he would drink with Jack, would trust
James with untold gold; and even was foolishly tempted to neglect
his business the more from knowing that he had one at home who was
taking care of it.

In spite of all James's care and diligence, however, things were
growing worse and worse; the more James saved, the more his master
and mistress spent. One morning, just as the shop was opened, and
James had set every body to their respective work, and he himself
was settling the business for the day, he found that his master was
not yet come from the Grayhound. As this was now become a common
case, he only grieved but did not wonder at it. While he was
indulging sad thoughts on what would be the end of all this, in ran
the tapster from the Grayhound out of breath, and with a look of
terror and dismay, desired James would step over to the public house
with him that moment, for that his master wanted him.

James went immediately, surprised at this unusual message. When
he got into the kitchen of the public house, which he now entered
for the first time in his life, though it was just opposite to the
house in which he lived, he was shocked at the beastly disgusting
appearance of every thing he beheld. There was a table covered
with tankards, punch-bowls, broken glasses, pipes, and dirty
greasy packs of cards, and all over wet with liquor; the floor was
strewed with broken earthen cups, old cards, and an EO table which
had been shivered to pieces in a quarrel; behind the table stood a
crowd of dirty fellows, with matted locks, hollow eyes, and faces
smeared with tobacco; James made his way after the tapster,
through this wretched looking crew, to a settle which stood in the
chimney-corner. Not a word was uttered, but the silent horror
seemed to denote something more than a mere common drunken bout.

What was the dismay of James, when he saw his miserable master
stretched out on the settle, in all the agonies of death! He had
fallen into a fit; after having drunk hard best part of the night,
and seemed to have but a few minutes to live. In his frightful
countenance, was displayed the dreadful picture of sin and death,
for he struggled at once under the guilt of intoxication, and the
pangs of a dying man. He recovered his senses for a few moments, and
called out to ask if his faithful servant was come. James went up to
him, took him by his cold hand, but was too much moved to speak.
"Oh! James, James," cried he in a broken voice, "pr