The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1886-01-07
ESTABLISHED IN
! MARCH, 1S47.
Happy New Year!

hollow, ecnOlng SOund, suggestive OF
some evil influence which rules and
reigns over the night. A dim light
shown through the window Of
gloomy-looking building, in room
of which surrounding small table,
sat four men, holding swatch meet
ing" For it was New Years eve, and
tomorrow was to be the beginning Of
another year. What had the past
year wrought for them-or what, in
all these long months had they
wrought for themselves. As the
clock-scarcely discernable through
the tobacco-smoke-strnck the hour
Of eleven, the empty glasses were
thrust aside, the cards were thrown
down, and there seemed to be gen.
eral belief that the interest had de-
parted from the silly game, as well as
the fascination from the noise, and
stencil. and excitement of the place.
well" " remarked one man, tive
put in a pretty faithful year here,
probably two nights in week; spent
an average of fifty cents night; al
together, little more than a hum
dred dollars year.
Shave you family?" asked one Of
his companions.
"Yes, wife and three children. A
good family, too-a good deal better
than | have been.'
swell" said another, II believe 1
can beat you a little both ways. /
have five children, an excellent wife,
and | have spent an average of three
dollars week, at least, at this busi-
ness, or little more than a hundred
and fifty dollars year. I'm about
ready to declare that the whole thing
is fraud and a swindle." At this
remark, the bloated and odoriferous
proprietor of the den, who had paid
little attention to the conversation,
until it took a turn likely to affect
his interest" waddled little closer
and said:
saw, you zay dot you voz goin' ter
quit dot cards-playin und dot drinin !?
Den vot pekooms ov mine poor vami-
ly?? Would you trow mine seven
children on der cold world? You will
do it of you all quit, und try to in
jure my peesness? l moost lif, you
know, und | keep der peesness Of der
town movin''-
"But suppose" said one of the men,
''we take the other view Of it. We
must work for our money, in order
that our families may live. All the
money we spend here is lost to them.
Suppose now, that every man comes
here, and spends his money in this
way, should quit, and give his money
to his family. Wouldn't it be bet
ter?"
"Och, no, no! Vot would pecoom
of der peesness of der town."
Oh, our families would spend the
money in the dry-goods stores, grocer
les, and meat stores, and business
would go on, and health would be
contagious"
"But mine vrent, vot would pecoom
Of meg"
"You? Why, you would have to go
work, you trifling devil, and live like
a decent, respectable citizen.
saw, butzee vot I do for de town."
where's Smith?" asked one.
saw, Schmit-he's tead."
where's Hinton"
"Dot vos worthless veller-he
was sent NIT der Penitentiary."
where's Spalding?"
dot vos theif-he run away"
"Where's Marshall?"
Huh? Dot weller gifts trunk, l gif
him no more to trink. He gifts not
some monish to pay. L puts him
outr'
swell, now" queried one Of the
men, didn't all of these start in here
sober men? Didn't they begin here,
just as a0e've done?"
"Vell, yes, 1 guess dot vos right"
said the man, settling down in chair,
and falling into dose.
The four men go up and started to-
ward the door. "Boys," said one of
them, ''as for me, | have come to the
conclusion that the money wasted here
would do my family more good than
it has been doing me. The year to
come will find ali my spare money in
the hands of my family. What say
you all to this idea?"
"We will all adopt it!' shouted
the other three in chorus.
And they all walked deliberately
out of the room, just as the town
clock struck the hour Of twelve-the
hour which led the old year out and
introduced the new one. As they
passed through the doorway that led
to the den where their time and
money had been wasted, they heard
the snoring proprietor muttering in
his dreams: "Aw, der peesness of der
town-it moost go down if der young
men quit shpendin der monish" -
but the men passed away into the
darkness, on their way to their homes
and to good resolutions and better
lives. Those resolutions were the
best New Years Gifts their families
received, and let US hope that every
pledge was kept, and will be kept for