The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1857-05-01

for April, 1857. adjourned on Monday, 2lst.
The Judge was quite stringent on the
liquor dealers, you know. Tie old Druggist
of your noble topn, Athens, was one of the
victius--whether justly or unjustly will
not stop here to inquire. Perhaps l may
PROFOUND some interrogatories before am
done. I have been doing small business as
Druggist and Apothecary in Athens nearly
eleven years. l commenced business here
under very unfavorable circumstances, the
prospect being very poor for making living
at selling Drugs. The citizens of the town
know these to be facts, or at least all who
were citizens at that time. None of them
think the Drug business profitable or some
one would have taken hold of IL before now,
for have several times offered to sell out and
give it up.
Pure spirit lie an indispensable article in
the Drug business No Druggist can do the
business Of an Apothecary without it. And
how many will come and request the Drug
gist to let them have little for the sick p
How many cases are there among the poor
who are not able to buy a quartz In such
cases what is the Druggist to dol If he lets
them have less than quart, or loans them
bottle, he is liable to presentment before the
Grand Jury at the next term of the Court,
and TO fine and cost. | will not ask you
whether or not this is good law. will say
that had always believed that persons go
accommodated would feel grateful for the
favor, and not bring into jeopardy one who
had obliged them. In this find was mis-
taken. Who is most accommodated, the SELL
.er or the buyerl | am as much in favor of
Temperance and order in society as any one
in the community.
There are several others in town besides
myself who sell whskey, and much more
than do. Some of their customers get their
whiskey, get drunk, and then come to my
house to annoy me. Some weeks ago one of
-'s customers got quart of him,
got very drunk, staggered up to the steps near
my door, took a seat on the steps, and there
STAYED about three hours. After SOLDERING
little he came in and wanted whiskey.
Another case of not far backs occurrence.
Three men came into my counting-room.-
reach, but there was quart flask on the
table which had filled for a gentleman
could name, to make bitters for some of his
family, where he had left it till he would
star home in the evening. | had forgotten
that it was there. | went into the front room
to dc something, and in few minutes two
of the men walked out. When | returned to
the counting room my eye fell on the flask,
and | observed that about one fourth of the
whiskey was gone. l asked the remaining
individual who drank It'll He said the two
who had gone drank it. | took the bottle
and put it away, few minutes after which
the remaining individual walked out. look.
ed through the window and saw the two re.
turning. He had seen them before me and
left asked them when they came in who
drank the whiskey, and they said the one
just gone drank it. Such occurrences have
given my house a bad name. Many more
might be told.
assert that no one ever got drunk in my
house. | assert, further, that / have always
refused to sell whiskey by the quart, or any
other way, to a drunken man. say these
thir gs in Justice to myself l do not expect
to obtain any notorety by writing an article
for the paper, nor do wish any Neither do
l wish to be understood to mean anything
disraraging of the citizens Of Athens in gen
era. Those who have hunted me because
tried to be obiging will understand me. |
very shrewdly suspect that some of the most
fasidious about here care very little for Old
Burns, only in so far as they can get him to
be useful to them, in waiting on them, getting
out of his bed at all times of the night and
all sorts of weather to get and prepare medi-
cine for them; and sometimes, too, when his
own health was far from good. And when
a subscription for charity, school, or church,
is wanted, they can approach him with great
confidence, being sure they will get some
thing And where is one that has been start
ed since have been a citizen here to which
l did not contributed
repeat do not expect to gain anything
by the publication of the foregoing. nor do
think will lose much. If do must bear
it as have borne many other things. be-
lieve there will be nothing wrong in its going
before the public. and if you think so you will
publish it; if not, you can return it to the
writer. WIN. BURNS.
april Esd, 1857.