Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-03-02
The Price Of Two Drinks.

"Remnants, three cents per yard; Cheap
enough! Goods is going down; hope
wages wont 90 after them" Tom Dillon
went on, hands in his pockets. What con-
nected in his mind the brown calico gown
with blue and yellow roses with the thin.
wee, fretful face of his Betty? Betty was
ailing that day, her mother said, and she
had thought fit to whine and hold out her
little hand when her father went off to
work. The fingers in Toms pocket held
ten cents, price of his regular morning
drink. By some mental process it occurred
to him that ten cents would buy three
yards of the calico, and that would make
Betty gown; and when she sat on his
knee unfolding it at night the cross. sickly
face would grow childlike and gay.
She'll be more glad of the frock than
will of my DRAM" said Tom; and he
turned back and asked for the three Yards
OF the calico. On the counter a basket
held narrow white trimming marked Il
Ct" "Does that mean a cent a yard?"
asked Tom. "Chip in yard, and bring
the dime event.
"lt will make very neat little dress,
and the edge will trim the neck and
sleeves" said the shop-girl pleasantly
Just the price of drink" SAID Tom
uneasilv.
"It all men would use their drink money
so there would be less ragged children and
discouraged mothers"
Well, Betty was not ragged, but she
was shabby, and Nora, his wife, was get
ting to look lstless and hopeless. Was it
his faultp He never was drunk, never
drunk-cross. Ten cents in the morning,
the same at night, now and then Sunday
afternoon tipple, and a Monday off when
he felt dull and cross-not much over two
dollars week, on the whole, year in and
out; that was all. 1t was an "all' that
made the difference between comfort and
safety, and narrowness and anxiety at
home. Tom did not realize it. He picked
up his parcel.
Suppose you buy the little girl doll :;
these are only five CENTS" said the shop
woman, persuasively, holding up doll.
1t was ten inches long, had staring black
eyes, tuft of tow with gilt band atop
for hair, short arms, straight, wooden
legs, but it had features and crimson
complexion. Tom was not wise in dolls,
and this looked fine to him; it would be
to Betty, who had no doll. He paid the
nickel. Half of to.night's drink gone"
he chuckled. and off he went to his work.
The master was going about the shop
that morning. He finally called out clear
ly: ''See here. my lads, don't wish to
interfere with vour private lives, but you
are spending too much on drinks. Now
who has not had drink this morning 2
Speak up"
II never touches it." said an old fellow
81 haven't had one," said Tom Dillon
"And what have YOU in bank, Abram ?''
asked the master. ''Six hundred dollars, :"
quoth Abram, feeling rich.
well | had no dram, because / spent
the dime on gown for Betty" said Tom.
81 sually has a dram
at would be well if Betty stood always
in the way of the dram; then each little
Betty would have clothes, and schooling,
and books, and good trade or dowry
Say you spend two dollars week for
drains; if you put it instead in box for
Betty, and drew out what she needed each
year until she was ten, she would have a
balance of S104. Twenty-Five dollars a
year would clothe her when little, and
$75 would be laid up. Betty would be an
heiress"
AS Tom went home that night he met
a shabby old man selling oranges. "Hal-
loo !" said Tom. ''I've nickle due to
Betty in my pocket
Two for five cents said old Tim.
When Tom went home he bestowed one
orange on Betty ard one on Nora He
felt as if he should excuse such generosity
and delicate attention TO his wife and child.
You see Old Tim worked in our shop
once. But he got paralysis, and so he's
took to selling oranges to keep him out of
the poor house"
"What did he earn in the shop?" asked
Nora.
Say nine dollars week, wear in and
OUT
SLOW many years did he work there p"
Thirty. I've heard say" replied Tom
innocently.
And what did he spend on drains ?''
well, he took little more than do;
but he was not drunkard. after all. Let's
say about $500 a week"
'Do you know what he'd have had if he
had laid up that every week ?" asked Nora.
mo; I'm not so good at schoolin' as
you, my lass.''
Nigh 81 900. without a mite of inter-
est; but with interest he'd have gone up
10 5000 or more He'd have been rich
man now not an orange-peddler. A snug
little house, servant good furniture, a
warm heart, tidy table. Now, what
good do his. drains do him. and he round
in the cold and mud hobbling about sell
ing oranges ?''
Betty in a beatific state, the flavor of
the orange in her mouth, her doll Rugged
I rr,h r- ILL., Il
gently cutting ard sewing the little gown
these represented to Tom Dillon the
price of two drinks
What are YOU about. Tom P" some one
asked at incoming" next day.
I'm making box to hold my drains
for Betty"
why man. that child can't use drains PSI
She'll thrive on 'em surprsn' - re-
sponded Tom Dillon.-T'smperance Aduo-
cate.