The Evening critic., 1881-06-21
DRINK FROM A DIPPER.
The Beverage that n Tourist Found
In u West virginia Tavern.

The Bcvcragc That n Tourist Found
In IL West Virginia Tavern.
| spent few days in the mountains of
West Virginia, where / did most of my
travelling on foot. | was on the road bright
and early one day, having started without
my breakfast with the expectation of
good meal at n town four or five miles
ahead. must have missed my way, for
after two hours jaunt had not reached
my destination. | came to crossroads and
a tavern. The whole seene was like what
we imagine the scene was where the true
knight found the Sleeping Beauty in the
wood. There was no breeze there was no
sound of any sort. The tavern roof was
thick with green moss; the tavern door and
windows were closed, stained, cracked, and,
like every other part of the building so
long in use and so long without paint that
they seemed to have been built of cork
rather than of wood. The well-house had
rotted and fallen into mound of rotting
timber cncrclng the wei; the sheds had
become a tanglc of old disordcred beams, be-
tween which few young trees and n jungle
of bushes had forced their way. The old
sign-post stood erect, but the sign itself was
used to cover the cellar door.
/ must have had wild craving for food
and drink or u supernatural instinct to lead
me to pound on that forbdding door, but
did so. And, moreover, kept on pounding
and pounding, against all reason and all
hope. Presently groaning, Wheeling noise
overhead warned me that u rusted hinge
was turning. 1 saw that some one within
was straining stubborn shutter, and pres
emily it flew open.
what do you want p the man who had
opened the window growled down at me.
"Want something to eat" said /.
"Wall," the man, an old, white-haircd
ycllow-skinncd fellow in wooden shirt, re-
piled, Eyer can't get nothin' an you better
clar out"
"I'd be much obliged for anything" said
|, "a bit of bread Or"
"Now, thar amt no use yer staining thar
and arguing" the tavern keeper answered +;
cellar out and let me be-"
was in earnest, and Internally hungry.
He was closing the shutter. threw all the
feeling could master into my voice:
Hold on, said /; 81 want to get in. l
want to speak to you. I'll give You dol
lar If you'll come down and let me in.
The shutter banged, and / stood there
ignorant of the effect of what had said
moved away to get u full view of the tavern.
Soon there was a numbering noise indoors
that told me had disturbed the old noun
taineer, if nothing more. In an instant the
lower half of the Old-fashioncd double door
| swung lIlWdIu, anu INC titNcru keeper y VOICE
grutiiy babe me to "comc in" | didn't
half like that. bent double, and saw moth.
ing but absolute darkness ahead.
"Opcn the whole door" said J. when
stood up inside the room
"No, | WON'T" said he, rs he moved
heavily away into the thick of the dark.
ness. While he walked away from me
l hastily told him of my hunger and my
loss of way. He snapped out few words
to the effect that couldn't get anything tc
eat, and I'd better 'git long" / got ac
customed to the darkness. / saw the faint
outlines of n table, u stool, and of Il counter
the top of which was about even with my
chin.
SCOT anything to drink ~ / asked.
"Mcbbe," said my host.
"Sell me drink"
"Dunno why | should,' said the man
81 hain't sold no one nothin' for nigh on t,
six years, and then before that for nigh o,
to two years. Fore that | used to sci
moren you ever see"
said nothing. i saw it did no good Il
say anything.
"Thar," said the old fellow, lifting hi,
wickcr-covcred, dust-coatcd demijohn npol
the bar, and removing the cork from il
neck.
| waited for glass.
bDt u Sii5S. U'hti, pIt'titiN.
"Hain't that good enough for yer?'
Eyes; but I'd spill half of it if tried t,
drink out of it," 1t weighed twenty-five
pounds, and its mouth was foot highe
than mine.
"Take the dippcr," said the tavern keeper
"Where is it? asked.
Ground, guess" he answered; :" it use'
to be, sOmcwhercs."
clambcred and pollcd about, and acct
dcntally hit the dipper with my foot.
held it up to the light. 1t was coated wit
dust l said so.
by -" said my host thought yo
wanted drink. What air you, anyhow
King of Pcrew, and got to have Chane
that thar dipper, else git long Fus
drink'll wash it out good enough
rubbed the dipper with my fingers AM
banged it on the heel of my shoe FINAL
mopped it with clean handkerchief
Then poured three fingers of. the liqui
from the demijohn into it.
tasted the stuff. Then ! took moutl
, full. Then | finished what was in the dil
, per.
, Here, if was as modest rs ! should b.
I this story ought to end. can't begin I
describe that whisky. 1t had the aroma
. flowers, the nutty taste of rare sherry, TIL
SDltltSo VI IL tiiN ohiNobHiiN7o VI VI
the hue of Abyssinian gold.
f "Can taste that again?' asked.
"Ireckon So" said my host.
. won't you drink ?" asked.
q "Mebbe," said he lifting the demijoh
i and drinking from its mouth.
q had no warning of its strength it didn
taste like whisky. 1t fell into the tin dill
per with sound of music; it melted o
) the palate like strained honey; it sutluse
!. ones physical system with the first feeling
:, that inhaled ether provokes.
' "Oughter be sorter middling good" sal
the old tavern keeper; it's been in thu
!, thar demiohn twenty years or more. Ho
: do you like ~
+ lie poured another drink into the dippe
He drank again himself.
h Never had tasted the real stuff before.
n / came back that way within n day
!. two, and | managed to worry away fro
that old reclusc enough of his whisky
: fill champagne bottle. 1t was hard wor
4 to get it, and the old man demanded "tv
: shilings for it.-Retailer
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