The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1867-03-14


with him. At first l merely tasted
the liquor, drinking il only through
courtesy to him; after while in con
sidoration of its being cold, l would
take little lor my stomach's sake,
and before winter was over went to
bed several times in a precarious con-
dition. My wife had noticed this stead
lily increasing taste for liquor, and
time and again had she eXpostulated
with mo, and with tears in her eyes
she had entroated meto drink no more
but laughed at her fears, and assured
her thatthore was no danger Of whisky
getting the better Of NE.
"At tho first call for troops IN the
spring of 1861, Charley started for his
home in the East TO raise company
for the war I went to the station to
see him Off We took several parting
drinks together, and beforeI was ready
to so home was so intoxicated that l
could scarcely drive my horses; before
reaching home they took fright and
ran away, throwing me violently
against the root of tree. was taken
home insonsibo from n severe contu-
sion on the left temple. ! lay for sew
eral days on my bed from the effects
of my fall, during which time ! was
kindly watched over and administered
10 by my loving wiCo. While lyingon
my bed she used every argument TO
induce mo to sign pIodge Of total alb
)stinenco. 1 felt my degradation deep
ly, yet all hor entroaties were IN vain.
l was impressed with the mistaken
idea that to sign pledge was stillmore
dcgrading-tooll away my liberty, my
manhood. And so spurnod my only
succor. Shortly after my recovery |
went to the village on business. Be
fore going back, could not withstand
the temptation Of going into one oftho
saloons and taking a drink just one,
l said to myself, entering the saloon.-
Now Charley and myself had been in
the habit of going into theso places
and, for amusement, scat ourselves 81
one of the tables and play game oi
. euchro to SEQ who would pay for th'
drinks. So upon this occasion, when
entered the saloon, man was stand
= ing there whom had met once or twic,
before on like occasions. / invited hin
to drink with mo, when he proposed
{ to play tor it, as Charley and mysel
had done before. As ! was in no hur
ry, and he appeared to be IN agreeabl
>. fellow, | sat down, played and won
! game And l being the winnOr in tn
e first, / did not like to refuse to pla,
-, him second. won again, and so o.
for several games, drinking each time
lie then drew out five dollar bill, an
y offered to bet that would not get tn
= next gamo. was excited from drink
ing, and before thought what wa
d doing, had staked another five an
J. we were playing for them. l won tn
/, game, and another, and then he wo
l. one, and go we played, winning an
, losing, for an hour or more, when l bt
II came too drunk to play longer.
found the next morning when l coun
10 cd my money that was some fifty do
n lars ahead Of the game. now 81
ID that this was only bait. 1t sueceede
n we'll however, for the next day foun
70 me back at the saloon playing wit
ID my antagonist Of the previous day
10 Sometimes he would suffer me to w
10 and thon again ho would win from m
ut but this time upon counting my mo-
So ey 1 found that was loser to CO..
70 siderable extent. This made me mo
D. eager to play, as 1 desired to win baC
III what had lost l felt confident that
ms could do 1t. l thought that 1t was o
TX ly his luck that had won from me, al
n. not his superior playing, And so
al went on until lost all my ready cas-
A. 1 thon borrowed some, and it went Il
lg samo road as tho first. then becon
l. ing desperate, mortgagcd all my stO,
to to raise money, and lost it also, Iw
IS, so phrensiod by this that detormln
id to win back my lost property or 10
ils all. The consequence was that mol
Is, gagged my farm and everything l h
or for-cash, and staked 1t in one gar
n against all that lost. Need Isay t
ed words? ! lost, and was thus, HI fl
ng short days, reduced from opulence Al