The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-07-16
TRYING AN EXPERIMENT.
Following the Advice Off Newspas
per PaTagraph..The Eject Of Pour.
ing Cold Water Down a Drunken
Mania lnInn.

Following the Advice OF n NewSpas
per PaTagraph-aT6e Eject of Pour.
ing Cold Water Down a Drunken
Mans Spine.
prom tho Utica HcrAld.)
He came in with an interrogation point
in one eye and q stick In one hand One
eve was covered with handkerchief and
one arm 10 sling. His bearing was that
Of a man with o settled purpose in view.
II want to SEE" ssys he, 1.-THE man that
puts things into this paper"
We intimated that several OF US earned
frugal livelihood in that way.
"Well, ! want TO see the man which
cribs things out Of other papers. The fel-
low who writes mostly with shears, you
understand"
We explained 10 him that there were
seasons when the most gifted among us,
driven to frenzy by the scarcity of ideas
and events, and by the clRmorous de-.
mand of an Unsuitable public, in moments
of emotional insanity plunged the gilt
tering shears into our exchanges. He
went off calmly, but in a voice tremulous
with suppressed feeling and indstinct
through Lub ESCGub lOoS Va uNlA . aOHSA
or 30 Of his front teeth.
"Just 3d. presume 80. don't know
much about the business, but want to
sec a man, the man that printed that
little piece about pouring cold water
down drunken mans spine Of his back,
and making him instantly sober. II you
please, I want to see that man. should
like to have a talk with him."
Then he leaned his stick against our
desk and moistened his serviceable hand +,
and resumed hia hold on the stick as
though he was weighing 1t. After study
ing, the stick o minute, he added, in q
somewhat louder tone: 3. .-b.
"Mister, l came here TO see that ere
man. want to see him BAD" a. :
We told him that particular man was
not in.
, "Just so. i presume so. They told
me before come that the man / wanted
to see wouldn't be anywhere. I'll wait
for him. l live up north, and I've walked
seven miles TO converse with that man.
l guess sit down and wait"
He sat down on the floor and reflective.
" pounded the floor with his stick, but
his feelings would not allow him TO keep
still. .. -
~ suppose none of.you didn't ever pour
much cold water down any drunken
mans back TO make him instantly sober,
perhaps" .s.gy.-g a,s :,
None OF US In the Office had ever tried
the experiment.
"Just 80. l thought just as like as not
you had not. Well, mister, have. l
tried 1t yesterday, and l have come seven
miles on foot to see the man that printed
that piece. It wasn't much Of Q piece, /
don't think, but want 70 sec the man
that printed It, Just Q few minutes. You
see, John Smith, he lives next door to my
house, when I'm to home, and he gets
hoW.come.youso every littleperiOd. Now
when he's sober he's all right, II you
keep out of his way; but when he's drunk
he goes home and breaks dishes, and tips
over the stove, and throws the hardware
around, and makes 1t inconvenient for his
vile, and sometimes he gCB his gun and
goes out calling on bis. neighbors, and 1t
80 mot that I want to say anything
about Smith; but me and my vile don't
think he ought to do so. He came home
drunk yesterday, and broke all the kitchen
windows out OF his house, and followed
his wife around with the carving knife,
talking about her liver, and after while
he laid down by my fence and went 10
sleep. had been reading that little
piece; It want much Of 8 piece, and /
thought II I could pour some water down
his spine, on his back, and make him so
Der, Il would be-moFo comfortable for his
vile and q square thing to do all around.
So l poured a bucket Of spring water
down John Smiths spine Of his back"
"Well," said We, as our visitor paused,
Wdid il make him soberY" Our visitor
took firmer hold Of his stick, and re-
piled with increased emotion:
"Just so. ! suppose 1t did make him
as sober as a judgein less time than you
could say Jack Robinson, but, mister, It
made him mad. Itmade him the mAddest
man ever saw; and, Mr., John Smith
Is q bigger man than me and stoutefl
He Is good deal Btouter. BlR-bless
him, never knew he was half 90 stout till
yesterday, and he's handy with his fists,
100. l should suppose he's the hsndieSt
man with his fists l ever saw"
"Then he went for you, did he?" We
asked lnlocently.