The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-04-08
sA Good Customer OF Ours"

"Ah, Rod, you're looking prett,
slick -
Yes, am feeling pretty slick, a
you term it. My eye-teeth have come
through since the last time l wa:
around here. One evening not lous
ago, l dropped in at Brack's to get ;
few bowls; and while I was sitting a
a table drinking, Brack, after shaking
hands with several convivial friends
and bidding them goodbye, chancet
to come near my table The old fel
low that was waiting on me-the one
we call Bismarck-thought to pay me
high compliment by giving me al
introduction to his master, and turn,
ing to Brack said:
"'This is Mr.. Rodney, q good custo,
mer Of ours.
"Brack sat down and ordered the
drinks. He was exceedingly jestful
and laughed immoderately at some
little pleasantly uttered by himself
and attempted to be OF good cheer
but if | smiled at all it must have
been in a constrained way, for certain
words lay with shudder-inspiring
clamminess on my mind:
"'Mr. Rodney is good customer o1
ours.
'Many time had sat at that ta-
bic, studying the faces of the clamor-
Gus crowd about me, and many an i'll
spent dollar had l left there, but new
er before had it struck me that | had
been picked out as q good customer
of ours. I went out with the words
still ringing in my ears, and medlta-
lively strolled along Michigan avenue.
Hundreds Of resplendent equipages
whirled past. A man gaily waved
his hand at me. He WAS driving a
handsome span of horses. [ recog-
nized Brack. a good customer OF
ours Good customers of ours had
provided him with that striking turn
out. But where was my team:
Il went home. My wife was cook
ing supper. We could not afford to
keep a girl. My wife had said so,
and had agreed with her. She had
often declared that was working too
hard, and that it was no more than
right that she should attempt to cut
down expenses. I had agreed to all
this, for T knew that I did work hard,
and 1 prided myself that I had never
been intoxicated, and yeti was "a
good customer Of ours We sat down
to supper. Ny wife-and how she
did look-sat with her arms resting
on the table. Aren't YOU going to
eat anything?' I asked.
"sNot now she answered, I'm SO
tired that haven't any appetite.
"sMr. Rodney is good customer
of ours, the tea kettle hlmned: and
a cat purring at the leg of my chair,
seemed to repeat the words. \ chill
crept over me.
"'What have you learned at school
to-day % I asked my little daughter.
"I didn't go to school to-day she
answered.
"Why?'
"My wife looked up wearily and
said: Her shoes are worn out. She'll
have to wait until we can get her a
new pair.
"Great God. "A good customer Of
ours
II went into the sitting room and
lay on the sofa. A troop ofreproach-
ful thoughts skurricd through my
brain. And then, old, rillainous hui
man nature tried to soothe me: You
were never drunk, it said, you have
always been kind 10 your family. You
drink of an evening when your work
is done, but you need some sort Of
recreation. You spend money, it Is
true, but why does man care to live
if he cannot enjoy himself occasion
ally All, how easy it would have
been to yield, but truth, in a sad tone
of reproval, waved aside the tempt
ing scoundrel and said: 'Ihe money
YOU spend for beer would make youi
home rest-inspiring and happy place
You say that you must have recrea,
ton? What recrestion has your wife
Whose good customer is sGe?'
s.My wife came into the room anc
sat down near me.
"'Are you very tired :? she asked, II
a voice low and sweet with sympa
thy's music.
".Nor could not help but exclaim
4 am not tired, but good customer
of mean that I am brute.
"'Why, what do you mean? she
asked in surprise.
"'I mean exactly what I say-tha
I am simply brute. [ have WASTED
many a dollar that l should have
brought home; my sel6shness has KEEP
you hard at work when you shoule
have been reading some entertaining
book. In truth, I am good custom
er at beer hall and you are slave.
"sOh, don't say that, dear, she I'M
plorcd, gently smoothing back m,
hair. I am sure that your position
demands the spending of some mon
ey. You must not be made to appea
selfish
atOh, no. I replied bitterly, I mus
throw money away must be
thoughtless brute at home SO that
may not appear thoughtfully seltisl
among my town associates. Well no
discuss it, but we shall see.
eve have scen," Rodney continued
after short pause. 1--WE have seen
girl in the kitchen; We have seen m.
| 6snohter BRIGHT and we'll clothed