Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1881-01-05

Cummins kept tavern there. The bar
counter and slat partition stood in one
corner of the corner room, within my reco
lection. This Mr.. Cummins became much
concerned on the subject of religion, during
q season of revival at tho Methodist meet.
ings and early one morning created quite
an excitement in the town by causing all
his liquors to be brought up out of the
cellar and from the bar and poured into
the gutter, on Methodist street. That was
long before the hunchback," Rev. Thomas
?. Hunt delivered the first Temperance
address ever made to an audience in
Smyrna. He formed a society of r. and
I. rs. Those to whose names one Il. was
appended, took a temperance pledge to
abstain from spirituous liquors only. Those
who added Two rs. were "Tee Total" from
all that would intoxicate. Mr.. Hunt taught
the children to sing:
81 do not think
ever will drink,
Whiskey, wine or rum
Or anything to make drunk come"
The Cummins family was large one
and with few exceptions they have been
remarkably exempt from intemperance.
May not that sacrifice for conscience sake,
made by one of their ancestors have been a
benediction to them?
DIR. Perkins at one time occupied this
house. He was a local preacher, q physici.
an of the souls as we'll of the bodies of men.
AS medical practitioner he stood high in
his profession as preacher, he was con.
versational in style and more argumentative
than exhortative or declamatory. | once
heard the DR.. say: " that he had seen so
little fruit Of his labors in the ministry,
that at times he felt tempted never again
to enter the pulpit" The Rev. Solomon
Sharp was present and he replied to Dr.
Perkins: "Let him know, that he who
converteth a (one) sinner from the error of
his way, shall save soul from death and
hide a multitude of sins" Preach on
brother and the God of our Fathers be with
you" | believe the DR.. continued to
preach on SO long as he was mentally and
physically able
Opposite, on the East side of the street
was the dwelling and carpenter shop Of
Joseph Hill. He was a master builder and
contracted for work in distant places as
well as at home. Many years after | met
him IN Wilmington. lie was then street
6roker and was said to be rich. | think he
married a widow Barstow and that her son
became physician and surgeon of some
note in Philadelphia,
Between Mr.. Hills and Patterson's sta
oles, lived shoemaker, name not remem.
bered. Both he and his wife were intern
perate. On one occasion when they were
drunk, be fell into the open fire and his
body was burned to u blackened mass
The scent of his burning clothes and flesh
attractedt the attention of the nsighbors
The door was broken open and the wife
who was lying besottCd on the floor. wa,
aroused and the husband taken out of the
hre. piece of his burned pocket lay or
the hearth, his wife sspied it and picking
1t up found it contained a small coin
While the neighbors were laying out the
charred remains Of her husband, she hasten
ed to a grog shop and spent this last piec,
of money for Rum
The tiger may be gorged with blood
even the vulture may turn in loathing from
the too putrid carcas on which it aligbts
but Rum knows no safety and finds no cor
ruption too offensive. It's nav is as rapa
clous as the grave, and its tender mercie
are as cruel as hell, and though untolc
victims have been sacrificed to the ayari
ciou'ness OF this MOloch, still it cries TO
more, more, MORE, and laps up the blood O
the last victim with an appetite as greed,
as when it gloated on the FIRST.
(To DE CoNTINUEDl