St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1868-03-06
Not q Drop More, Daniel.

Daniel Akin had become 4 common
drunkard. So fully had lie come under
the dominion of his appetite that he was
perfectly miserable when he could not
obtain the means of gratifying his thirst.
He had neglected his family till his wite'S
father had taken her and her children TO
the parental roof He had spent all his
substance for drink, and was kept from
the poor house only by performing mcni-
al services for his food, and the kindness
of Thomas Edgcrton, 4 member of the
society of Friends, who had known HIM
from his youth, and had strong hope
that in the course of time he would see
his folly. and turn again into the right.
| The leading merchants OF the place had
let him have drink as long as his money
lasted, but would trust him no longer.
lie was loafing about the store one bright
moonlight evening, pleading with tho
merchant to trust him for Il drink. His
reply was, ''Not a drop more, Daniel
lie remained while longer and left.
As the cool air of the evening tell upol
him, he all at once began TO give utter
ancc to bis feelings i'll the following
strain:
Not drop more, Daniel. Am
drunk, or am sober! am sober. No
IA drop more, Daniel. Did IIaskins thinl
Il drop more would hurt me? No. bu
my money was gone. lie has got every
thing had. He has got the Bible my
mother gave me. He has got the shoe
which my wife bought for Jennie, anC
paid for with her own earnings. Not ;
, drop more, Daniel. Daniel, what sa,
YOU to that? | say so, too. once ha'
, good clothes, and now l have nothing
: but rags. Not Il drop more, Daniel, I'll
| have others as good as when Mary an'
| were married. | once had a goo,
watch, but that. too, IS gone. Not
drop more, Daniel, till have another a
GOOD as the one | pawncd TO llaskins TO
drink. | have seen the time when ha
good horse and buggy, and could rid
in as good style as any man in the place
Not a drop more Daniel, till | own an
+ other horse and buggy as good as one
= had. | once had cows which furnishc
d my family with butter and cheese, b.
r IiaskinS has got them. Not drop MOI
Daniel, till these cows, or others as goo
as those are mine again. l once had til
wallet full of bills, but now there Is nj
cent. Not Il drop more, Daniel, II
tins wallet Is well filled again"
by this time he had reached the plaC
where lie had formerly resided, and /
). stood and leaned against the fence, an
unused for a long time in silence. II
viewed the desolateness Of the scene |
I the light of the moon; and his eye range
= over the house and barn once his owl
which had become out of repair.
- lie then said, Il owned this house al
farm. Here was born Here my f
: ther and mother died L was the priC
Of their hearts, but brought down the
cray hairs in sorrow 10 the grave. lie
commenced my married life, and ;
that heart could wish was mine He
, Mary and l took comfort till IIaski
came here and opened his rum shop, al
now lie calls it his. In that south roo
my children were born; and there n
Jennie died. Oh, how sorrowiul $
on looked when she saw me take her she
ou and pawn them for rum, while she Ii
Es sick. And then how she begged me
ia' fore she died never to strike her moth