The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-09-02
JACK WILSON'S EXPERIENCE

SpVh npA VIII " H'
Jack Watson drank heavily while he
was in college, but we called him good
fellow. After he left college he began
10 drink heavily and TO be n good
fellow, but we called him drunkard.
When he was % years old looked upon
him as lost man. / believed that he
would be n mere sot at 80, and that he
would die miserably before he was 35.
We lost each other for some years and
then, after chance meeting In New
York, dined with him most happily in
the comfort Of his home and in the light
of beautiful woman's eyes. When the
light was withdrawn and we were left TO
dim the remaining illumination with a
haze of tobacco smoke, fell into the
deep thought upon the agreeable failure
of my prophecy. What had saved Jack
] might have said il was his marriage,
but knew that he had fallen into the
depths again soon after. Hearing that
report, / had pitied her exceedingly,
and had thought the worst of jack. Yet
/ could not doubt that he was at last In
the sure way. Knowing him 30 well |
felt that some surprising incident must
have changed the course OF his life, and
my curiosity craved the story.
81 know what you're thinking about" ="
said he. "You're wondering why am
here instead OF being in the gutter
'Oh, no, jack" said !, nothing Of
the sort. always knew you'd come out
all right. You drank a little at one time,
OF course, but"
"No, l didn't, said Jack. / never
drank little. drank barrel. Modera-
ton wasn't in me. j was n drunkard.
lived the life Of drunkard / died the
death of drunkard.
"Metaphoricallyp
Literally. That may sound absurd
but 1t is only the truth. Nothing but
deeth could save me-"
"Not even"
"No; not even Alice"
His eyes filed with tears Of tender
ness at the mention Of his wife's name.
=" was never so wrong headed" he
continued, as to suppose that man can
be saved by love alone. Any person who
has had experience in such matters
knows that nm added motive for sobriety
is an added temptation to the drunkard.
You see a man marry aud keep sober for
while. Then you see him take drink
again. You say il is because his love
has waned with the honeymoon. It's no
such thing. AT first he does not drink
because the novelty of the situation
keeps his mind off the subject Marriage
seems like great vacation from the
dullness of life. And then love grows
stronger until he begins to realize what
II is. The preciousness of his possession
reveals itself to him. He who has more
than his due is never free from fear.
What II he lose herr He reviews the
dangers. In the front rank of them he
sees his appetite. And that is the end
Of him. As soon as he knows that it
will be absolutely fatal for him TO touch
drop OF liquor, he is certain 10 do it.
That was my experience; and my sin was
the greater because knew il all before
hand"
"Yet you escaped the consequence.
"No; il killed me, as | have already
said. / will tell you the story You
can make farce comedy or tragedy
out of it, Just rs you like. 1t VAS n
ghastly joke. Mother nature is the
grimmest practical Joker, after NIL, and
this is the way she played II on me.
But first must let you into the myster-
les of our early housekeeping. The de-
tails seem trivial but they contributed
10 final catastrophe.
81 began with the usual drunkard' S
balance--on the wrong side Of the books.
We took fiat in that long row pointed
out to you as we came up town on the
L. Our furniture we procured on the
instalment plan. IL was not luxurious.
of course, but you should have seen how
pretty home Alice made with it. There
were weekly payments TO be met; and
for month or more the rising sun and
were equal models OF puuctuality
Then / let ii go for week. Nothing
happened / was somewhat surprised
at that, for my contract with the dealer
had been more binding than the shackel'
OF Israel in Egypt. Another week
slipped by, and another. Variou,
causes reduced our funds 20 a low ebb
Presently owed $40 A polite collector
came. promised immediate settlement
and he departed. was to receive my
monthly check from the Philadelphi,
Office in few days, and I relied upor
that. Something delayed il. | Dor
rowed $50 from John Ennis, and, as h.
gave me the cash he looked at Inc in
peculiar way.
He thinks I'll go of on spree apc
spend this money said to myself, snt