“I’m going to quit, Sally,” Jim replied, altogether unexcited by her words and manner.

“Nonsense!” rejoined Sally.  “You’ve said that fifty times.”

“But I’m going to do it now.”

“Have you signed the pledge?”

“No.  I’m not going to sign away my liberty, as I have often said.  But I’m going to quit.”

“Fiddle-de-de!  Sign away your liberty!  You’ve got no liberty to sign away!  A slave, and talk of liberty!”

“Look here, Sally,” her husband said, good-humouredly, for nothing that she could say ever made him get angry with her—­“you’re a hard-mouthed animal, and it would take a strong hand to hold you in.  But as I like to see you go at full gallop, darling, I never draw a tight rein.  Aint you most out of breath yet?”

“You’re a fool, Jim!”

“There’s many a true word spoken in jest, Sally,” her husband responded in a more serious tone; “I have been a most egregious fool—­but I’m going to try and act the wise man, if I havn’t forgotten how.  So now, as little Vic. said to her mother—­

  ’Pray, Goody, cease and moderate
  The rancour of your tongue.’”

Suddenly his wife felt that he was really in earnest, and all her angry feelings subsided—­

“O James!” she said—­“if you would only be as you once were, how happy we might all again be!”

“I know that, Sally.  And I’m going to try hard to be as I once was.  There’s a little job to be done over at Jones’, and I promised him that I would do it for him today. but I got down to Harry Arnold’s, and there wasted my time until I was ashamed to begin a day’s work.  But to-morrow morning I’ll go over, and stick at it until it’s done.  It’ll be cash down, and you shall have every cent it comes to, my old girl!” patting his wife on the cheek as he said so.

Mrs. Braddock, of course, felt a rekindling of hope in her bosom.  Many times before had her husband promised amendment, and as often had he disappointed her fond expectations.  But still she suffered her heart to hope again.

On the next morning, James Braddock found an early breakfast ready for him when he got up.  His hand trembled a good deal as he lifted his cup of coffee to his lips, which was insipid without the usual morning-dram to put a taste in his mouth.  He did not say much, for he felt an almost intolerable craving for liquor, and this made him serious.  But his resolution was strong to abandon his former habits.

“You won’t forget, James?” his wife said, laying her hand upon his arm, and looking him earnestly and with moistened eyes in the face, as he was about leaving the house.

“No, Sally, I won’t forget.  Take heart, my good girl.  Let what’s past go for nothing.  It’s all in our lifetime.”

And so saying, Braddock turned away, and strode off with a resolute bearing.  His wife followed with her eyes the form of her husband until it was out of sight, and then closed the door with a long-drawn sigh.