Year: 1859

Dialogue Between Two Drunkards
ONE OF THEM NAMED MAT. AND THE OTHER 10.
Mat.-Good morning, Jo; which way
SO early 2


JOHN gwine over to Paddy's saloon
TO wet my whistle. / feel pretty rough
this morning, by hokey.


Maxwell, 10, I've been wanting to
sec you for a day or two. Suppose we
walk up to the grove in Mr.. Seymore's lot.
would like to have a private talk with
you.


Join willing to go with you, Mat,
but can't you wait till 90 over to Paddy's
and get hornS / feel wretched bad.


Mat.-No, 10, / would rather talk to
you before you drink any more.


Jo.-Well, if must | must. / don't
like to disoblige a good friend like you.
Mat.-Well, 10, we are now by our
selves, and want to have plain talk with
you--you know we have always been good
friends, and | want us to remain so. l
have had some strange thoughts of late,
and thought would unbosom myself to
you fully and freely, before / would men,
ton the thing to any one else.


Jo-I have had some curious thoughts
myself, and maybe we have both been
thinking about the same thing. would
like to hear from you, by golly.


Matt have been thinking Of late that
You and have both been doing wrong a
long time--and that if We ever do any
good, either for ourselves or others, it is
high time we would change our course
You know, 10, that we have spent nearly
all our hard earnings for liquor, and that
our poor wives and children are suffering
for the necessaries Of life. And Just so
long as we visit these drinking saloons II
will never be any better; besides old Pad
dy don't care damn what becomes Of as
or oar taDaa es, roroUided he gets oar money
Jo.-Why, Mat, don't it seem strange
that you and have been thinking about
the very same thingl
Mdt.-I am glad, Jo, that such is the
fact, and hope that good will come Of it
II the money we have paid out for liquor
had been spent in providing for our fami
lies, they would have been as comfortable
and respectable as any families in town.
But Just think of it J our wives are broken
hearted and in rags, our children are al
M, st naked and starved, and Just think tha
this is all owing to our drinking liquor! it j
too bad-and just to think old Paddy's get
ting rich, while we are acting the fool.
don't think ] can stand it any longer
What say your


Jo.-Well, Mat, what can Isay, but agre
quit the liquori know I'll have
hard time of it for wbile-and it may b
III break my promise-but it can't max
the matter any worse. I'm goin' to d,
struction as it is, and maybe / can hold o
Il know a good many who were as bi
drunkords as am, and they quit. Ther
is nothing like trying.


Matt am glad, 10, you talk like
reasonable being. Now, while times al
good, suppose we both join the Sons, an
see what virtue there is in that. As the
meet tonight, let us 90 over to the Divi
ion room and pitch in. But first let I
tell our poor wives what we have resolve
to do, and try to get them to join too.-
They will help us nightly to keep Il
pledge. What say youi


Jo.-I'll 90 it certain, hit or miss.
know some people will say we won't sti
a week; but who cares for thatl Tho
very people who viii be apt to say so, ia
special care to never advise us to quit
liquor, when they know we are on
broad road to ruin. If we can stick up
our pledge it may iuduce others to foll'
our example, and who knows how mu
good our joining may dol


Mat.-Our first duty is to do the b
for ourselves and families we can, and Il
try to prevail upon others to give up
liquor and try to do something for tn
SelUes. Let us 60 over and see the Wor
Patriarch, and tell him what we have
solved to do, and get his advice about
matter.


Jo.-I think your idea very good {
and most heartily agiee with you.
tell you, Mat, feel hundred per {
better nolO than | did before l met
this morning. | have very strong faitl
these Sons Of Temperance, and / kl
that every good man will rejoice to
that you and have resolved TO try tC
better. Some of the Sons are pray
men, ard have no doubt they will !
that we may hold on, and not only bee
sober men, but Christians. Is it not strs
that we have continued to act so m
like brutes, or even worse, so long?


it is "better late than never." Good
Mat, for the present I'm gwine to


certain. Goodbye, old Paddy, good


ID Rot-gut.