Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-09-01
THE BOTTOMLESS JUG.

l saw it hanging up in the kitchen
of thrifty, healthy, sturdy farmer
in Oxford county, Maine-a bottom
less jug The host saw that the Curl
Gus thing caught my eye, and smiled.
"You are wondering what that jug is
hanging up there for, with its bottom
knocked out?'' he said. "My wife,
perhaps, could tell you the story bet
ter than 1 can but she's bashful, and
1 amt, so I'll tell it."
''My father, as you are probably
aware owned this farm before me.
He lived to good old age, was q
careful trader, and good calculator,
and. as men were accounted in his
day and generation, he was temper
ate man. ! was the youngest boy;
and when. the old man was ready to
go-and he knew 1.-THE others
agreed that, since / had stayed at
home and looked after the old folks,
the farm should be mine. And to me
it was willed. 1 had been married
then three years.
"Well, father died-mother had
been gone three years-and left the
farm to me, with q mortgage on it for
two thousand dollars. I'd never
thought so much of it before; but [
thought of it now. l said to Molly,
my wife Molly says [: Look here.
Here's father had this farm i'll its first
strength of soil, with all its magnifi-
cent timber, and his six boys, as they
grew up, equal to so many men, to
help him; and he has worked hard
worked early and late-and yet look
at it. A mortgage of two thousand
dollars What can do? And l went
to that old jug-it had it's bottom in
then-and took good stiff drink of
Old Medford Rum from it.
II noticed a curious look on the
face of my wife just then, and | ask
ed her what she thought of it; for |
supposed, of course, she was think
ing of what I'd been talking about.
And so she was. Says she CHARLES,
I've thought of this good deal; and
I've thought of way in which l be-
lieve we can clear this mortgage of
before FIVE years are ended. "
''Says 1, Molly, tell me how you'll
do it,'1W q H.|ge# lf
'sShe thought for awhile, and ther
she said, with funny twinkle in hel
blue eyes-says she, Charles, yor
must promise me this and promise me-
solemnly and sacredly. Promise nj
that you will never again bring home
for the purpose of drinking for ;
beverage at any one time, more spir
it's of any kind than you can bring il
that cid jug-the jug that your fathe
has used ever since l knew him, ant
Which you have used since he wa
done with it, y
swell. / know father used, one
in while. especially in haying time
and in the winter time when we wer
at work in the woods, to get an oil
gallon filed; SO | thought that sh
meant that Should never buy nlor
than two quarts at time. l though
it over and after little while tol
her / would agree to it. Now mind
said she, you are never to brin
home for a common beverage mo-
spirits than you can bring in til;
identical Jug land l gave her tt
promise. ,,.t
''And before / went to bed th
night took the last pull at that Ju
AS [ was turning it out for sort
night-cap Molly looked up and sa
she, Charley, have you got dr.
left?' There was just about a dre'
We'd.have to get it filled on the me
row. And then she said, if | had
objection, she would drink that |;
drop with me. / shall never fors
how she brought it out-'THl
LAST DROP y However l tipr
the. old jug bottom up and got abe
a great spoonful, and Molly said tt
was enough. She took the tumb
and poured a few drops of hot wa
into it, and a bit Of sugar, and Il
she tinkled her glass against mi
.s.tft
just as she had seen us boys do WI
we'd been drinking good luck,