Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1892-09-17

As | passed a saloon a dilapidated
hollow-eyed, unshaven, scedy mar
came out of the door, curSing between
his teeth. I glanced at him and passed
on. Presently a voice called; Billy
l looked around. The seedy man
was approaching me with his hand ex'
4 tended, a weak smile OF recognition or
his face. 1t was Ben CorliSs, and We
had hardly passed a greeting, and had
had no time 20 ask a question, when he
asked, pleadinGly:
"Faber, for Gods sake won't you
buy me a drink and some breakfast? |
haven't had a meal for three days, but
l must have adrink first
Poor devil, An hour later, fed,
bathcd, shaved and new clothed, with
just enough whisky in him 10
! straighten him out. Ben sat in my
room at the Eagle hotel and told me
the whole pitiful story, stopping only
now and then TO give way to the grief
that not even a stronger man than he
had ever been could contain. And here
it Is:
ut wasn't-hG-fault. 1t was all
mine-all-and I am only suffering for
my W sins, while she is happy, as
she deserves, 1t isn't a long story
only the story Of what whisky and
hard luck-mostly whisky-will bring
a man 10,
1T began just after. YOU left First
it was one thing. then another, that let
me down and | dropped nearly all the
money ! had left in that scheme.
Hank Fillmore and l set on foot over
in the San Juan country. All this time
| was d~rinkiug-pot hard, but Just
enough to Keep my nerve up Then
come more loSses-I failed and every
thing | had went in the smash. except
the house and a few thousand l had in
the bank. ! see, now, il | had only
been a man and had kept a stiff upper
| lip, that / could have fixed myself in
! good shape again, but it was too late.
! Then the baby came and Tor awhile
l let whisky and cards alone and tried
to be a man, but pretty soon | was at
it again The baby died, and my
Florence nearly followed her, but I
kept on going TO the devil.
zone day found myself sober-and
q pauper. ! went home. hadn't been
there for a week, but Florence greeted
me with her usual kiss, and asked no
questions.
AFTER that, l went to work, and be-
hwed myself 4 little while. Then the
devi got hold Of me again, and when !
came to myself it was worse than be-
fore. We were notified to vacate our
house-the house l had built--lecause
we were behind with Il rent.
Two weeks after this ! came to the
place we had known rs 'home'--I had
found the money for the rent-to find
posted beside the door q placard stat
ing that Furnished Rooms and Board
I were TO be had within. ! burst into
the house and asked Flornce 10 tell
me the meaning Of the SiEa. \ stormy
scene followed-thc storm coming all
from my side-which ended in my leay.
ing the house in search 81 work. tear
ing down the placard as left. Down.
town / met a man who paid ne q few
dollars on an old debt. l took the
money and went in to sit a few hands
in a game or poker. l won, and kept
on winning. 0f course | wouldn't
leave the tabIe. AZ the end Of twenty.
four hours / was two thousand ahead.
and left the e,me to get something 10
eat and 20 iiom,e
After I bad eaten | resolved 10 90
back and see if | couldn't WIN some
with an extra fifty l had, went
in again-and lost ALL had. Then, Of
course, | got drunk
1T was a week troLl the time ! left
home before'I returned The placard
was in its former place. and a white.
faced consumptive chan sat on the
porch. went in and started to abuse
Florence, but She had right an her side,
and | rclapsed into the sulhs
After that ! remained more at home,
bnt did nothing. | could gel no work
in town-no n would trust me.
II drank and gambled with the
money Florence worked % nard to
earn-for she had a number of toard.
ers, now-although she gave It to me
voluntarily, what she could spare.
One day l got to thinking hog use.
less i was-how different it might have
becn with us. | sat in the yard and