Danger in the Dark - ZseZse

102 DANGER IN THE DARK.
ing; "it's my turn to treat. What say you, b'hoys,
shall we have something a little stronger l"
" The real baldface, if you like."
" Well, content I"
" Anything, when a fellow's dry I"
"Fill to the brim this time I"
"Now for it, my braves I"
And clashing their tumblers together in token of
friendship, they turned off simultaneously the intoxi·
eating beverage. Before his heavy potations began
to take effect, Alonzo felt keenly the goadings of conscience
for the part he had acted in inducing young
Allen to partake, so much against his inclination, of
the poisonous draught; but these qualms only noW
prompted him to drink the more freely, till his moral
sensibilities were drowned in the ftowing bowl. As
they continued to fill and drain their cups, sallies of
wit and repartee flew vividly round the jolly circle,
till the blue-devils were for the time quite vanquished.
" The St. Charles is a great institution," observed
the captain; "don't you think so, Mr. Brown l"
'tClearly of that opinion! Fill up the glasses, old
Blubber! This is the road to distinction, and it lies
open to every man; here beggars become princes!
The Scottish bard was right-' Kings may be blessed,
but Tam was glorious!' Why need any man be poor,
, when three drams can make him rich ~ Say, Carleton,
suppose it be but imagination, don't the miserable
mendicant forget his rags and his wretchedness 1"
" But when he gets sobcl'--"