Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1873-08-04
OUR VISITOR.

hand. One eye was covered with hand
kerchief and one arm in a sling. His
bearing was that of a man with set
tied purpose in view.
Il want to see" said he .the man
that puts things into this paper"
We intimated that several of us earn
ed a frugal livelihood in that way.
"Well, | want to see the man which
cribs things out of other papers. The
fellow who writes mostly with shears,
you understand" " aaHe
M . r1Plained 30 him +has shere ~vor4
seasons when the most gifted among us,
driven to frenzy by the scarcity of ideas
and events, and by the clamorous de-
mands of an Unsuitable public, in the
moments of emotional insanity plunged
the glittering shears into our exchanges.
He went off calmly, but in voice trem-
ulous with suppressed feeling and indis-
tinct through the recent loss of half
dozen of his front teeth
Just SO. presume so, | don't
know much about this business, but I
want to see man, the man that printed
that little piece about pouring cold wa
ter down drunken mans spine of his
back, and making him instantly sober.
If you please, want to see that man.
would like to talk with him."
Then he leaned his stick against our
desk and spit on his serviceable hand
and resumed his hold on the stick as
though he was weighing it. After study
ing the stick minute, he added in a
somewhat louder tone
mister, 1 came here to see that ERE
man. l want to see him bad
We told him that particular man was
not in.
'.Just so. presume SO. They told
me before | came that the man [ want
to see wouldn't be anywhere. I'll wait
for him. / live up north, and I've walk
ed seven miles to converse with that
man. I guess I'll sit down and wait
He sat down by the door and reflect
lively pounded the floor with his stick,
but his feelings would not allow him to
keep still.
81 suppose none of you didn't ever
pour much cold water down any drunk
en- man uacK TO make MN Instantly
sober perhaps"
None of us in this office has ever tried
the experiment
"Just so. | thought just as like as
not you had not Well, mister, I have
l tried it yesterday, and have come
seven miles on foot to see the man tha
printed that piece. 1t want much of i;
piece, l don't think; but want to Sc,
the man that printed it, just few min
utes. You see, John Smith, he livet
next door to my house. when I'm Il
home. and he gets how-come-you SO
every little period. Now. when he
sober, he's all right if you keep out Q
his way; but when he's drunk, b
goes home and breaks dishes, and tip
over the stove, and throws the hard
ware around, and makes it inconvenien
: for his wifes and sometimes, he gets hi
gun and goes outcalling on his neighbors
and it amt pleasant.
Not that l want to say anythin
about Smith but me and my wife don
: think he ought to do so. He cam
home drunk, yesterday, and broke a.
the kitchen windows out of the hous,
4 and followed his wife around with th
carving knife, taking about her liver, an
r after he laid down by my fence an
went to sleep. l had been reading ths
l little piece It want much of piec'
4
and I thought that if l could pour som
$ water down his spine, on his back. an
make him sober, it would be more con
/ Portable for his wife, and square thin
+ all around. So poured bucket I
: spring water down John Smiths sp,r
y of his back
Z "Well," said we, as our visitor pause.
! did it make him sober % Our visit,
a took firmer hold of his stick and reptile
with increased emotion
e Just so. | suppose it did NAL
a him as sober as Judge in less tin
than you could say Jack Robinson bu
L mister, it made HIM mad. 1t made hi
: ahe maddest man / ever saw; and M
|. John Smith is bigger man than 4
< and stouter He is good deal stoute
d Bla-bless him. never knew he W
% half so stout till yesterday, and he
y handy with his fists, too. should su
IS pose he's the handiest man with his fis
ever saw"
ID Then he went for you, did he ?" '
asked innoeently.
D. ..Just SO. Exactly. | suppose
lg went for me about the best he kne
" but don't hold no grudge against Jo
'e Smith. Isuppose he amt a good m
G. to hold a grudge against, only | wa
As to see that man what printed that pie
want to see him bad. feel as thou
OF it would sooth me to see that man.
III want to show him how drunken m
IN acts when you pour water down the spi
~ of his back. That's what ] come for.
nd Our visitor, who had poured wa
\ ~