Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-08-03

"I served my time in v, as
some of you know. My boss was a
man who used liquor. Three times
every day we were called to grog asl
regularly as to our meals. | got sol
by the time was twenty-one that II
liked liquor, and so did every hand
in the shop. Soon after l became al
|journeyman, | was married to this
lady by my side. I had nothing but
my two hands. We had many a hard
struggle. We had children fast. j
spent considerable money for liquor,
Once in while | would get over the
bay, and come home drunk. The
habit continued to grow upon me, till
at length I became so unsteady that
no one wished to employ me. was
a good workman when sober; | could
point to work which | had done which
was equal to that of any man in the
place. My wife had to take in wash
ing to keep the family in bread while
was loafng doing nothing"
Bridget" said Robert, "did ye ev-
er hear the likes of that? Such a
gintale lady as Mistress Jenkins do
ing washingW
This interruption caused all to turn
their eyes toward Robert and Bridget.
and Robert said:
II beg your pardon, sir"
Mr.. Jenkins resumed: "They were
about to build the State House in
S., and a reward of several hun
dred dollars was offered for the best
plan of a building suitable for the pur-
poses for which it was designed. AT
the time this advertisement appeared
| was sober, not because had ceased
to love liquor, but because was too
poor to get it. My wife knew that
was a good architect, and she encour
aged me to try for the reward. She
said she knew | would get the reward
if | would keep sober. She said, "Ly
man (she used to call me by my Chris
ten name then, "if you Will only keeT
sober a week you can get that reward
as we'll as not" Well, said |, tC
, please you | will try. | knew | mus
have clear head to make my plans
and steady hand to make my drafts
and so | shut myself up in a room
, with my instruments and paper, anC
in few days had it all finished
| and sent to the committee.
Several others had tried, but tn,
r committee were unanimous in pro
! nouncing my plans superior to th
$ rest. ought to have said that | al
2 so made estimates of the cost Of tn
f building from the foundation to top
. stone. None of my neigbbors knew
!. what l was doing, for my wife AM
: myself determined to say nothing t.
e any one.
Among those who tried for the re
G ward was son of my old boss, VIII
o was then carrying on business a
1 V. He and | had never agree
very well. He was known quite we
t through all the region, and he conf
l. IDENTIFY expected to obtain the reward
n But, as | have said, the committe
8 awarded it to me. One Of them wa
g acquainted with the son of my bos
l. and was passing through the plac
d on his way home. My competito
+ was of course anxious to know VIII
|. was the successful man. The gentl,
r man replied, "A man by the name o
d Lyman Jenkins, who lives here j
h " What, said he, has ths
a poor, miserable cuss got the reward
,. He is drunk every day of his life
f AS to that be replied, 4 know notl
ing. Drunk or sober, he has surpas
d ed all the others. L am now going
,e see him and find out whether he wi
O take the job of building it,
d | knew nothing about this then.
o was at home splitting wood in tt
a back yard, and my wife stood over th
ir washtub. One of my little girls We
on the back-door step studying he
d Sunday lesson. She was committin
" to memory the verse, Il can do a
r. things through Christ, who strengt
If eneth me- All at once it came I'M
my head, Christ has strengthened II
,e to abstain ever since | commence
D. drawing the plan. He can do
3 still. | will trust in him and drin
h no more. Before this, had thougl
that if | obtained the reward, | wouI
d have good spree, and make up f(
in the days | had been without liquo
N Full Of this new idea, went into Il
O. house, and took my pen and wrote &
the fy-leaf of the Bible, 'Throug
t, Christ who strengthened me, l wi
t never drink any more liquor. Amen
" and signed my name to it. I held
up for my wife to read. She bur-
n. into tears. Iput away the Bible, an
went into the back yard, and worke
n at my wood.
j. had worked but a few moment
when the member of the committe
d raped at the door. He inquired
Lyman Jenkins lived there, and W;
.e shown in. My wife came and tol
me. When | entered, he said,
d your name Jenkins p told him
$. was. Did you draw up these plans
h | told him | did. He then told n
the result. He added, Your plal
f. exhibit good deal of genius. l W;
le instructed by the committee to engas
r you to superintend the constructio
s. of the building. Since I came to ii
place, however, | have learned th;
# you are Incorporate and unreliabl
c. and this leads me to question whet1
re er | ought to engage you."
Of 'Try him." said my wife; @hs ism
going to drink any more | coul
a. say nothing. She got the Bible an
k opened it where / had written m
IN pledge. He read it and said, an
~ Jenkins, do you mean that?' / r
j. piled that l did. well, then,' sal