Danger in the Dark - ZseZse

DANGER IN THE DARK. 107
"And here's his hopeful son, Dick, going full
gallop on the same road!"
" Don't be alarmed for me," remarked the self..con-
fident youth, "a few sprees never made a man a
drunkard. "
"That are a fact--as I've always said !" observed
the captain in a drunken tone, and so far gone that he
hardly knew whether head or heels were uppermost;
"boys must sow their wild-oats ;" continued he, "I'll
be bound, Dick will call a halt in due time, and cheat
the devil out of the son, if he did get the father."
The spree was kept up till a late hour of the night;
Alonzo Carleton and James Brown, were the last in
leaving the St. Charles; nor would they have left so
soon, although past midnight, had they not gambled
away all their money, and then been turned out of
doors by the barkeeper-who had a great aversion to
drunken men, after their pockets were empty.
Carleton was very much intoxicated, but not so
drunk as Brown, whom he had to assist in keeping on
his feet. - It being very dark, they lost their way and
got into a dismal alley, where Brown fell down; and
in vain Alonzo tried to get him on his feet again;
several times he got him nearly up, but as often man-
aged to let him fall. Finally, Carleton chanced to
stumble over a wheelbarrow; the thought occurred to
him immediately, that he could put his drunken com-
panion on this very con~enient vehicle and convey
him home: so he rolled the helpless fellow upon the