The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-09-22
Trying an Experiment.

He came in with Gli Interrogation
point in one eye and stick in one hand.
One eye was covered with handker-
chief and one arm in q sling. His bear
ing WAS that OF man with o settled
purpose In view
ID wast to sec; says lie, "tho man
that puts things into this paper"
We irtimated that several Of us earn
cd frugal livelihood III that way.
"Well, want TO see tho man which
cribs things out Of the other papers.
The fellow who writes mostly with
shears, you understand"
We explained to him that there were
seasons when tho most gifted among US,
driven to frenzy by the scarcity Of ideas
and events, and by the clamorous de-
mandsot m Unsuitable public, in mo.
ments Of emotional insanity plunged
the glitterihg shears into our exchanges.
He went off calmly, but in voice trem.
ulous with suppressed feeling and in.
distinct through the recent loss Of half
q dozen orso OF liic font teeth
Gust so, / presume SO. l don't
know much about this business, but /
want to see q man; tho man that print
cd that little piece about p0tiring cold
water down q drunken mans spine OF
his back, and making him instantly
sober. II you please, / want to SEQ
that uan. Iwould like to talk with
him. AZ, ..:,
desk and moistened his servicestle
hand, and resumed his hold on the stick
rs though he was weighing 1t. After
studying the stick minute, he added,
in o somewhat louder tone;
"Ntister, 1 catho here 70 see TINT ere
man. / want to sec him bad.
We told him that particular man was
not in.
"Just so. 1 presume so. They told
me before / come that the man want.
ed to sec wouldn't bo anywhere. I'll
wait for him. I live mp north, and I've
walked seven miles to converse with
that man. Iguess I'll sit down and
wait"
He sat down by tho door and reflec.
lively pounded tho floor with his stick,
but his feelings would not allow him to
keep still,
pour much cold water down any drunk
en- mans back to make him instantly
sober, perhaps?"
None of us in the office had ever tried
the experiment
"Just so. I Thought Just as like not
you had not. Well, mister, I have.
tried it yesterday, and / have come
seven miles on foot to SEQ tho man that
printed that piece. II want much Of q
piece, I don't think; but I want to see
the man that printed it, just a few min,
utes. You see, John Smith, he lives
next door to my house, when I'm to
home, and he gets how.comes.you SC
every little period. Now, when he's
sober, he's oil right II you keep out oil
his way: but when he's drunk, lie goes
home and breakes dishes, and tips over
the stove, and throws the hardware
around, and makes it inconvenient for
his wife, and sometimes he gets his gun
and goes out calling on his neighbors,
and Il amt pleasant"
"Not that ! want TO say anything
about Smith; but me and my wife 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 cary
ing knife, talking about her liver, and
after q while he lay down by my fence
and went to sleep. I had been reading
that little piece; it want much Of 3
piece, and l thought II I could poui
some water downhis spine, on his back,
and make him sober, Il would be more
comfortable for his wife, and square
thing to do oil around. So I poured o
bucket Of spring water down John
Smiths spine Of his back"
"Well, " said we, as our visitor paus-
cd, "did it make him sober?" Our Wis,
itor took Armer hold of his stick, and
replied with increased emotion:
"Just SO. 1suppose it did make him
as sober as Judge in less time thar
you could say Jack Robinson; but, mis-
ter, it made him mad. II made hin
the madest man / ever saw; and Mr.
John Smith is q bigger man than mt
and stouter. He is q good deal stouter
Bla-bless him, never knew he wa
half so stout till yesterday, and he'l
handy with his fists, too. I shoult
suppose he's the handiest man will
fists l ever saw"
"Then he went for you, did he2" W,
asked innocently.
Gust so. Exactly. I suppose b,
went for me about the best he knew
but I don't hold no grudge ngains
John Smith. 1 suppose he amt goot
man to hold u grudge against, only
want to see thut man what printed
that piece. 1 want to soc hin
bad. 1 feel rs though II woult
sootho me TO see that man.
wanted to,show him how drunken maj
acts when you pour water down th,
spine Of his back. That's what com,
for"
Our visitor, WHO was pouring waite
down the spine OF drunken man
back, remained until about 0 o'clock Il
the evening, and then went up street t
find tho man that printed that littl
piece. The man he is looking for start
ed for Alaska last evening for q summe
vacation, and will not be back befort
September, 1878.
IaaN Taa..,,nw