p. 9 | Temperance by Rusticus

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jan 4, 1883

Temperance.

By Rusticus

Two Robberies.

Two young men in our neighborhood had been out with a threshing machine for two months. They were paid off and started home with about $100 each in their pockets. They came to a village five miles distant just as it was getting dark. One of them said: "John, let's stop in town one night, I want to see some of the boys." "No," said John, "I'm going home; and you had better go, too. If you stop, you may fall into bad company and spend your money foolishly. Come on."

Jim laughed, said he guessed he knew how to take care of his money, and refused to go on. So John left him and started to go home alone. It was now dark, and the road was a lonely one; but the young man went along whistling and planning what he would do with his money. Suddenly a great, burly fellow stepped out from the shadow of a tree, and, pointing a pistol at his head, said in a gruff voice, "Stand and deliver."

Poor John was startled. He did not know what to do. He hated to give up his money, but he did'nt want to be shot. So he tried to parley with the robber. It was of no use, however. The fellow was resolute. His only terms were: "Your money or your life;" and the money had to be surrendered.

John reached home terribly disappointed. He wished that he had stayed in town. He went in early next morning and reported to the officers of justice. They promised, of course, to try to arrest the robber and get his money back. But of that there was little hope, as he could not have identified the man if he had seen him.

Passing down the street, he met Jim stumbling along with his hat over his eyes. "Hello," he said, "is that you?"

Jim looked up like a man half awake, and replied: "Yes, it's me; but how are you here? I thought you went home last night."

"I did; but I had better have stayed with you; for I was robbed on the way and lost all my money."

"Lost all your money, did you? Well, I am in the same fix."

"How so?"

"I don't know exactly how. It seems like a dream. You see, I went into Mike's saloon after supper. Some of the boys came in. They were all very glad to see me, and I treated all around. Then some of them treated. They asked me where I had been all these two months, and I told them. 'Got paid off?' asked Mike, with a knowing wink."

"Of course I did," I answered, and feeling pretty rich I took out the double eagles and showed them to the boys. Well, we had a right jolly time. I remember their asking me to play a game of cards, and we kept on drinking while we played. And the next thing that I remember was I woke in a shed near Mike's saloon. It was broad daylight. I felt as weak and mean as if I had been sick a month. I felt in my pockets for money, and it was all gone. I went into the saloon and asked Mike about it. He laughed, and said all he knew was that I played cards with the boys and paid off my losses like a man until I fell on the floor; and then, as it was late and he wanted to shut up, he told them that they must take me away, and they did. I have been around to see some of the boys, but they all say they are not the ones who won my money, and seem to feel pretty bad about it; and I don't know what to do. I suppose I shall have to stand it. But I wish that I had gone home with you; for I would rather have been robbed as you were than to be fooled as I was, and feel as sick and mean as I do to-day." And John thought so, too. Hard as his case was, Jim's was a good deal harder.

When the papers came out next day, there was a paragraph in them about the bold robbery of a young man on the highway, and how cruel it was for the robber to take from him his hard earnings. But not a word about the robbery of Jim in Mike's saloon. Mike advertises in all the papers. When the people read about the robbery of John, they were very indignant. They said the officers ought to find that villain, and that if caught he would be severely punished. But when they heard about the robbery of Jim they laughed. They said if boys will play with a tiger they must expect to get scratched. Some said Mike's saloon was a nuisance and ought to be abated. But how could they abate it? for he was duly licensed. He paid for the privilege of robbing his fellow-men. The other fellow robbed without a license. Which is the meaner and guiltier of the two?—Rusticus, in the Occident.