The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-05-24
A DOMESTIC STORY.

''Ths Philosophy of 1t" Contributed to the
Club by Frank"
LET me get at him boysl Let go of
me and I'll wallop the floor with him
I'll show him how he comes in here
bossin me around in my own premises"
And the young wild cat fought desper-
ately in his endesvors to get away from
the restraining hands of his friends and
Literally wipe up the floor with his father.
Jabez Brown quickly got out of the
reach and sight of his drunken frenzied
son, and sadly and down hearted betook
himself out of harms way to his UMPIRE
tentious house, which stood on q corner
where country and hamlet met.
Young Brown, now that the object of
his fury was gone. soon settled quietly
down into a drunken Iethargy, which
ended in death like sleep, and his boon
companions, one by one, left him to spend
the night alone and helpless.
Early the next morning Jabez Brown,
coming into the store. found his son with
a very downcast countenance, and what
was not so plainly evident TO Jabez, a very
sore head, sweeping out the litter collected
in the store the day before. One could not
help but notice how much father and son
resembled the other in cast OF feature and
rugged build OF form.
well, Lysander," began Jabez with no
other formality OF greeting, you played
whaley last night, now didn't you, gittin,
drunk and tryin' your best to kill your old
pap. That was a nice howdy do now
wasn't it? Blast my buttons il il hadn't
been for some of the boys boldin' YOU l
wouldn't been here this mornin' to tell
the story an you had your own sweet
will. Thets somethin' nobody kin ever
cay Of me tibet | wanted to whip my old
pap, no stree. Here I've babied you for
twenty years, gave you a good home an
charged you nary red cent of board, sent
you 10 school and give you good educa-
ton, somethin' | never could git myself.
Took my hard airnins an set YOU
up in this grocery as benefited your edu-
cation, an now this is my pay You git
drunk and when l tried TO stop your
racket here last night, that was a distur-
bin all the decent folks in the burgh.
You turn on me an want to kill me- No
roof of mine kin cover both of us till you
poigize an say you'll never do the like
agin'. Folks kin say what they please of
me- but they can't say that l ever tried to
kill my old pan" and Jabez finished his
lengthy speech with a nervous witch at
his stubby black whiskers, cut aud
trimmed in semblancs of the utility end
OF blscking brush.
Lysander not answering Just at once,
Jabez sat down upon a nail key thus Civ
ing his son TO understand that he in
tended to wait for an answer If that
meant waiting all day, "Well pap" and
Lysander leaned upon the broom handle
for support as he spoke. "As for getting
drunk | have seen you that way pretty
often you must confess; nine times a
week, six for the week and three for Sun
day that's known, and as for your never
wanting to whip your father / cannot say.
He was gone from this world long before
my time. | don't see that ! am called
upon to apologize for what l know moth
ing of. l can apologize for drinking the
hard cider. Though them blasted bows
must have doctored that cider. l will be
careful in that line in the future YOU bet.
There is where l did wrong. But the
other I would very likely do again"
81 don't care anything about your git
tin drunk" loudly put in Jabez now. ut
was campaign time an it was the first
time. It's the fiRhtin' part of il. As fur
me, l eat what please an ! drink what
please an thank no man to say ought
against IT,"
Maybe" said Lysander, reflectively.
81 get the drinking part of it from YOU,
and the fighting part from my mother.
There is generally cause for these traits
of -"
angrily now, never let me hear such rea-
sonin' agin from you. The fRhtin' an
KILN part of your natur from your
mother. Your mother that wus born a
baptist; lived good baptist and died one,
ans been in heaven ever since. Don't lay
none of your shortcomins, boy, on your
mother, who wus saint here an an an
gel yonder." And in his indignation
Jabez slammed the door behind and
strobe away to his work. When he came
back at noon the grocery door was locked.
The KEY was in the lock and Lysander was
gone.
Jabez Brown had we'll said il when he
said that he ate what he pleased. Old
DR.. Heller of the town often made the re-
mark that Jabez had double cast copper
lined stomach. He could eat more
hot biscuits, fat pork, and drink
more bad whisky in dav
than any man living He had INDUCED
bis peculiar appetite all of his life, and
yet was well and hearty. Despite of his
love for whisky Jabez was a peaceabls
citizen. a good neighbor and q kind
father. He never let the large amount OF
whisky he drank every day interfere with
his work. He sowed in season and he
reaped in season. His cows never went
unmilked. nor his pigs nor horses unfed.
And go ataggery at times was he that il
almost seemed a miracle that some acct
dent did not happen TO him with these
same horses. They certainly must have
understood their masters situation and
felt it their duty 10 see after him upon
such occasions.
Lysander was not considered bad nor
q dissipated boy, for all he had let hard
cider with little mixture in it get the
better of him. A little thoughtless per-
haps. Fond OF lying on his back to read,
while customers waited. Given to lying
in bed of mornings while his hard-work-
ing father swept the grocery and kindled
his fire for him. But Lysander had como
from Woodworking families on both sides
of his house, and he would work il he had
to. II was corn husking times, and Ly-
sander got all the work he wanted, al
though be agreed to himself it was not
like being al home. waited upon by bis
father and sisters. Jabez Brown