The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1866-12-20
The Man who Getteth on a Spree.

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The following, from the Richmond E:r-
aminer, may possibly have some applica-
tion in this latitude:
There is class of men of peculiar hab-
its in every community, not only in the
populous city, but in the quiet and peace
ful country village, whose hearts are open
to generous impulses, and whose minds
are not unfrequently endowed with geni-
us, at whom the pharisee points the finger
of scorn, and of whose shortcomings and
failings society in general has but little
sympathy. We allude to the habitual
spreer-the man who getteth up betimes
in the morning and cocktaileth, and re-
peateth the dose an indefinite number of
times, until his brain whirleth, his legs re-
fuseth their Office, and he sinketh down
on the soft side of the pavement, help
less victim to the wiles of Bourbon or
needle-gun whisky, as the case may be-.
Such men often keep sober for many
weeks, and then, under the influence of
the times, fancied misfortune or we'll
filled purse, think they may venture to
take one drink. 1t will dispel care, raise
the spirits, and set them on their feet
again. The drink is taken, and this drink
begetteth an appetite for another. The
spirits begin to rise, and happy feeling
Of prosperity warns up the heart. The
devotee of John Bayleycorn has COM
menced his practice OF the bar in earnest.
A party of jolly fellows come in, and he
treats, and is treated in return. His lit
tie pile of currency becomes, "small by
degrees and beautifully less" Solong as
it lasts he is generous and never lacks for
"a friend" to Join him in drink. Final
ly-his legs begin to get drunk, but his
brain is clear He knows what he is
about and will stop when he has got
enough. Another drink, and another,
until q search of the innermost recesses
of his pocket fails to bring to light anoth-
er dime. He asks the barkeeper for
credit.
aWe don't do business in that way" is
the ready reply. By this time he is pref
ty drunk all over, staggers out, and fall
ing into some friendly doorway, sinks
into the arms of "nature's sweet re-
storer, balmy Sleep" If he happens to
escape the notice Of the vigilant police
man, he awakes at q late hour of the
night, minus hat and shoes, which have
been taken possession Of by some way
farer whose necessities doubtless drove
him to the act. Hatless and shoeless he
goes on to his lodgings, and after trou-
bled sleep wakes up with q burning thirst.
He has no money, but he must have
drink and he gets it. In fact, man can
manage by shrewd engineering to get
whisky when he can't get anything else.
The experiments Of the previous day are
repeated, and kept up, perhaps, for a
week, when the jolly chap becomes sick,
takes medicine, sees the folly of his
course, makes marvellous resolutions, and
swears he will never touch another drop.
And, generally speaking, he never does
until the next time. Upon the least
rising or sinking OF the mercury in the
mental thermometer, he is off again, show
ing that fair promises, like pie-crust,. are
easily broken.
There are many young men OF excel
lent business qualifications, who will
doubtless recognize their own daguerreo-
type in the picture we have drawn. 1t
is this class who ought never to taste a
drop. Your old soaker can take his reg
ular drains with no immediate percepti-
BILE effect; but it tells on him in time,
and the man with the poker gets after
him, sooner or later. But the young man
who has acquired habit of spreeing can
never drink without getting drunk,
whereby he loses the confidence of his
employer, plunges his family into the
depths of woe, and finally becomes an
outcast from society and the associate Of
bummers and vagabonds. And, having
brought him to this level, we close our
brief sermon on the man who getteth on
a spree.