NED BENTLY'S TEMPTATION.


When Ned Bently was a boy of about fifteen years of age he lost both of
his parents by yellow fever, in New Orleans. The only remaining relative
he had was a bachelor uncle, living in the mining regions of California.
Ned worked his way on board a ship, as a sailor boy, to San Francisco,
and finally arrived at the diggings where his uncle was engaged in
mining. In those early days of California mine digging the miners were
generally a very rough class of men. So it happened that soon after
Ned's arrival a great gruff "digger" offered to treat Ned to a drink of
liquor, and became very angry because he refused to touch it.

Ned scarcely shut his eyes all that night, for he was dreadfully afraid
that the miners might yet force him to drink of that which he had been
taught was certain ruin to body and soul. But to Ned's great surprise
and joy, next morning the very man who the night before had offered to
treat him took a bold stand in his defense against the other miners'
attempts to force him to drink.

"The lad's about right," said the gruff old digger. "If he can live out
here without drinkin' liquor, he'll be able to buy and sell the whole of
ye by'n'by." And so it proved, for Ned held fast to his resolution not
to drink, and became one of the wealthiest mine owners in California.

[Illustration: NED REFUSING TO DRINK WITH THE MINERS.]