The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-04-02
NY STRANGE EMPLOYEE

OOhVA"No, UdOiO OAUOAOo pldihiJ
dressed man about forty years of
age. "Good evening"" he said.
care you IN need of a plummer?'
He presented the appearance of
tramp, and l was about to answer
in the negative, as my forntsr expe-
rience had taught me that no matter
how badly tramps needed work, they
would remain only long enough to
get sufficient money to go on spree
and then leave me. But | hesitated
and questioned him as to his COM
potency, etc., etc. l finally con-
cluded to give the man a trial. |
sent him to work on the building IN
order to get some idea of his work
manship. l spent several hours
with him during the day, watching
him closely. He called at my place
of business in the evening, and
asked me if | had any plans and
specifications for the work to be
done. told him l had.
"Well, sir, if am to work any
length Of time, want the plans"
| said | would make a contract with
him for three months, and would
give him full charge of the work.
He proved to be master of his trade;
therefore | was willing to pay him
good wages. | said:
"My man, as | told you before,
| will make a contract with you.
These are the terms: | Will pay
you at the rate of four dollars per
day, and furnish two other plum
mers to work with you. You are
to have general supervision of the
men and work. If YOU abstain from
all intoxicating drink and remain
with me for the time specified, | am
to pay you the sum already men
toned. If you do not comply with
the terms of the contract, | will
dismiss you from my service and
pay you off at the rate of three dol
lars per day"
In answer to this, he Indignantly
replied: Il will entertain no such
contract with you. | have made a
contract with one higher in author
ity than yourself, that | would
never drink, and the contract is a
verbal one"
"With whom did you make this
contract:'' | asked.
Looking me in the face, he re-
piled: "With my Lord and Mas
ter"
"All right, sir; you are my man;
go to work. | can trust you with
your verbal contract far better than
to enjoin you with pen and ink
On the following Thursday night
l was surprised to see him at prayer
meeting. This awakened In me no
little interest for my employee. l
invited him to call at my office.
The following evening, Friday, he
came around. "Well, Frank"
said, II am glad to see you. Take
a char" We talked about various
topics of the day, upon which he
seemed we'll informed, and by de-
grees led him to give me brief
history Of his life, which is about as
follows:
eight years ago l began doing
journey work for firm in my native
city, Philadelphia, Penna. l re-
ceived good wages, and III short
time l was made foreman. During
the first three years that | worked
at my trade | did not know what
the taste of liquor was. | COM
menced playing pool, and l gradu-
ally acquired liking for beer. |
was two years in preparing myself
for a whiskey drinker. At the ex-
piration of that time | had become
a slave to the accused stuff. NV
employer used every effort to have
me leave off drinking, but all in
vain. | remained with him for
three years more, but | was so I'M
reliable that he was compelled to
let me go. took to the road,
working at my trade now and then
as I went along. 1t was not long,
however, until | resolved that |
would not work any more. For two
years | followed the life of tramp.
My sole aim in life was to travel
from place to place and drink,
drink, drink. About six months
ago ! landed IN Cincinnati, Ohio.
| was getting off of II spree; my
head was aching; my whole nervous
system was shattered; was hungry;
whiskey was dying in me. | was
IN that deplOrable state when l
would have almost given my life for
a drink. | started for a police sta
ton for nights lodging, hoping
on the way to find some means to
satisfy my burning thirst for liquor,
when | stopped in front of a church
in which there was a revival going
on. 1t was raining, and | stepped
into the vestibule. The congrega-
ton was singing HYMN that used