The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1893-01-24
SHAGGSS' LAST REFORMATION
A VACRANT SKETCH.
ShaggS was a drunkard.

Shaggs was a drunkard.
The police records of ten years were
marked with frequent entries setting
forth this fact in the terse unfeeiinG
style OF police dOckets. Ten years OF
habitual drinking, punctuated at weekly
periods by a glorious drunk, at which
periods the police records found new
chance to set down the fact of Shaggs's
weakness and besetting sin, had brought
him down to the stage in q drunkards
career characterized by general worth
lesSness shabbiness, greasiness, hopeless
nesS-the stage wllen the world regards
with pity not unmixed with contempt.
Shaggs didn't care. He admitted with
q characteristic recklessnesS that he was
no-account drunkartl He would laugh
in an abandoned sort of way when he
was dragged into the station house. and
the officers would remark, "Old Shasgs
again.
At times he was drunken than st others,
but the one condition was hardly prefer
able to the other he was always drink
ing. His personal appearance was dis
gustingly filthy, and ragged. battered
SLOUGH hat, glossy from much handling;
tattered old coat, worn threadbare; d
dilapidated pair OF trousers, and a time
honored pair OF shoes, out at the toes
and down at the heels, composed his
daily toilet He never changed it; he
never even varied the custom of the lat
ter wears of his life by so much as giving
himself a bath. He was pointed out 10y
the policemen as a living example OF the
evils of intemperanCe, and a more striking
picture for the purpose could not nave
been found.
Where he got the money no paid FOR
whisky the officers who knew him best
could not tell. He never worked. Day
by day he haunted the streets, and the
lowest class OF saloons, and how ne uid
it they never knew, but the next they
would know Of him, Shaggs was drunk.
Then to the police station. followed by
a short disappearance from ms old haCliS
during which time h0 would pay the
legal penalty for his excessive AuauoAS
lie was one OF the score or more OF
characters iii police circles known to
every officer aud regarded as unworthy
of auy kind of consideration or mercy
In a word, ShaggS was no more tnan
dog with the police. L was not an un-
usual incident in his career Tor nm 70
announce with a great show or sincerity
that he was going to reform. Such an an
nouncement was generally CONSTRUED 10
mean that he was gong to indulge III
unwOnted eXccSSCS. for 10 uose VINO
knew him It was known to be q TACT th;tt
q day or two of abstinence Wnch was
the extent Of his most extended rcl0rlna-
ton, was always followed W IL pel'ou VI
excessive drinking.
Put thc last reformation was dulcfeht.
MANY as bad been the times shat he had
sworn 10 them that he would 90 oetlcf
and afterwards failed to DO it, the ON
GERS were impressed by his last announce
ment OF intended reform
He wandered into the police station
! one New Years night, and die officers
could not fail to see that something
serious was occupying his thouSutS tiIS
dreSe too. was different. lie had uiS-
nardnd his accustomed greasy outfit, and
was otIa yed in q rid4cuousiF cid-IaSh-
| toned suit It looked better than ais old
one njlt it was more ancient Ihere WAS
something pathetic8Dy humorous ABOUT
! the drunkard's appearance as ne cdlnH H.
! He came to announce that be was gong
TO reform, and, firm in this INTENTION ne
BEGUN the work OF moral IchaoliI'dtioA
bv casting off his worn dress ana array"
mo himself in the only other clothing
/
wore q dingy frock coat, faded ana oid-
fashioned; a yellow straw hat, bent ana
torn. and pants and shoes that were
old enough to have been saved from the
ark. H.,
He held out bis hand to the first officer
he reached. l., 80, ,.o,, >,
eve Just come down here TO tell YOU
said he. that | am done with WHISKY
forever To-day is my last day. A1teI
today I'll never take another drink, ana
I want to shake hands with all OF you
so that you may know. | am starting on
| q new life: I've left off tho Old IN
going to make something OF mySeh-
Shake!" t4
THE officers shook hands with him, but
they looked rs If they dtstluSted NM
ITS true, boys" said ShaGgs, I've gun:
know I've said that lots OF times. ana
then went out and got drunk, but now
the time for me to stop for good. you
see. I've got to stop some tme--l pfolhiS-
cd somebody who was dying that Woliid,
and it's got TO tho place where 1 must
]leaD my promise, or it will be TOO late
ana I wouldn't break il for MI the world
She would look down. and know that |
mad told her lie: and, mean as am,
couldn't bear that
AS he spoke he held before the officers a
greasy card. on which was FADED photo
cranh OF q pretty little girl OF ten OF
twelve summers 1t had been pretty
nicture. and. s0iIed and faded as it was
II still retained traces OF its former
beauty.
.arhat's her. boys" Shaggs said. "You