The Democratic sentinel and Harrison County farmer. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1851-1852, 1851-11-19
I O NJ T0PERLY;
Or, The Impriso ned.

Tom Toperly was the verest sot in all the
town. He had been a great many things be
sides topper, but he lad always been to-
per, that is, as long as he had been at all, OF
at least, since he was ten years of age, which
period, at the date of our biography, was
distant about fifteen on the earth's revolu.
tions around it's orbit.
Tom had derived his patronymic from an
ancestry which, probably, at some ancient
era, had won the significant appellation for
exploits in the line that had made him fa-
nous.
Tom had been leniently ''passed through
all the Temperance Orders and Societies that
had sprung up in his neighborhood, and he
had come out as much of a sot as when he
went in,-and more so, if allowance was not
made for lapse of time. - .....-... .....-
Tom had always been bachelor, perhaps
because he had never been sober long enough
to seek out wife, and perchance because
he was so much of locomotive demil John
that no woman could have been found foolish
enough to "lnk her fate with his"
Tom had arrived at an era in his event.
full life. when he was too shiftless to work
even for gin, his fayorite beverage, and there
began to be talk that the poor-house would
have to shelter him, when one night he mi
raculously disappeared. He was so well
known about town, that everybody missed
him, and there was a general inquiry as to
his mysterious fate, but no tidings came.
Tom was asked for daily by numerous and
anxious enquirers, when on the fifth day af-
ter his elopement he "turned up" on the
steps of a tavern, about ten miles from the
town of his nativity. He was penniless, and
the landlord turned him out of doors. He
was as sober as he had ever been in his life.
A man in rough farmers coat saw him,
and tapping him on the shoulder, said;
"What are you doing here, my man 2"
"Waitin' for some feller to ask me up to
drink. Maybe you're the chap" was Toms
answer
The man smiled, and said, "you look as
though you had taken drink enough in your
life."
"l'm orful dry. Hav'nt had q drop to-
day, pom honor" resumed Tom, with wo-
full face, as he smacked bis lips, and drew his
dirty coat cuff across his mouth.
''If will find you as much as you can
drink, will you 60 with me 2" enquired the
stranger.
"Yes, and stay with you till the stock is
out" answered Tom, springing to his feet
with some show of agility. aa 4.y5
"Get into my wagon, then,' said the man.
with pleasure, sir" said Tom, as he
clambered into the strangers wagon, before
the tavern.
Tom was driven five miles into TIE country
and was set down in a farm yard, ahounding
with fowls and cattle.
"This Is our home," said his new friend,
Tom thought it queer place for him tc
get "as much as he could drink" but did
not venture remark. Tom new friend led
the way to a handsome stone house, gave
him q seat on the porch, and ordered q boy
to bring in q pail Of water. 1t was cool and
limpid.
"Help Yourself" said Toms friend, "it
is good, and you will stay with me q good
while before YOU drink the spring dry"
Tom thought his friend very facetious.
He chuckled little, and ventured to say,
g but the Ticker" q "
"What liquor?' returned his friend, as III
astonished. "There il none about my pre-
m;ses j, M 1H{ A9 REi Ee
'sBut you told me It I went with you, II
should have All could drink" ~ F0'
soyou shall the spring never gets dry,
and the dairy Is large" "