Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1882-12-16
TEMPERANCE COLUMN,
Engaged aud Edited by the w 9. T. y.
OF this place.
Farmer Bates Reformation
From Crys Al Fountain.

| pY. SHE went singing ABOUT the
farmhouse, flying into the cool diary
to see if Ann had brought the butter,
out in the strawberry patch in the
earty morning, calling the chickens
to be fed, pltting Luna, the pet AL
derney SOW, always singing, always
smiling y es; little Mrs. Bates was
almost happy. But not quite. For
John, her husband would sometimes
come from Town, his face flushed his
speech queer, and with bottle of
whiskey under bis wagou-seat. Then
there would be two or three days
that he would be a silly, drunken
man before he would came to him
self aud be ashamed.
Two or three times year, as you
know who live on farms, there was
great deal of extra work to be done,
and then extra help would have to
be hired, extra maids to help In the
kitchen, and extra men to work at
threshing or planting, or whatever
might be. This time it was haying.
Ever so many acres OF hay were
Iying ripe in the bright sunshine
waiting to be cut and raked and
made into the big hay mows that
meant, when sold ever so many shin
ing dollars in Farmer Bates pocket.
The day before the haying began
John went to town. He seemed TO
be sober when he came back, but
that night Mrs. Bates found "a num-
Der Of bottles of liquor slowed away
in safe place. She knew what that
meant, and went to her husband
with tears in her eyes.
"John,n she said, II beg of you
not to give the men liquor" He an
swered her roughly, for the kindest
men forget themselves il you touch
their pet sin.
Don't be a fool, Jane. The men
expect it and WON'T half work with
out it. And the haying must be done
with rush. 1t will rain before the
week is OUT
She, seeing it would be of no use,
said no more. The next day was
bright and cool and the men went to
work in good earnest. There were
six of them, besides Farmer Bates
and his nephew Jack, who had come
from town to spend his vacation. by
ten O'Clock they were pretty we'll
tired out. Jack, who had been pre-
tending to help had thrown himself
on the grass.
"Come, boys" said Father Bates,
land take little something to help
the work along.'
So out from basket came bot
tie of whiskey and some glasses. The
men all drank, even foolish Jack,
who wanted to be thought man.
None of them saw the hungry eyes
of a man that peeped out from be-
hind the hedge.
Bill Jackson was a tramp. You
know what that is. He walked from
town to town, working very little
when he could not help it, stealing
often and begging at all times. He
had once had a decent home and a
loving mother, but drink had been
his ruin, and when he saw Farmer
Bates give the haymakers liquor it
aroused all the evil in him. AT noon
the farm bell rang for dinner, and
when the men had gone, Bill came
from behind the hedge and peeped
into the basket. One bottle was
quite empty, but Others were full,
and, taking one, he ran swiftly
across the field and hid in the great
barn, where the grain and farm tools
were kept. He had thought of strik-
ing across to the town, but a bottle
of whisky and a hay loft together
were temptations that poor, wicked
Bill Jackson could not, nor did not,
resist.
Soon the men came back from din
ner and the haying went merrily on.
Jack had stayed at the house to have
a nice talk with his aunt Jane, but
in about an hour he came running
toward his uncle with face as white
as such sunburned face could be.
"Uncle john" he cried, 1.-THE big
barn is on fire ~ Then it was Far
mer Bates turn to turn pale. Every
man dropped his rake, or whatever
he was using, and ran toward the
barn. But they could not save it.
A spark in the loft from drunken
Bill Jackson's pipe had done its
worst.
Then they tried to save the barn
near by, where the cattle and horses
x.1oco Iyaxf l.,,k fha a xxxoa aDasuck