Hesperian student / (Lincoln [Neb.]) 1872-1885, February 01, 1877, Page 45, Image 14

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WonsE than Waii, Wouse than Pestilence.
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vigor tint would astonish our slow inov.
ing ancestors. A principle of justice, a
cliiim of right, is kept constantly in view
until we believe it u settled fuel, from
which we do not recede. Thus wus serf,
dom extinguished, slavery abolished and
so has been and will be all the marked
events of our history conceived and
brought to the desired completion.
Huff.
WORSE IRAN WAR, WORSE THAU
PESTILENCE.
CHAPTER IX.
Straightcrook, the place Mv. Abbott had
taken refuge in, was almost a facsimile
of many of.our northern towns. It was
better represented on paper than on the
actual surface of the earlh. Whenever
its local editors chanced to pull' it, they
laid great stress upon its business cstab
lishments. But these establishments
would have been insignificant, both in
number and wealth, liau the rum shops
been subtracted. It contained many good
people but more bad. It had many line
churches and well-supported ministers.
In brief, Straightcrook was a perpend ic
ular, horizontal, straightforward, wrong
forward, right-angled, crooUcd-anglul
town.
The intemperance of Mr. Abbott had
arrived at such a crisis that nothing ap.
peared to have any influence on him.
Among her many endeavors Mrs. Abbott
resolved to request the rumsollers not to
grant Mr. Abbott any moie liquor. Where
upon she repaired to the dwelling of Mr.
Heartless. Mr Heartless was a fashion
iiulcrumscllcr, lived in a fashionable house,
drove fashionable horses; and wus there
fore a fashionable man. Mrs. Abbott was
conducted into the magnificently fur
nished parlor. Mrs. Heartless and her
daughter endeavored to agreeably enter
tain Iter. Mr. Heartless, in a short time,
came in. He was a large and portly man
who seemed to enjoy a world of pleasures.
After a long pause, Mrs. Abbott addressed
him,-
" I have come to sec about Mr. Abbott's
she faltered, and Mr. Heartless
tilled out the sentence
u Well, I believe lie does get boosy
sometimes," said he in a sarcastic tone,
"Did you want me to be his guaidinn?"
Mr. Heartless often had such visitors, and
he know well how to adapt himself to
the circumstances.
14 No,"' answered Mrs. Abbott, " but I beg
you to give him no nunc liquor."
" Well, you, like all women, arc ig
norant of social all airs, and consequently
do not know how to proceed in the case,
You have como to the wrong man."
" But you could not s"eo a family come
to want and destruction V" said Mrs. Ab
botl, her face turning crimson.
" I am a philanthropist." This he said
with a grave and dignified air. " But
if I attend to the affairs of other families,
I shall surely neglect those of my own."
" If you only knew our calamity 5"
here Mrs. Abbott was choked with sobs
and tears.
" Pa, can you not do something for Mrs.
Abbott?" said his daughter, with tears
trickling down her rosy cheeks.
" You will walk Into the other room, as
this is something 3 our tender mind can
not comprehend," said Mr. Heartless to
his daughter, who immediately obeyed
her indulgent father. Only Mrs. Heart
less remained and assented to all her hus
band said,
" I have no doubt your case is a hard
one," said Mr. Heartless. " But you know
wo must bow to the dignity of the public.
The people of this town have authorized
me to sell liquor; they hae not said who
I shall or shall not bell to. Indeed, it is
the will of the people that I should serve
all the same, both black and white." On
these last words he placed a peculiar em
phasis, knowing that Mrs. Abbott was a
Southern person. "I am only a deputy
of the public So if you desire special
treatment for your husband, you must
consult that omnipotent body."
'Your daughter is the only 0110 that
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