The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1841-08-10
WHISKEY AND THE MONKEY.

During a recent series of meetings in New
YORK city, one of the delegates from the Balti-
more Temperance Society, related the follow
ing -
Mr.. Pollard concluded the meeting. He said
be was a kind of old Butcher to bring up he
rear. So much had been said, he scarce knew
what to talk about. But there was one thing he
would talk about, and always intended TO. For
fifteen years he was in the gutter, the watch
house, the Jail, and if he had had Justice done
him, had once beer in the penitentiarY. He had
seen as much of the miseries of drunkenness as
perhaps any man, and he was now determined
If possible 10 put down aud drive it out of our
country Men boastedlhat they were not drunk
ards, but only moderate drinkers. He did once,
but he believed that il six glasses made a man a
drunkard, he who drank one glass was at least
ore sixth II of a dlunkard. Men would get drunk
once or twice and not call themselves drunkards,
and then they would get drum aga n. They
had not the adherence of the thing, and they
had not the self control of the beast. In his
drinking days he was The companion of a man
down in Anne Arundel county, who had a
monkey which he valued at a thousand dollars.
We always took him out on our chestnut par
ties. He shook all our chestnuts Tor US, and
when he could not shake them off, he would go
10 the very end of the limb and knock them off
with his fist. This was great sport for US. One
day we stopped at the tavern and drank freely.
About halfa glass Of whiskey was left, and Jack
look the glass and drank il all up. Soon lie was
merry, skipped, hoped, danced, and set us all
In a roar of laughter-Jack was dunk.
We all agreed, six of US, that we would come
10 the tavern next day and get Jack drunk again
and have sport all day. | called in the morn
ing at my friends house. We went out for
Jack. Instead of being as usual on his box, he
was moi 10 be seen. We looked inside and he
was crouched up in a heap. Come out here, SAID
his master. Jack came out on thee legs, his
forepaw was on his head. Jack had the head
ache: | knew what was the matter with him..
He felt Just as | had felt many a morning.
Jack was sick and couldn't go. So we put it
of three days. We then met, and while drink
ing, a glass was provided for Jack. But where
was he2 Skulhing kehind the chairs. Come
here Jack, said his master, and drink, holding
out the glass to him. Jack retreated and as the
door opened he slipt out, and in a moment was
on top of the house. His master went and
called him down. He would not come down.
He got a cow skin and shouk ii at him. Jack
sat on the ridge pole and would not come. His
master got a gun and pointed it at him. A
monkey IS much afraid of a gun. jack slipped
over the back side of he roof. His master thcn
got two guns and pointed one on each side Of
the house, when the monkey seeing his bad pre-
dlcament, at once whipped up on the chimney
and down in one of The 6ues, holding on by his
fore paws. That man kept that monkey Twelve
years, and could never get him TO taste one drop
Of whiskev. The beast had more sense than
a man who has an immortal soul and thinks
himself the first and ought to think himself the
best of all creation. Mr.. Pollard addressed
himself 10 the youth, and in the view of his ex-
ample urged them all TO sign the total abstinence
pledge while they were young.
Such was the dense crowd that none could
come up 10 sign the pledge. A few papers we're
circulated, and l60 n ames were obtained.