George exclaimed, “I wonder how people can be such fools as to be drunkards! I will never be a drunkard, mother; and now I know the reason why you desired me not to drink the wine, when Mrs. Dolly used to say to me, ‘Down with it, George dear, it will do ye no harm.’”
These circumstances made such an impression upon George that there was no further occasion to watch him; he always pushed away the glass when Mrs. Dolly filled it for him.
One day his mother said to him, “Now I can trust you to take care of yourself, George, I shall not watch you. Mrs. Dolly is going to a bowling-green tea-party this evening, and has asked you to go with her; and I have told her you shall.”
George accordingly went with Mrs. Dolly to the bowling-green. The company drank tea out of doors, in summer-houses. After tea, Mrs. Dolly bid George go and look at the bowling-green; and George was very well entertained with seeing the people playing at bowls; but when it grew late in the evening, and when the company began to go away, George looked about for Mrs. Dolly. She was not in the summer-house, where they had drunk tea, nor was she any where upon the terrace round the bowling-green; so he went to the public-house in search of her, and at last found her standing at the bar with the landlady. Her face was very red, and she had a large glass of brandy in her hand, into which the landlady was pouring some drops, which she said were excellent for the stomach.
Mrs. Dolly started so when she saw George, that she threw down half her glass of brandy. “Bless us, child! I thought you were safe at the bowling-green,” said she.
“I saw every body going away,” answered George; “so I thought it was time to look for you, and to go home.”
“But before you go, my dear little gentleman,” said the landlady, “you must eat one of these tarts, for my sake.” As she spoke, she gave George a little tart: “and here,” added she, “you must drink my health too in something good. Don’t be afraid, love; it’s nothing that will hurt you: it’s very sweet and nice.”
“It is wine, or spirits of some sort or other, I know by the smell,” said George; “and I will not drink it, thank you, ma’am.”
“The boy’s a fool!” said Mrs. Dolly; “but it’s his mother’s fault. She won’t let him taste any thing stronger than water. But now your mother’s not by, you know,” said Mrs. Dolly, winking at the landlady; “now your mother’s not by—”
“Yes, and nobody will tell of you,” added the landlady; “so do what you like: drink it down, love.”