Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1896-03-04

to-day. l can have only sober men IN my
employ. Your habits of intemperance,
of which l have just learned, but of which
am fully convinced, are a menace to the
good name of my house. regret the
necessity of this step, and shall hold my
self ready and willing to reinstate you
three months hence, provided you can
prove to me by that time that your refor-
nation is complete"
Such was the letter from the head of
the banking firm. | tore it into frag-
ments, seized my hat, and, leaving my
desk as it was, rushed out into the street.
The money due me They could keep 1t !
l would not ask for it. 1t was a pttance,
anyhow,-a paltry thirty dollars for a
! trife over a weeks work. Take me back
in three months l would never go back !
Three months How was | to live for
three months ? | had no money laid by.
Nv habits for months had been bad, and
every cent, above the bare cost of living,
had found its way into the casb-register
behind the bar at Harter's.
That night, long after midnight, l
climbed the stairs to my room. | was
half crazed with drink and mad in my
hate of my fellow men. Even Harter,
whom l had told of my dismissal, had re-
fused to trust me for a drink when the
last cent bad gone into his till. "Why,
man, I've spent hundreds with youl !" |
cried you've trusted me a score Of
times, and I've always paid you, haven't
~ "Yes, but it's different now," he had
replied, standing behind the bar in his
shiri sleeves, radiant in a striped shirt
and hashy stud, "it's different now. Then
you was at work, now you're out Of a job,
and don't know when you can pay me,
and times is hard now with this double
license, and tax on whiskey. Wait till
you get another job, and then III trust
you, see ? D-n you and your trusting,
then :" said 81 want a drink now, and
I'm going to have it," and l seized the
decanter, which stood on the counter
where a customer, after filing his glass,
had Just placed it, and, putting it to my
mouth, gulped half its fiery contents down
my throat before Harter could come flom
behind the bar to interfere. Then, when
he caught my arm, struck him full on
the head with the bottle, shattering it in
to a hundred pieces, and saw him fall,
partly stunned, covered with broken glass
and whiskey.
Then l left the place and went to ho-
tel block above, where | borrowed five
dollars from clerk whom l knew, and
on whom had made like calls before
| had no fear of arrest for the blow | had
given Harier. Too many of his custom.
ers were friends of mine for him to make
an outcry and barkeeper, with an eye
to business, rarely appears in court against
man to whom he has sold liquor for any
length of time.
Then, in another bar, sat and drank
until after two-two hours after the front
door was closed and the curtains drawn
and the lights turned dim and when I
came out on the street at a side door, my
head felt as though it were filled with
bubbling fire, and my knees tottered un-
der me.
In this state climbed the stairs to my
room, clinging to the balusters for sup
port,-breathing hard, and cursing my
employers, Harter, and mankind in gen
eral. Drunk as was, looked down for
the cat when reached the top landing,
and instinctively put down my hand to
pat her, finding satisfaction in the thought
that / had at least one friend who would
not turn against me. She was not there.
I staggered into the room and lit the gas.
Then saw her,-lying there on the rug.
She was not asleep for she turned her
head and looked at me, but she made no
attempt to rise and come to me. 80
you've deserted me too, have you :" l
cried, and walked over to her. Drawing
back my foot, 1 brought it down in a
heavy kick upon her back. She was
driven half way across the room by the
force of the blow, and, after one piteous
cry; lay limp and still. I had killed her.
Served her right tried to tell my
self; "You took her in and gave her a
home and petted her and fed her, and now
when everybody else goes back on YOU
she goes back on you too. Every night
for three months she's met you at the top
of the stairs, and purred and was glad to
see you, and now tonight, when you're
in trouble and everyone has left you, she
must leave you too Served her right
Served her right % And muttering
..cor-o1 bar r;cbt - I fell dressed a.