The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-02-10
WHY SWEENEY PLAYS POOL.

Sweeney was fine, steady young
fellow with prospects of advancement
before him, when he married Mary
Hogan. He was Holy Manner, even
attending the meetings; no slight
feat! His evenings, except those de-
voted to Mary, were spent at home
reading and preparing himself for the
Civil Service through correspondence
courses. His father had died early
in life, and Tom. though a mere boy,
had suddenly become breadWlnner.
His devotion to his old mother was
lesson to many a visitor at the SWee-
ney house, and the envy OF many a
mother with less attentive and more
selfish sons.
The marriage of Toms sister,
Helen, and his mothers rather sud
den death left him very lonely and
anxious to build a little home for him
self. His evenings, when he could
not visit his sweetheart, dragged
drearily enough even with his studies,
now that mother was gone. So Tom
and Mary, as soon as they decently
could, had a quiet wedding, Father
Murphy saying the Mass and only a
few of the more intimate friends
being present to wish them GOd-speed
on their journey. On the return from
the honeymoon the young couple were
enchanted with the beauty of their
little fat, which kind friends Of Mary
had put in order during their outing.
Things went on smoothly enough
for a time with scarcely a ripple on
the smooth surface of the sea. Tom
was filled with q. new ambition now,
for he had a new motive, and he
studied hard to fit himself for an ad
vance in his work by passing the
Civil Service examination. Mary had
no interest in Toms studies, and not
much eagerness for his advancement
He got little or no encouragement
and slight help from his partner.
Gradually she began to complain Of
his silence and his studies. She
yawned over the paper and yearned
| for the movies. Tom was not unkind
and went with her many an evening,
was rather prodigal, he thought, of
| time which he could have used for
| their mutual advantage.
Mary grew more and more indolent
| and in her demands more insistent,
and gradually she became querulous
in disposition. The house was neg
| Iected and ill kept, and Mary's per-
sonal appearance was far from the
| ~ VI fhot
| he had courted a year or two ago.
| His meals were late and ill prepared,
| and eaten to the tune of his wife S
complaints of her bodily ills and her
| hard labors As she had gained from
| fifteen to twenty pounds since their
| Wedding-day, Tom was not worried
with the fear OF any sudden shrink
age or decline. Mary's mother, big,
lazy woman, now invaded the fiat and
only encouraged her daughter in
habits OF sloth, neglect and untldt-
ness. The contrast between his neat
spic-andspan shop down at the works
and his neglected, ill-smelling fiat
gradually had it's effect upon the poor
| fellows nerves. Saturday night there
was large bill for laundry which his
wife might have done. Bachelor but
tons replaced those which his wifes
ting too fat to be called nimble, might
have sewn on his clothes. Socks
were discarded which would have
done good service for many day, il
Mary had been active in darning. So
needless and discouraging expenses
were incurred in the home. Food
that with care might have been served
out in attractive and appetizinG
shapes was spoiled, wasted and flung
to the garbage.
Little by little Tom gave up his
studies, and failed in the Civil Serv.
ice examination. Then, discouraged
he gravitated to the saloon and the
pool-room. Insidiously drink, slowly
but surely, was fastening its grip
upon him, and he was drowning his
sorrow, as we'll as his ambition under
electric lights at the Ea". When the
bition returned and he shook himself
free from the lure of the pool-roon
and the gay companions Of the saloon;
but gradually his Wife's endless
grumbling and murmuring, a dirty
home, untidy rooms in an ill-smelling
fiat, interference of Mary's mother
who sided with her daughter IN hel
complaints together with the natural
repugnance to dowdy, shoddy
slouchy woman into which his wife
had degenerated, drew him back once
more to the music Of the clicking
Footballs, and to the clinking of the
glasses In the saloon. The music OF
| his child's voice was drowned by the
loud laughter and vulgar jokes of his
gay companions, and gradually Tom
sank deeper and deeper until drink
held him with a grip strong as steel
Ambition gone, and the Sacramento
neglected, there was no power left
by which he could break himself free
Mary lamented to her mother, and
Mrs. Hogan agreed with her, that she
had been deceived in marrying a man
addicted to drink, who had concealed
it when he was leading her to the
altar.
u. II. O,Pou,k0 S. y.