The Wingham Times, 1885-06-26, Page 2�.-••�•.✓ -
Chalk your Owe Door1
His proper ming was Jeremia
Marden; brit he had not been, in th
Village a week before everybody cal
led him Jerry Marden, Ind within si.
mantles he was known as Jerry Mu
filer But why Muddler ? Who ga .
Bina that name, send why was it given
The giver le unitnown for who eve
knows, or cares to discover the give
of nioknanies 1—but the reason for it
being bestowed was that Jerry wa
always muddled with drink,
He was a good shoemaker, but h
etood no cbauee with. George $teyees
a sober man, and so drifted. into he
coming our cobbler. Jerry's one ide
was to gat teed:, and having -done it
to invest he proceed' in drink at hi
favorite beersirop, "The Oram Arms.'
The consequence was that Jerry wa
seldom sober, and had he not possess
ed an iron constitution, two rotes o
such a life would have killed him, bu
he dragged on, working today and
idling to -morrow, and d inking when
ever drink could begot until he final-
ly drifted into debt.....
His score at "The Oram Arois'
was a large ono, and the files. of
chalks stood up before him like files
of soldiers; but Jerry ig.iored their
existence—paying off a little now and
then, and drinking more, each time
increasing the army of debt against
him, until ode evenine Mr. Richard
Rewitt, the landlord of the aforesaid
"Oram Arms" cried halt.
'I can't go on any longer, Jerry,'
he said, 'the last sum I had, of you
was three shillings, and you have
paid nothing for a forti,ight."
'Work is slack,' murmured Jerry,
'but the harvest is coming o n, and
then everybody .vill have their edging
and heeling., done, and I shall be able
to pay you off.' •
'Perhaps so,' returned Mr Rewitt
'but you will have as much as you
can do too square off what is up there.
Look at thein. Those chalks are
a standing disgrace to any man. You
ought to be .ashamed cf yourelt."
Jerry looked at the accusing marks,
and really felt aghast at the long
list against him: The inner door .of
the bar was a regular black book, and
trembled before it.
Now when Jerry first came to 'The
'Oram Arms,' the. landlord was very
petite, and spoke as softly as you
please to him. No spider courteously
entreating a fly to enter into his
parlour could have been more oily
tongued, or smiled a more; persuasive
'smile-ethat is persuming that spiders
do smile, which is just possible, hue
when Jerry got into the toils, aced had
been well confined in the web, mine,
host put on another face and tone.
'It you drink,' be said you must ex -
pest to pay for it. My brewer would
stand no nonsense from. 'me, and I -
must have 1:.y money froth you.'
viz TIMES, FRIDAY '.4'7.1:11 Q G
IIIA
''Who is that you ve been.talking to, '1 have been hasty with ]Jerry, said
Richard.' ingllired tare. Hewitt, en, Mr. Hewitt, when another whole
;tering the bar from a room behind. mouth had elapsed without Jerry ap.
'Jerry Muddler,' was the reply. pronely, 'be promised to pay at hale
I've stopped lied drink until he pays rest time, and be diff it, but 1 have
up.' otfenued h:oa, and the 'Green Goose'
e 'Then he will go to the. 'Green hie caught his custom..
' .Goose,'Rand get hie drink. there,' said 'Go avid see him,' suggested ins
1 Mrs,Itewitt, wife.
'They won't trust itim a penny,! rt- 'i intend to do so. Here, give me
ve turned her husband, with a grin. ', 4e one Tom's boots. they want a patch
"has tried in on and failed, and so I've en the side, and it will be as e•:ccuee
✓ got hire, If ho doesn't pay up, I'll for rote choppily inuncu bine
✓ make him.' 'That is r't too tnn•h of a jog for
s 'There's nothing to be got out of him, seeing that you gave George
thathouso,• paid Mrs. Rewitt, al:akiva Sevens the best of . the work,' said
her head. 'I've heard that there's Mrs' Rewitt,
• not a chair for them to sit dawn upon, ' IStepliens works better than Jerry,'
and Jerry's wife—clean and tidy as replied her husband ; 'you can trust
• she atanaoes to keep herself—]coke him to do his work when itis pro -
a more bee a slceletol than a women, mised, but Jerry keeps the things for
, cold as for the ewo ceildre1y 1 i:: e weeks together.'
s seen them quite rare ems fit tbe uio: 'That't true ; but I've .got a pair of
• ners coming fore the eakehouse,' boots that want new fronts, and I
s 'That's Jerry's lookout,' replied Mr, can wait a week or two. Take
Rewitt, coolly. 'If he can't afford them.'
f it, he shouldn't drink.' 'I'll take both,' said F.ichard Resent;
t, , Tice. subject was dismisses, end 'nothing 1i';e baiting your hook well
Jerry forgotten in thenoise and bustle
'Ouly'one pint,' pleaded Jerry.
• 'Not halt a pint,' i;eptied the land -
lend. - 'Go home and pay yoar deb,s
like a man,'
The entrance of a customer wi•h
• rcaly money cut snort the c0nverss..
tion, and Jerry s.00d back a pact, or
two while the other wes being served.,
When that was cone an, , the beer
and the stranger gone,, Jerry made a
final appeal.
'I've boen.a good customer to you,
• Me pewits,' he said, 'Alwost every
penny I have earned has come into
ydi.r ti11. I've lived en beer,, if living;
it can b0....called, and my wife and
children have had to, shift how they
could for bread.'
'That's nothing to ere," said the
landlord.
'Let ii:.e gave one pint.; -
'.11ave you the unpudenee to ask
fee it with ti a: h, mc'ful lot of chalks
staring yeti 1 tl.e face r
Jerry did . of reply, but Le took a
long earnest to k at. the recortli:ig
flee, drawing his hmid neross his, dry
. a oth, hurried our of, the 'Oram
Aran
while you are about it..'
of the usual evening business. .About Armed for the te•ccnieuest of 3 erry;
nine o'clock_ Jerry's wife, to the as. the landlord set firth in theemor:,ing
toni.shiiientof both Mr. Rewitt and --that being a slack, time, when he
his wife; appeared in iho bel, but could easily be spared from home.
net as they supposed, for drink. Outside Were a couple of loafers, with
'My husl,and• tel;s me,' she said, no money and no credit, who touched
that he has a heavy score here. How their hats to him. Mr, Rewitt favor -
much 2s rtee •
ed them with a look 'of lofty indif e-
'I'ru almost too busy to tell you,' r ace.
replied the landlord. 'but if it is prey- Jerry's cottage was in the middle
sing 1 will reckon it up.' of the village, standing back from the
t i d I 1 II b road about fifty feet; and, although
s pressings, an s is a Very
thankful if you will let me know at its inside poverty had been pretty
once what it is,' returned the poor well known, the outside, thai,ks to
woman, who was in iced wan and his wife, looked quite as well as• its
pale, and almost justified, the title of neighbors.' Therefore Mr. Eewitt
'skeleton,' which- Airs. .Rewitt had was not in the least surpse• sed to see
given her., it look breghe and gay on that beauti-
The landlord, Gwent through the fu1'autumn morning.
cheap twice,, auci finally announced As be ap coached the door, he
that Jerry was. indebted. to him to the
amount of, two: pounds seventeen upon the lapston°, and, to his utter
shillings. and lroi}rppnce halfpenny,' 'i'm zement, the voice of Jerry car-
Jerry'a wife receiv.od the announce- rolling a cheerful ditty, as unlike the
men wile a, look of quiet dismay, smoked efforts he used occasionally to
thanked, ther1.ai;,dlord and left the come tent with in the tap:room as the
house. song of the thrush is to the hoarse
'T suppose she is going to make an note of the raven. Raising the latch,
effort to pey it off,.', said Mr, Rewitt, the landlord of "Thc Oram Arms"
addressing his better, half, 'and I hope peeped in.
she will, but I fancy it will be a little
beard the sound of Je:ry's hammer
'Good morning, Jerry,' he sai 1.
to much fox her.' 'Ah ! es that you, 'Mr. Rewitt, 1'
For a whole, week nothing was seen rep'ied Jeer'', looking up. 'Come
or heard of Jerry, brit at the ' end of in.
that time his wife appeared and put
down five shillings ore, the counter.:
'Will you please take that off the
account, sir,' she said, 'and give me a
receipt.' -
'This was done With a graeioue
smile, teed Jerry's wife departed.
Mr. Rewitt announced his having bit
the right nail on the head. The wife
of the cobbler was making an effort to
. wipe out her husband's debt.;
At ti.e end of another week a second.
five shillings was paid, and 'then har-
vest game in—truly a harvest to the
agricultural laborer, as at that time good deal with besiness lately. 't'rade's
he gathers in clothes, and whatever teen brisk ; but bow is it we have not ,_
necessaries his harvest money will en- seen yeti ?
able him to procure, All the leak 'Well—the fact is, sir,' said .ferry,
tradesmen in the' village were busy, thoughtfully, rubbing his chin, 'rye
and even Jerry w,is reported to be full been busy working oayour: scored
handed. But he did not come near 'But it is done, mete' said Mr.
the 'Orem Arms' for drink. Lewitt, cheerfully; 'the door i.i quite
Jerry looked ,wonderotie clean, and
had been shaved that very morning.
His blue shirt looked clean, and he
actually hada collar on. Mr. Rewett
was so overcome by the change that
he stood still w ill;, the boots under his
array, forgetting that they formed part
cf his mission.
'You look very well, Jerry,' be amid,
at last.,
'Never felt better in all my life,'
said Jerry. '3 wish, sir I oQuld say the
same of you. You look whitish.'
'I've—l've a bit of a oold„ replied
the, other, 'and I've been shut up a
•
On the third week ;forty's wife clean, a9 far as you are concerned.'
bough, ton shillings, and on the . deem glad of that;'
fourth fifteen, to the great joy and 'Others have got their share, said .
satisfaction of Mr. Rewitt, whose jpy the landlord, facetiously ; 'hut1 think
was somewhat alloyed by the fear we could make room for you, if you
Viet he had lost a gnocl custonier. He look.. us up.,
resolved to look tip Jerry as,, soon as 'No, thanky, sir,' returned Jerry. •
anothc,r instalment of leis account was Eve had ensign of chalking on other
paid. people's doors, and now 1 chalk on my
Nothing was brought for afor.tnight own.'
and the landlord congratulated him- 'Ehalk on your,ortn ?' .'h
self uta n not (raving hastily sought 'Yes, sir ; have the goodness to
out his. absent customer, wlio still tnrn atounc1 and look behind you,
owed hien more t.,an a pound, but the There's my deox half full,' a
appearance of Jerry's wife with the - Ws.a wiso'thing to keep account
'Nobody -el trusts' nnyeelf,' replied
Jerry 'The ntarktethat were on your
door showed whets 1 did drink, and
there marks on mine show' what I+
don't drink'
A little light had gottinto the land.
lord's brain, and be hack'a pretty' good
idea of what was coming, but he said
nothing
'That night when you spoke to ane
about those chalks on. your door being.
a standing disgrace to tee, was the
night of my'wakingx' continued:Jerry.
'No man could have lectured me
better than you did, and I thank you
for it from the bottom of my heart.
As 1 left your house I vowed to touch
drink no more, and I came home and
and I told my Rife so, and
we both joined in earnest prayer that
I might have strepgth to keep my
vow. The next morning I went over
to George Stevens, and asked him how
I could go about signing the pledge -
He helped me like ,a men—and it was
done.
With his oyes..=:wandeeing to and fro
between Jerry and the chalks,: upon
th3 door, the amazed landlord still
remainal silent. Jei ry went on:
'My wl"e wanted to work herself
to death to keep ire,' he said, 'but FtI
saicl;,'No. You do what ycu can to
keep the children, until my debts are
paid, and then I'll keep you and the
children too, So 1 went to work,
paying right and left ; and when all was
paid. cif, 1 began to do. what •I ought
to have done years ago -feed my wife
and ehiidren. I had enough and to
spare, and I would have spent some
with you,. And many,s the time T'v
been tempted to go—and I am still, bu
when the feeling comes over me I hay
a drink of water or a cup of tea, pu
,tuppeneeento a box I've got on put'
pose, and scores a chalk on the door
All of thee„ chalhs are so many temp
t'tions and so' many tuppences saved.
but is called by that to *doh lie i.
entitled by birth•• --•via. that of Mare
dene bas not,: -by Ittod'e help, touched a
drop of strong drink Motu the d: y of
hie reformation to this. Iiia door
has been filled again end again with
' the records in his own favor ; and the
beer he has not drank is everything
around him in the form of a contfor;
' table home, a tespecttaLlo amount In
' the savings -bank and a goodly invest-
ment in a building society. Better
still, 1 e has, by faith in the Saviour,
obtained "the pearl of great entice."
He is laying up treasures in hear a,.
'where neither moth nor rust doth
corrupt, and where thieves do note
break through and steal.''
Let none of my readers atop at,the
'half -way -house' of total abstinence
from everythii,g tii.tt can intoxicate.
Let them over remember that great ate
the We -eine or temperance may be,
this alone w-11 never secure an eu
teranee into heavcn, , Oar Saviour's
solemn words should ever be remora*.
bered, "Ye must Le bore again."
A HISTORY IN A NUT SHELL.
A °o; tnight ago a gentleman, now
on a visit to A.a'ifa- , was fishing in
the Tay near Dunkeld. Tee boat
man's name until Dui gal: Mackenzie..
He L new that the a weer was- al7outi
to visit Ca :ada, a d a remarkable
history wes ()Alined in this brief con-
versation. Sa'd the boatman : '
You're going to Canada ?
Yes, was the reply.
If you happen to see Sandy Mac -
1 'e toll ]tin•, th.tt i i
enzr i s cousin Dor.
t 'nod,is still afire'
e He Iives in Canada ?
Yes.
_ That's a big country, how shall 1
find him l -
Mr. Rewitt was still unable to mak
•
He is pretty . well known. Sandy,
is the ex -premier.
How does it come that he is:„ the
e ex•premier of Cannda,,pnd you are only
a crofter working for fifteen shillings
e aweek 1
Wewere both stone masons. We
''.both worked on the bridge. yonder
e !(Pointing to the:structure). Sandy
',went to Canada. I remained home.
-'He is an 'ex -prime minister, I arm,
•only a poor crofter.
Wouldn't it have been better if
•you had gore to Canada too 1
Yes. It would have, perhaps, Nene.,
;better if thousands o, us were in Ca-
nada instead of in Scotland, Iiut we .
are content here, and,;. contentment
with Godliness is great/min. If you
see Sandy don't forget to give him my
bet wishes, and tell him cousin Doti.
gald is sill living and well.
The gentleman in question hopes.
to meet the ex premier and &liver the
message.
COST OPPIC]
any particular remark , but he mur
inured, in a confused manner, 'You'v
got a lot of them.' -
'Yes, there's a large family of them,
said Jerry, complacently, 'and th
more I look at them the better I
like them. There is not much dis-
grace about them lot ; credit if any-
thing.' • •
'Oh 1 yes—yes said the landlord ;
'but—dear me—this cold in my head
is quite distreesing. You must have
a large box for all your, tuppences.
'When 1 get six tcgether 1 take
them off to the post -office,' replied
Jerry ; there's a bank there that's
better than any till. Tills giro out
nothing, bat banks like that return
yen more thea you put in. Until 1
began to keep my own chalks 1 bad
no idea ilnw., much yopr till ewal:ln.wed
np. Ti on would not trust me for a
pint ; but 1 wee have niy money out of
the benk whenever 1 want it.
'That,s something,' said Mr. Rewitt,
tartly.
'It is everything to a man whe
has a wife and family to keep,' replied
Jerry 'The best of us have sickness
find trouble and rainy days, and then
its a great thing to have something to
full back on. It is better to be able
to keep yourself than 1c go to tbe
parish. There's another thing too
about those.ehaiks of mine—your's
went down before my wife and child -
ran were fed. ; mino go down after
that's done ; and 1 think that my .
chalks are the better of the two. So
I say to all, 'Chalk your own door"
Mr- Rewitt bad nothing to say ; he
could not deny it, and Ite would not
not admit it, but took refuge like
Other beaten men—in flight. With
the boots under his arm he hasteneo
home and presented hitnself' before
is wife in a rather excited condi
tion
'What's the matter,, Richard 1r she .
eked.
'No;Bing p icnlar,' he replied,
xeept that J'ei� .14i;u,ldle
balance 1n1 the eff'eet of making hint,, yourself]. said the landlotd, who hard- e
t; ink otherwise. Tante was no des- lv enew wdat to make of it, 'far mis- t
pety in putting down the money—it, takes., will happen ; but -'
z p y r has joined
he temperance lot, and he seems an
- fi
was quietly ,lune ---but the happy light 'No mistake can happen, stir,' in- e
in the woman's eyes as she took the trepted Jerry, for I am tho only party
receipt, spoke snore than mere words as keep; that account, A
rat in it that I don't believe he will
ver touch.a drop again.'
Mr, Brehard Rewitt, of "Tho Orarn
rens,'' was right. And 3'erry, who
Opens at 8 a.m.. Clones at 6.80 p.nr,,
Mails for• Made, up Leaving
at at•
London, Manitoba. and
the Western States,
via L. H. & B, express 9 00 p.m 7.20 a.0 ,
And again via mixed
train 11.I6.a.m 11.80 a,rn;
Toronto, Montreali and
the East ria W. C: d
D on Tuesdays,Thurs
day and Saturday 9,00 rem 7.00 a.tn.
Monday, Wednesday
and Friday 11,05 a,ro 1I.21 a.rxi.
Kincardine, Lucknow
and the North, Tia,
W G ct B 8.06'p.m 3.20 b:.m.
G n i1, via Teeswater
T
stage , - 11:30 am
Gienfarrow on Tuesday
ThurPday d Saturday 4,00 p,tn
Arriving from Open at
Kinoardine,via W 0- &B °
Tuesday, Thursday & k.41:
Saturday 1111 a./in 11.46 li.6 .
Monday, Wedneisda
and Friday 8100 a.m.
London„ via L 1/ d' B
Express 8.00 a.m..
mixed train 11.30 a.m 12,00 "
Toronto, Hamilton, vitt
W 0 & B 3,20 p.m 3.46 p.m.
T 0 & B do 'i'Oeswater
via stallo 6.00 p.rn.
Glenfarrow, on Tuesday
Thursday & Saturday 2.80 p.m 1
•
FOIL 8a.f.,, L.E.
rive'acres of land, beantifully situs.,
eted on the north bank of the river:
Maitland, in the town of eVinggliam,
fronting the railway track, Terme
res•oriablr:, 'l'itl.i perfect. For farther,
et, (Lek' le,e. 'ent vino trusts,ynu to do that.'
baax&tl}.d tame of•M ddl 1
, et, to onset
letrti1 baste apply tai
• . o. ' S11xlii ersrigp..
-t