had a decent dress
again.
"She was in rags. She was hungry:
I've seen Jack clutch her hand and
wrench the money she'd earned for
her children's bread from it, and then
90 off with me. Think of It'll l had
to aid and abet him. and hear her say
things about me that were very natur
al, seeing she did not know how l
hated the devils that lived 10 ne, but
that were hard to bear. But he fell
downstairs with me in his pocket, and
broke his head, and didn't break me.
lie hit me against things, to their in
jury, not mine. | mus. have guard
ian devil, lasted SO.
zone day-it was such bitter day,
ice, and snow and everywhere-Just
Eve years from the Christmas I'd been
made a present to Jack, he stood, rag
ged and dirty, at a bar. room stove,
with lie in' his pocket-my neck
sticking out. Up came the proprle~
tor.
"'Now, Jack Barker says he
why don't you go home?
"He was ashamed to have him
there, you see, ragged creature
with his toes out, and black eye and
a broken nose. He used to be called
handsome Jack Barker before he took
TO filing me. Think of that.
"Now he looked up with a miser =
able, abject whine.
eco home with an empty bottle
on a Christmas evc?' says he. You
didn't use to say go home when |
came here with full pockets, Mr..
Jones
"'Well, mol didn't, said the man !;
and il would have been better if |
had I'll Gil your bottle for you Jake
Barker
HE filled it-Goodness knows
with what-and the poor wretch stag
gered home. Oh, the wretched cellar :;
the miserable straw bed in the corner ;
the wife lying sick upon it. re-
member them SO well.
"Shc was very sick, and there was
a little baby beside her. Just think
of another baby there.
Happy Christmas said he, as he
staggered in. Happy Christmas old
girl!'
'Happyp said she. oh, this
dreadful dayl That bottle came TO
us FIRST on Christmas
II takes SO little to put drunken
man in a rage. lie answered her
with an oath.
".'Anybody would think ! was
drunk to hear you talk, said he. And
the poor woman answered:
"'Oh, good heaven! are you ever
sober2 Oh, Jack Jackr
"'And then he flew at her. He
took me By the neck and beat her
over the head with me. The cork
fell out and the liquor poured over
her breast and over the face of the
little baby lying upon it. 1t mingled
with her blood.
''At first she screamed. Then she
lay still. Her face grew white. 1
knew l was a murderer, oh, let me
Ereakp | cried. Let me be broken
into fragments But her fair flesh
was mashed to pulp, her delicate
bones broken, and | was sound as
ever, when Jack, led by heaven knows
what mad fancy, left his victim and
staggered into the street again. The
snow was falling. The air was white
with it. He staggered along, mutter-
ing to himself. At last ] came to a
wharf and stumbled across it. | be
lieve a boat lay there on which he had
been once before and on which they
had given him drink.
Sea Bird. ahoy cried he. 'Hullo,
hullol Sea Bird, ahoyr
Nobody answered him.
Tn coming aboard, he muttered
I'm coming aboard. | shan't stay
at home to be preached to. I'm my
own MASTER.
'"Then he took one step more.
Splash-crash! He was through the
thin ice under the water.
Thank heaven said I. my mis-
cradle career is ended.
Then | turned cold as ice myself,
and there was roaring in my neck.
Next thing 1 knew it was broad
daylight, and l was floating on the
water.
There's a bottle said some one.
Ii was a bare-legged boy. He stoop-
ed over the side OF boat, and caught
me.
There was a man drowned here
last night, said he to another boy at
his side.
Ibid you see him2n said this one.
Eyes, said the first. He was
drunk, and killed his wife. They've
got an inquest on her, down in the
cellar over there. l say, I'm going
to sell this bottle to Bill, the junk
man
$50, | was saved, and much against
my will, stood in the junk window for
week. The water had washed the
blood off of me. | had no smell of
liquor left, and along comes your
wife.
"'What nice fiat bottle!' says she
Just what l want How much for
itg
"And Billy charged her four cents,
and home she brought me.
MY career of vice has begun
again, said L. And expected moth
ing else, but, bless the dear soul, she
put vinegar in me-nice, sour limo
cent, respectable vinegar-and I've
been good reformed bottle ever
since. And now you-you-you-
her husband, are going to put the
devilish spirits into me again. For
heavens sake, break me irst
don't want 10 destroy another houses
hold"
you shan't." said Tom Barnaby.
Here, you go back on your shelf. l
leave you to innocence and vinegar;
and think I'll make cup of strong
coffee"
Right, said the bottle.
And so the bottle stands still beside
the crust on Mrs. Barnaby's dresser;
and Tom Barnaby is still sober man.
How Men Dress Now.