The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-10-23
THE GREEN BOTTLE.


al believe shall Lave glass Of something
comfortable" said Tom BarDaby.
Tom Barnaby was not a member Of any
temperance society whatever, and had no dis
like to the taste OF liquor. Not that he was Il,
drinking man. Oh dear, no! Never Was
drunk IN his life; never even slightly over
come by liquor. But still-well, still every
now and then nice glass OF something com
Portable struck Tom in pleasant light, and
he generally took it when it did.
To night it was cold and chilly and gloomy,
and the wind ratified the shutters, and Groom
ed down the chimney, and made banshec OF
itself along the street; and T0m who was not
very fond of reading, could not lose himself
in book or magazine, and there was no one
to talk TO- and the resolution above recorded
seemed to be the most natural thing IN the
world "A glass of something comfortable"
said Tom, "and a biscuit, and then III turn
lin"
Then Tom went to the closet to look for
vessel in which to bring the necessary liquor
for the comfortable something from the cor
ner store, and spied on he upper shelf green
bottle, with flat body and a long neck,
with nothing in it, and smelt Of nothing, and
he set it upon the table, while nc stirred the
fire and put the kettle on, that everything
might be ready on his return.
Mrs. Tom was absent from home and Tom
was keeping house for himself He was on
his knees before the stove, raking it, when he
heard a grOan 1t was a faint, far.away,
sounding groan; but it had such ghostly
sound that he started.
whats ;hat?' he cried; and something
answered:
"Only me-
And Jumping to his feet, Tom Barnaby
tstood staring about for there was nothing In
the room that ought to have voice but him
lself.-not even kitten or canary bird.
"Who is me?" cried Tom.
"Tom ought to know said the voice.
And this time Tom saw that 1t came from
the green bottle.
Hanged If it isn't in the botlep' said
Tom rs 1t spirits, or what?'
And the bottle answered;
Eyes" worse luck. 1t is spirits Bad
spirits, too Gin, rum, and brandy--whskey
and alcohol"
"Oh, that kind !" said Tom.
Yes" said the bottle. Five devils I've
been possessed by them all Years and years
they led me such a life that | wished | was
smashed years ana years until your wife got
me. Nice, sharp, respectable vinegar that
never did worse than give some poor cabbage
my days decent vinegar bottle, and here
am-goihg to have one of the devils back,
know. On, what did that dear woman go
away for, Why did she gon
Tom, who had q Town used to the phcnome-
non of talking bottle, and did not mind it at
all by this time, nodded his head sagely.
"Right there" he said. "It's exceedingly
uncomfortable to have wife away, but you are
very foolish to talk as you do. What harm is
there in moderate drink? All you'd hold
wouldn't harm fly. You've been listening
to teetotalers."
81 haven't been listening to anybody"
said the bottle. i've formed my own con
illusions. There was time when thought
as you do. 1t was when l was bran new
bottle, with gilt label, Best Holland Gin
on me, and my owner, the liquor dealer, took
lme out OF my case and handed me over to
Jack Barker, who had just finished painting
the store.
"Here, Jack says he, this will help you
keep Christmas.
"'Thank ye,' said Jack and off went un
der his arm.
And there, in hrigh, little room, with a
pretty wife and a nice old grandfather, and
two cunning little babies looking on, he open.
ed me.
"What a nice SMELL SAID shc--the pretty
wife.
and then he made some stuff with lemon
and sugar, and they all drank some aud the
babies looked at the light shining through
my green sides and the gilt label on me. Anc
the old grandfather said the drink had gone
to his head, and he should have to be carried
up stairs, and they all laughed at that be
cause it was such good joke.
al liked myself them and what was in me.
Before l was empty the first time was
pleased to be such tavoritc as | was.
"Ah, dear was filled up again and again !:
and after while began to see things change
abont me. The wiie's face was not so bright !;
the old grandfather never laughed the ba-
bles' toes were out; and one day Jack stag
gered in, took me up, drank the last drop
from me, and tumbled into chair. The wife
began 10 cry.
"'Oh, Jack! says She ooh, Jack how
hate that dreadful bottle! We were so very
d happy before il came into the hOusep
"She blamed me, but knew it was the evil
spirit in me that she meant.
you've lost your place, Jack says She
Everything has changed. You don't love
me any more. You don't care tor the chill
dren. It's all that bottle
'''But Jack was too tipsy to care what she
said He staggered over to the table, took
me by the neck, and carried me to the liquor
store. There they put another devil into me.
That one drove the furniture out of the house /;
bit By bit 1t was pawned.
"Then they left the house itself and were
lin cellar somewhere. She took In washing |;
some of the money she earnt went for more
evil spirits to fill me.
Didn't loathe myself? One night sat
lon the table and saw the old grandfather ly-
ing dead and Jack drunk on the floor at the
foot of the bed. Didn't loathe myself?
tried to topple of, but couldn't manage 1t.
If ever bottle did desire TO smash itself, l
did. But it was no use. Happy bottles,
beautiful cut glass, cologne bottles, innocent
water bottles have been broken when they
most desired to last, no doubt; but |, who had
become dwelling place for devils, lasted.
They carried the old grandfather away,
and his poor daughter got a black dress some
how. One night Jack went sneaking out OF
the house with bundle under one arm and
me under the other. The bundle was his