The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-12-27

issiS: EDGE.


ilr-t knew Mugrilgc in the classical and
aesthetic metropolis, of New England. Mug
ridge WAS theN in the literary line. lie
was tbr author Of tract "On Uses and
,nn,c, Of Sew England rum IS a Beycr-
Agr." Alnsridgc claimed to be a temper
onco nan; he was opposed as well 10 the
u~' oi water aS Of rum in large quantities
'rho stomach Of an adult freeman, Mr.
Mucridgc maintained, can stand one quart
ot Colonel FreEch's Rum per diem and DO
we'll on il that is to say unless some of the
'oloncls mcnials have tempered with the
hcg through the water pipe: but no adult
or no other kind of stomach. barring Tie
ca,ncls. can stand one gallon of Cochituatc
rcr dicm, as the total abstinence people in
-i>t.
WHAT he would cXclaim with much
,crvor, would you have freomen make
reservoir, OF themselves and vie with lakes
and pond, in the water-lIly and tadpolc
capacity SO far as his observation went,
Mr.. Mugridgc never found Il freeman that
aspred to be a reservoir, or to vie rs atOrc-
said; SO he considered that point us settled.
Mugrdge claimed that temperance meant
a rational mean between excessive imbib
ition; and he was clearly of the opinion,
and cxemplfed it in his daily toddle, that
one quart Of rum, with the right to increase
it pint, i'll case of sickness, or exposure
TO water was Just about as good repre-
scntaton of the rational mean for one day.
as could be suggested.
Now il fell out either that Mugrdgc some
times exceeded his rational mean, or that
the rational mean sometimes exceeded Mr.
Mugridge's spiritual capacity, for it hap
pencd more than once, as he was home
ward returning from his daily distribution
Of the tract he was constrained to seek the
loan of some friendly market wagon or
hand-cart, for his personal transportation.
The hand-cart feature of the rational mean
theory resulted in SCOTS and ieers on the
part of the abstinence people. See" they
said pointing to Mr.. Mugridge, as he lay
on his hand-cart in that condition Ct abso-
lutte disregard of domestic Affections, and
notes over due, which the rational mean did
sometimes beget-"sec where the sophst
lies grovelling in his sophistry."
But Mugridge kept on the uneven tenor
of his way. ats no fault of mine" he
used to say, 'if the rational mean fails in
4 few isolated instances; it works well as q
general rule, and the time will come when
il will be adopted as Il family recipe 70,
household happiness.
Mugridge has been illustrating the prac
teal advantages of his rational mean the
ory and had been distributing it among hi,
rcighbors, in book form and by word o
mouth, about thirty years, when the recon
chickering's began.
For twelve calendar months Mr.. Mug
ridge regarded the contentious of his coun
,rymen with the utmost compaccncy. II,
said he did not wish to fight, but would no
prevent any Of his neighbors from fighting
should their tastes lie in that direction
Indeed, if he had any feeling whatever ii
respect to the chickering's it was rathe
against them, because they raised thu
price of his rational mean But in the
thirteenth month of Mr. Mugridgc's pa
;riotic complacency his native land his ma
tive State, his native country, his nativ,
city and some Of the natives themselves
each and all, offered bounties amounting t.
'hc patriotic sum total OF 81, GOO to ever,
man that would fight for the old flag. O
course there were men who would fight fo
the old flag for 81 GOO who would not have
fought for the old flag for fun.
MIR. Mugrdge was enc of those 81 GOT
Old flag fellows. He was reminded of hi
ioye for the old flag by the calculation 0
Mrs. Mugudgc.
My dear" said that cstimablc lady on
evening, - she sat one side of the graf
uending Mr.. Mugrdge's stocking, while h
Ut on the other side contemplating alter
natcly tea kettle over the fire and blacl
bottle on the table near y-"my DEAR so,
weigh 100 pounds, don't you?n
Mr. Mugridgc replied that he could jus
brave 100 pounds.
lhon, nly dear continued the fruga
lame. 'as they are paying 81, 600 for sol
dicrs to sustain de old flag make on
they would pay just $40 pound for YOU
81 know You are rather old for the bust
ness, and are worth great deal more thai
they are paying, but doni Won think yo
could fix yourself and fight for the old ia
for II few weeks for s GOO
'Rememhor, my dear IT,, for the oil
Na@,"
Mr., Mugridle said he thought he could
ard would II ihorc was any potency in hal
i've
Tie did
Oh. h3w proud he stood before me i
his suit Of blue sang Mrs. Mudgridgc
quoting from an eXcruiiatingly popula
,ong Of the day, as the patriotic husban
returned to his ireside II week after tn
cOnnuba calculation afore- mentioned, in
side full suit of army blue, and outsid
several ratiOns of the rational mean; an
the bold Mugrdge catching up the refrain
hut with some disregard for the intention
of the author, suggested, rather than sung
"Whcn this cruel war is over in all huma
probability we shall meet again Mrs. Mug
ringe."
Subsequently | met Mugridgc in Vii
8inia. we met under n hedge, whittier
actuated by II desire not TO brighten til
horses of n company of cavalry passing tn;
way, we had betaken ourselves. The ca,
airy belonged to the enemy; but that mad
no difference to us. We would no soone
Brighten the enemy's cavalry than our owl
odd you see me streaking it across tn,
ficld?" inquired Mugridge. ''Yes," / +,
piled, 81 thought l saw you moving at
rate of speed that would have been undil
nifed at a funeral" "Thats the point
returned Mugridge. 81 was trying to avo
funeral. Considering my rheumatism
don't see how did IT." SCOT it bad
"Bad I've got it awful I've got enoue
for two or three regiments"
81 havn't done days duty for tw
months, and / have been nearly thr,
months in the service. Kind of hard, isr
it, when man is willing and anxious
fight for the old flag to be cut down in II
bud and blossom Of his patriotism, as
were?"
"Yes," replied, ut seems hardi VIII
will be the RESULT"