rather would not render. He blundered in his work on more than one
occasion, and resorted to tricks to bolster up his carelessness or
inefficiency. The result was that after a few weeks' service he was
discharged. He was chagrined, mortified, angry. But he "cheeked it
through," as the young men of his class would say. It is bad business,
this "cheeking."

He loafed about once more, as formerly. He took a "deal" on the
curbstone occasionally, or now and then ventured a few pieces of silver
upon the black or red. He was back in the old notch.

For more than two years "Dodd" led this reckless, wasteful existence.
He was of age now, and his father had felt it his duty to tell him that
he must shift for himself. Mrs. Weaver mildly protested, but the
Weaver family was large, and though the Elder commanded a fair salary,
it cost money to live, and every mouth to be fed counted one.

So "Dodd" took a room down town, and then if the devil went to sleep,
sure of his victim, you do not wonder, do you?

Yet the great majority of young men in large cities room down town.

Details of degradation are always revolting. I will not trouble you
with what happened during these years of exile of this young man. His
story is like that of thousands in like case. His evil habits grew
upon him, and held him tighter and tighter in their thrall. Still, he
dressed well, went much into fashionable society, and saw much of life.
He was one of the boys, and he held his place among them by hook or by
crook. He was never brought to face a court on criminal charges. He
may never have been guilty of such acts. If not, is it not remarkable?