ARTICLES BY "SNYDER.”

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 70, 22 November 1887, Page 2

ARTICLES BY "SNYDER.”

THE END OF A JOURNALIST’S HIS LAST RESOURCE. (Continued.) flsy stnoe I opened my office, and no busineee done. Yew terday a sottisli-looklng fellow entered and, attogather uliasked., seated, him; self. He said it was a fine morning! I said yes, but I thought we should have ram in a week or two. The stranger wag of opinion that such wm within the limits of possibility. He had come to ask me a favor. Could I oblige him with three twopennj stamps ? I told him that wm iust the number I had in my drawer. He took them. He said unless I could change a cheque for a considerable amount he would have to call in by-and-by and pay me. He did not call, and I closed my office with the only transaction I had effected sinde entering on my ne# line of business.

, 'F bi , d 'Vl'-> Early this morning I saw the shabbily-dressed, sottish-looking stranger who had obtained the three two-penny stamps. I asked him for the sixpence. He laughed, and called upon me to produce my Government license. Selling stamps without a license, he said, made me liable to A penalty of £5O. He did not think he should feel justified in paying me I told him he was a thief and a sooun. drel. He said he would lay an inf or • mation against me for inciting to commit a breach of the peace, but would let me off if I stood a drink, I slammed the door in his fkce. Monday.—Three more days since I made the last entry in my journal and still no business. L, came in the afternoon, and perceiving that I was hipped and quite out of sorts, rose suddenly from his chair and went out. I had hardly done wondering at his disappearance when he returned with a cribbage board and a package of cards. “Look here, old fellow," he said, <• this sort of thing won’t do at all, you know. We shall have you cutting your throat through sitting so long in the dumps. A fuheral coach in a snowstorm is cheerful in con), parison to your present appearance. Suppose we have a hand at crib, a shilling on the game and a bottle of beer on the best two out Of thteOWe’ll play inside the table drawer. If we hear any one coming we'll shut the drawer, and I’ll be saying that I want you to buy a station for me on commission with not less than twenty thousand sheep, the term of credit for which must be easy. You can say that you know of just such a station as will suit, and you can go on drawing a plan of the run on your blotting pad. That will cause anyone coming in to think what an extensive business you are at.” We played three rubs, out of which 1 lost two, It helped to past the time and there was no interrup. tion, with one exception, when a boy ran in out of breath and asked were he could find a policeman, because his father was beating his mother into a mummy.

Thursday.—About 12 o'clock to. day two men came to the office and asked whether I would settle a dispute they had between themselves. Whatever they said, what I said the decision should be it was to be so. I told thein my charge would be a guinea—each to pay half. They agreed to this. Tbe dispute I found was about the owner, ship of a colt. Both claimed the colt, and I learned the two men had fought for nearly an hour in a paddock—-twenty-four rounds, when they were separated. The two men were advised to come to me. I said that before I commenced both were to shake handa ( just to show there was no animosity between them. They shook hands, how, I said, before I hear what both of you have to say, supposing we three go and have a drink. I would do the shout. The proposal was agreed to, and I took them in to the Masonic, We had the drinks, which I paid for, One of the men then said as I had shouted he would shout, and he shouted. Then the other man said it might as well be a shout a piece; and so it was that he called for the third round of drinks. While I was telling the barman that my drink this time would be lemonade with a very little claret, the two men drew on one side and appeared to be conferring together. In three or four minutes they came to me and said they had settled the matter between them. Bill was to have the colt and seven pounds ten and he (Joe) was to keep the mare. I said all right as long as they were agreed, but which of the two was going to pay me my guinea. Bill said not him if he knew it. Joe said words to the same effect. They said there had been no arbitration and it wasn’t likely they were going to pay for an article they never had. 1 argued that I ought to be paid as I had been quite willing to go into the case. Joo said he moved that they, all have another drink and that no thing more be said about it. I told the fellows I should summons them, Bill said, summons away as much M you like. As I knew I had no case, of course I shall do nothing of the sort. But this is a matter I wish to place before my teetotal friends. If there had been no drink there is no doubt but what I would have got my guinea, although it is probable the man I decided against would have hated the other all the remaining days of his life. There would have been more fights, but the liquors converted two enemies into two friends, while at the same time it made them a pair of cheats. Query—ls the balance of good to be carried to the credit or to the debit side of liquor ? I reflect sometimes on the subject, and have come to think it a moot question. I have been asked to assist in getting up a subscription for a widow and her four young children who have been left orphans by the father hav ng been kicked to death by a horse. I have agreed to do my best and I go to a man who l know has got lots of money which he does not know what to do with, and would never be able to spend it all if he lived a century, and never earned another sixpence. I ask this man to assist the widow and her fatherless children. He says he won’t do anything of the kind. Why didn’t the man insure his life, or belong to the Odd Fellows or the Foresters, or some mutual benefit society. He

didn’t see that he was bound by any po»al obligation to support another man’s children because he had neglected to provide for them In his lifetime. They were not his children. People shouldn’t have children if that Was to be the case. Thus spake old Free teh and. Now look here, I said, took here old fellow, don’t say another Word, You are quite right. The Widow is nothing to you and her Children thev are not yours.. Let it rest What I Want you for is to try tne Scotch ale they have got on tap across the road. Old freezehand pleaded it was early. I said the sun was not quite over the foreyard, but We would make it so for ones. We went over and tried the tap and found it m T knew it would be—firstr fate We had number two and then went out, but before shaking hands I said, how about the widow and her little oneeP Old Freezeband had melted, and told me I could put down his name for two guineas. I*ow t ‘' en 1 ask myself wasn't it the Scotch ale that had softened that man s heart ? Of course it was. And what will my tntal abstaining friends say to this. Is a glass or two of generous liquor an unmixed evil when it operates in favor of a husbandless wife and her orphaned Children? Answer me this of ye of the water drinkers. Why, I.once knew a bank manager out of whom 1 could never get a favor done until 1 discovered that my application was made too early in the day. When he was tried after his one o'clock lunch and his sherry, he was one of the most obliging snd placable of men. I have known many a kindly, generous, and Considerate action done, as well as many a brave one, under the influence of a little brandy and water, which would never have been done. But where I feel somewhat staggered is this: My two disputants made up a quarrel after their liquors, but at the same time cheated me out of my one pound one. I give the thing up.