Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-10-08
FMrruEGLIN
4 % .veragr Thar o1ca Knocksd Out Sam
va. Ward

An amusing aaecdote OF the famous
judge of eatNblcs and drinks, Sam
Ward, is thus related by Halston in
the New York Times:
''TaIking of good judges Of liquor;"
said a gossipv, friend tho other day,
poor Sam Ward, that's gone, had rs
keen a palate as the best Of them. Sam
was proud OF lbs sagacity In detecting
authorizations in good old brandies, liq-
uors. and eordials, although | have
heard him boast but once or twice
about his skill in that line. One sum-,
merit was early in the seventies-I
happened to meet him at Lenox. and
was with him in 4 small party of con-
vivial spirits who took along drive one
day. We had dinner at back.coun-.
try hotel l---even. in the backwoods you
don't find inns nowadays--and it was
very ordinary feast. The wine was
worse, and Sam Ward fell into ironi-
eally extolling its virtues. From sar-
casm the talk became earnest, and Fl
nally we were discussing famous
brands. Sam, of course, was the soul
of the party, and, warming up on the
subject, went so far as to boast that he
could detect any kind of liquor with
oase. We were all interested-nobody
was ever bored by Sam Ward-and it
was late when we started on our home
ward drive. We missed the main road
and were caught in shower, that de-
veloped into steady pour. SO that we
were glad to stop at the first conven-
lent farmhouse. The proprietor SEEM
ed to be triHe suspicious at first, but
Sam soon won him over completely;
the old man brought out some home
made wine, and Sam told good story.
The farmer produced more wine and
Sam had more stories. Down the eel
lar stairs went the old fellow again,
and this time he came up with his stone
pitcher half full of thick, oily fluid.
Mr.. Ward, who always got the best,
was honored with a big goblet that
held nearly pint. Our host filed it
to the brim, while the rest of us had to
be satisfied with smaller allotments.
We all slipped and slipped again. 1t
was a very warming drink. ....
I" What do you call this, my friendp'
asked Sam. The old boy chuckled,
and told lis to guess. Instead of guess
ing we drank some more, and emptied
our glasses before we rose. Again the
cups were filed and again they were
drained. | felt happy, and the others
seemed quite as merry. just then the
hired man came into the kitchen with
the announcement that he had got the
cows. The farmer hated to go, he
said, but milking was milking, 81 and
prepared to 60 out Up rose Sam also.
The rest of us were content to sit still,
but we did not want it thought that
we felt the thimbleful of the stuff we'd
swallowed. Sam insisted on milking a
COW, and we all went out to leaky
old shed, under which stood four peace
full bovines. The route was more or
less indirect perhaps-the ground was
slippery with the rain. In vain the
old man protested. Sam would milk,
and the party of admirers huddled
around in an applauding circle to see
the performance. Ward gravely took
the stool, placed it under the animal S
nose, and then lurched to the ground
directly back of her, thrust the pail for
ward under her hind legs, and bravely
began his task. 1t was u meditatiye
COW, and she couldn't stand everything.
No milk came down, but something
else did, and that was Sam Ward, who,
rolling head over heels into puddle,
lay sprawling before us. Somebody
helped him up. Sam Ward looked first
on that cow and then on the stool; he
picked up the stool, sat down on it,
and went to sleep. The next morning
remember getting out of a feather
bed and crawling down to breakfast
with the biggest head my shoulders
ever carried. It was quiet meal;
even Sam didn't care to talk. We
climbed into our carriage, wanted to
pay our entertainer, who (though o
genuine Yankee) declined to take a
cent, and we were ready to depart
Sam had been thinking of something,
and he leaned forward and looked
squareiy ut the farmer. '1 .a.aat s,
"'My friend, he said, would you
do me one favor? What was that bev-
erage you regaled us with last nightp
1t was pleasant liquor, but it was
muscular, my friend, very muscular, I
should judge-if taken to excess
"The farmer laughed. :Metheglin!
he said. plain honey and water-just
honey and water that's worked a lit
tle.'
Sam fell back in his seat; 'Metheg-
lin, he murmured, 'Metheglin, great
be thy name. You've .foored Sam
Ward-hoored Sam Ward, who has
not been hoored in years and years.
Great be thy name. I'll teach New
York point or two! and he did"