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how John Walton gave up the Drink.

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OHN WALTON, the whitesmith in the Bull Ring, was one of the best customers the landlord of the Star and Garter ever had, for he spent nearly every evening of his life in the landlord's parlour, and he took a good deal to drink.

But that was not all. John was clever, and full of life; he was a sort of oracle, both on trade and politics, and he could sing "a jolly good song." Nobody will wonder, then, that John's presence in the Star and Garter helped to make it very attractive. Indeed, the men who went there said the place was not like itself if, by any accident, John was absent; and the landlord said confidentially to his wife that it would pay him to give John half the drink he got for nothing rather than lose him. Still he took good care that John paid for all he took.

One night, however, John's place, which was always kept for him, was empty. That was a thing which did happen now and then, so nobody took much notice of it; but the next night came, and the night after that, and still he was not there. Then his companions began to wonder; and one after another asked if anybody knew anything about him. It will be readily believed that nobody inquired about him more anxiously than the landlord.

We can explain the reason of John's absence. One morning, George Morris, a customer of his, for whom he had some work in hand, called at his shop to press him to get on with it, and he found him sadly downcast. On inquiring what was the matter, John told him that two of his children were ill, and that his wife

was almost worn out by nursing them. To make matters worse, he said the landlord of his house had threatened that if he did not pay his rent within three days. he would sell him up.

George Morris had a great kindness for Walton. They had been lads together in the Sunday school; but it was long since Walton had given up both Sundayschool and church. On the other hand, Morris was not only a steady man but a true Christian. Many a time he had tried to persuade John to give up the drink and to go with him to church, but hitherto in vain. Still he had not given up hope, and he thought he would try again.

"How much does the landlord want?" asked Morris.

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Eight pounds; half a year's rent," replied Walton. "And then, if he sells me up, the selling will cost a lot, Besides," he added with some hesitation, "if he sells me up as far as he will have to do for his rent, there are some other folks who want money of me; and one with another they'll about make a clean sweep of everything'

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He might have added, but he did not, that a good many of their nicest things had been already either pawned or sold.

"It's a pity," said Morris; but just then he said nothing more. The fact was, he did not know what to say or do, and he wanted a little time to think about it. Besides, he was one of those sensible men who never do anything of importance without consulting their wives.

Just as he was leaving the shop, however, he said, "Will you come and see me to-night, John? I shall be in about seven?

Walton thought from Morris's manner that possibly he might have it in his heart to help him, and after a little delay he promised to go.

He went at the appointed time, and both Morris and his wife, who had talked the matter over beforehand, received him. very kindly, and after a few minutes Mrs. Morris left the two men by themselves. "Now, John," said Morris, "I have been thinking a good deal about your trouble, and I hardly know whether I can do anything for you or not. But are there none of your friends who can help you?" Walton's countenance fell. "Is this all," he said to himself, "for which he has invited me; to ask me if there is nobody else who can help me? If I had known that I would never have come!"

Then his "friends" rose up before his imagination-the company at the Star and Garter, and the landlord. As for his companions, even if they were ever so willing to help him, it was very little they could do, for they spent too much on themselves to have it in their power to help anybody. Then, as for the landlord, he was not the sort of man to do it; and he had more than once heard him say that if he once began to lend money to his customers, there would be no end to it. As a rule, the better customer a man is to a publican, the less inclined the publican is to lend him money, for this good reason, that nobody knows better than he does how small the chance is of getting it back again.

All this passed through his mind in a far shorter time than it has taken us to tell, and he shook his head almost as soon as the question had been put.

"Now," said Morris, "if I were to advance as much as would pay your rent, would you promise faithfully to pay it me back again?

Men in debt and trouble will promise anything; and Walton said at once that he would.

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on certain conditions, and you have not yet heard what they are.”

Walton looked inquiringly at his friend, and Morris continued:

"The first condition is that you pay me back so much a week-not less than four shillings."

"Four shillings a week!" said Walton. "That's a lot," and he evidently thought it far more than he could pay. "How much do you think your drink costs you a week?" asked Morris.

That was a question not easily answered; but, on reckoning up, Walton had to confess that it could not be much less than ten shillings,

"Then you could do it, John," said his friend, "if you gave up the drink, and have besides six shillings a week to spare. Some of that you might use to clear off your other debts, and the rest you could give to your wife to get something nourishing for herself and the children. And that brings me to the next condition: you must promise me that, till all I lend you is repaid, you will not touch another drop of drink. I won't ask you just now to bind yourself longer than that." Walton hesitated. He did not like to give it up entirely. Would he not allow him a pint a day. He would not go beyond that.

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No, John," replied Morris; "for I am certain that if you get even half a pint you will be just where you were; and you know that too. It is all or nothing. Let me add that there is nothing but ruin for you and your family if you don't give up the drink entirely; and think, too, what an example you are setting your children! Now I won't ask you to promise at once. Go home and take a night to think about it, and come to me to-morrow."

After a little further talk, in which Morris set before his visitor very faithfully the evil of his course and the ruin in which it could not but issue, if he persisted in it, Walton took his departure. He felt the truth and justice of

what his friend had said to him, and belonged-Peter Mawson-had been in

besides, the help he had offered was his only hope. Moved by these thoughts and convictions, he went to Morris the next morning, saying that, if he would only let him have the money he would promise everything.

"It will be a hard battle," said Morris, when he had paid Walton the money; "and you will need help from God to enable you to keep your promise. Don't fail to ask Him for it."

He had

But Walton had no fear. made up his mind, and nothing should move him. The event proved that he had over-estimated his own strength.

It was not to be expected that either the landlord of the Star and Garter or the company who met in his parlour would let Walton go without an effort to get him back again. The landlord found out that there was a piece of work in Walton's line of business he wanted to have done, and he sent for him to do it; and one and another of Walton's pot-companions looked in at the shop to ask what was the matter. Still he stood firm. He did the landlord's work-and it was work in the house-but he declined the offer the landlord made him of anything he liked to drink. He made no secret of his resolve. On the contrary, he was rather boastful of it: told everybody how much better he was without the drink than with it; wished everybody would follow his example; and even went so far as to say what fools they were for not doing so.

"Let him alone," laid the landlord; "he'll come back again. They always do when they talk like that."

The landlord had had some experience in things of that sort, and he knew something of human nature. If we had heard Walton when he talked in that way, we should have trembled for him. They stand best who are the most humble.

The landlord's prophecy proved only too true; and this is how it was fulfilled. One of the set to which Walton had

Australia, and, as somebody who knew him said, he had "turned up again like a bad halfpenny." The first night after his return he went to his old haunt, expecting, without any doubt, to meet Walton along with the rest, when he was told that John had not been there for two months.

"See if I don't bring him back again," he said, after he had heard the whole story of Walton's boastings.

The landlord-willing enough to lose bet him five shillings he could not.

The following day was Sunday, and about eleven o'clock in the forenoon, Mawson called at Walton's, and found him in. If he had only been at church, where he should have been, he would have been out of harm's way. It was a great misfortune he was not.

Mrs. Walton was getting a comfortable dinner ready, and Walton asked his visitor to remain. Nothing loth, Mawson consented; in fact it was just what he wanted to do, first, because he liked a good dinner, and next, because he thought it would help him to win his bet.

After dinner they smoked their pipes, and then Mawson proposed that they should have a walk, to which Walton agreed.

Their stroll was a long one, and both were a little tired, although Mawson pretended to be far more weary than he really was. A public-house stood invitingly open for "bona fide travellers," and, somewhat reluctantly, Walton agreed to go in, but at the same time he resolved that he would have no drink. It so happened, however, that there was nothing to be had which was not intoxicating. Walton was very thirsty, and he took a single glass of ale, and then another, and after that the two men went homewards.

It was evening before they reached the town, and then Mawson said:

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