Litchfield enquirer., 1879-12-04

1 that this should be the last time; and I'd quit forever And meant to keep my promise. when made it. did, so help me God
 "Well, we sat there, and by and by Dick felt better, and she said just the best things to me,-didn't say one word against me, you know, and kind O kept talkin' quiet-like about other things till we both got to feelin' happy again, almost as though nothin' had gone | wrong. And then, just afore had to go, Dick says, George, I want to say little prayer And so we kneeled down together, and she put both her hands in mine and hid her face on my neck, and she prayed. She says, Oh, | Father in heaven, help George to be what he really is, the best man in the world and help me to be to him the best wife that ever lived. | Amen Stranger, there aint many words in that prayer but'if the best preacher that ever went to glory had "a prayed a month, he couldn't "a said anything bettern that. And then we stood up, and Dick kissed me, and went out and started. down to headquarters. l "Now, it may seem strange to you, and al- most out O reason, stranger; but as sure as ryou live, after all that, prayin' and all, stop ped and got dri'sk Gf0re IgOt do,of1 tOson! It's a fact Not fifteen minutes after Dick had said that little prayer, and I'd swore I'd never touch another drop, I'd swallowed glass O whisky straight. That seems awful, don't it ? 1 We'll, it was; but it didn't seem so to me then. didn't mean to be such confounded liar and T self think it was the best thlng to do. AS Joe Jefferson says in Rip thought wouldn't count that time. q tell you he can play that enough to raise a feller's hair, that. knows what's what.) You see, was all unstrung in my nerves from my spree the day afore, and Dick gettin' hold O me the way she did un- strung me all the worse; and 1 thought I'd take just one glass for medicine-just to brace up, you know, and steady my nerves. That's the way l reasoned to myself. But it was all a fraud-just helsh fraud, and nothing else.
 What 1 really wanted was straight whisky, and that's the way with all these fellers that quit only just for medicine, and take bitters, and blackberry cordial, and tincture O rhu- barb, and all that kind O truck. Oh, know how they do for I've been there, and lied it out with the best of 'em."
 The train stopped at a station and my com panion stepped out upon the platform to ban ter the boys who were braking down freight. Returning he went on:
 ''1 tell you, stranger mans curious anil nal. He'll not only lie to others about whis- ky, but he'll lie to himself He'll lie just as fast as he can talk, about anything connected | with his drinkin. That's pretty rough thing to say but it's so, and there's millions O mend tell you so, if they'd be honest, but they won't l be, that's what's the matter with 'em. You see, what. man wants is somebody that he can | go to, and just know that they know him from head to foot,-know how internally weak, and sneakin,' and lyin.' and mean he is on this whisky business, and then give himself up and | tell 'em the whole thing, just as 1t IS, Keep nothin' back, and then have lem keep track of him. don't mean in any sneakln' kind of way, as though they kind O felt above him, and looked down on him, as though he was
 poor devil that they had to be bored by lookin' after; not that, but look after him as mother would after her baby that nsA 11,opk ,lDV,a | and had to be helped. 1 tell you that's what a feller wants when he gets to goin' on whis- kyl But, Lord, just sgnn' pledge don't amount to much, to real old soaker,i if he haint got some friend to back him up.
 ''Now, you see how it was with me. 1 promised, just as sacredly as could, never to drink again, and 1 meant to do as 1 said, and yet I've told you just what did. You see, | got 0F 0tOne G11d got be0t by good eDcUSe. down, and made me feel so good, that pretty soon took another. You see, thought then | I'd kinder taper of, and It would be easier | That's another good excuse, you see. And that night Iwent home and spoke up as cheer full to Dick as though it was all right, and I'd kept my word, and she let on as though she | thought had. And N0tS achere aoe both missed it! You see, Dick knew I'd been drinkin', but she loved me so she couldn't bear to letme know she did, and 1 thought I'd drunk once, and she didn't find me out, and so l could | again. But the thing run along, and every day I'd drink more or less, and just acussin | myself for it every time, too, but still keepin' | at it, till one day about month after my first spree got to goin' again. and it was the same old story right over, only worse. Stranger, | there aint nobody but what's been through something O the kind that knows anything | about it.
 Well Twas brought home again drunker'n ever.' But Dick was just the same. She. CT said, I told you so,' or anything like that, but got right to work to get me through. as she did afore, only gentler and better, if such thing could be.
 It's no use tellin' you about gettin' over that time. It was just about as it was afore, only was more discouraged, and Dick better and hravern ever.
 "I wanted to promise her again, that this should be the last time, but she said no, as she did afore. But promised, anyhow, and Dick prayed God to help me to keep my promise, and l meant to, then, more'n ever before; but inside of week, Was at it again, on the sly. l didn't let even the boys know o' my drink in. And 1 tell you, stranger when it comes to that, fellows got about as low down as he can get.
 rSo l kep' on till about the first O Novem- Der, lyin' to get my liquor, Twin about drinkin' it, and all the while thinkin' I'd stop. But one day got on slide again. and don't be- lieve l ever did get so full afore. was fight in drunk, and that night the boys carried me home on shutter. Oh, was used up bad. But Dick begun on me just as before without word.-I don't hardly know whether to tell you all O this or not, stranger.-Yes, will you wont know all O what woman Dick | is, if I don't.
 "Well, after the boys went away, and Dick was workin' over me, got wild | raved, | and tore round the house, broke the furniture, l drove the nis ger woman out O the house, and worse'n all, IT struck Dick Yes, l did, stranger, struck her right over the head, with the round of chair, and cut gash two inch es long, just over her left eye. She carries the mark O that blow to this day.
 'The blow knocked her down for minute, but she got up and never minded herself, but just tended to me and the blood a-runnin all down her face-Dick's face, you understand. We'll when see the blood on hereace it kind O scared me, and after while Dick got me quiet and off to sleep, and then she went out and got the surgeon, and had her forhead sew ed up, and then come back home and sat up with me all night. Oh, you don't 'tbegin to know what kind of woman Dick is! That's what she did, stranger There aint one woman in million that would "a done it, but she did, and would "a done it again, if she'd had to, God bless her..
 "When woke up in the morning Dick was movin' round the room tryin' to get a little breakfast. You see the nigger didn't come back after drove her out, and don't blame her. 1 rolled over and got out O bed pulled on my clothes, and chucked my feet into an old pair O slippers, and shuffied towards the door. Dick says, Where are you goln', George9 Pm goin' out to get a drink, says l, as harsh as 1 could speak q never spoke to her like that when 1 was sober, afore or since). I'm gone to the devil any how, andI might as well make clean job of it while Pm at it. Eve been drinkin' right along ever since Ipromised you to putt, and can't stop, so I might as we'll go fast, while I'm goin',' and I started out. Then Dick says. George, you needn't to go, Pve got some whisky here'- And she went to the closet and took out aquart flask, full, and gave it to me She did for a