The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-08-23
Our Visitor.

OUR vlSAd0rs ta@
He came in with an interrogation point
in one eye, and a stick in one hand. One
eve was covered with A. handkerchief and
one arm in sling. His bearing was that
Of man with a settled purpose in view.
III want to sec,u said be, t'the man that
puts things into this paper
We intimated that several Of us earned
frugal livelihood in that way.
II"Well, | want TO see the man which
cribs things out Of the other papers. The
fellow who writes mostly with shears, you
understand = sl.. 81 60
We explained to him that there were
seasons when the most gifted among us,
driven to frenzy by the scarcity of ideas
and events, and by the clamorous demands
of an Unsuitable public, in moments Of
emotional insanity, plunged the glittering
shears into our exchanges. lie went off
calmly, but in a voice tremulous with sup
pressed feeling and indistnct through the
recent loss of half dozen or so of his
front teeth: AZ
"Just So 4 presume 80. rdon't Know
much about this business, but want to
see man, the man that printed that little
piece about pouring cold water down a
drunken mans spine of his back, and maxi
ing 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 seryiceable hand, and
resumed his hold on the stick as though he
was weighing IL. After studying the
stick a minute, he added in somewhat
louder tone syss<ssrs fEs@a a
Mister, | came here to see that ere
man. WANT to see him bad"
just SO. presume so. They told
me before | come that the man that want
ed to see wouldn't be anywhere. I'll
wait for him. live up north, and I've
walked seven miles to converse with that
man. guess I'll sit down and watt
He sat down by the door and redec-
lively pounded the floor with his stick,
but his feelings would not allow him to
keep still.
II suppose none of you didn't ever
pour much cold water down any drunken
mans back to make him instantly sober,
perhaps.'
None Of us the Office had ever tried
the experiment.
just so. 4 thought just as like as not
you had not. Well, mister, | have.
tried it yesterday, and have come seven
miles on foot to see the man that printed
that piece. ltwasn't much of piece,
don't think but want to see the man
that printedit, just few minutes. You
sec, John Smith, he lives next door to my
house, when I'm at home, and he gets
how-came-you-so every little period. Now,
when he's sober he's all right, if you keep
out OF his way; but when he's drunk he
goes home and breaks dishes and tips over
the stove and throws hardware around,
and makes It announcement for his wife,
and sometimes he gifts his man and goes
out calling on his neighbors. and it amt
pleasant. $3.50.
"Not that want 10 say anything about
Smith but me and my wife don't think
he ought to do SO. He came home drunk
lately, and broke the kitchen windows out
Of his house, and followed his wife round
with a::carving-kniit, talking about her liver,
and after a while he lay down by my fence
and went to sleep. | had been reading
that little piece /; it wasnt much of piece,
and thought ii could pour some water
down the spine Of his back, and make him
sober, it would be more comfortable fer
bis wife, and square thing to do all
around. SO poured bucket of spring
water down John Smiths spine of his
back.n
Well, !" said we, as our visitor paused,
did it make him soberYo Our visitor
took 6rmer hold of his stick and replied
with increased emotion:
just So. l suppose it did make him
as sober as Judge in less time than you
could say Jack Robinson, but, mister, it
made him mad. It made him the madest
man ever saw and Mister John Smith is