The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-05-30
THE BoTToMLEss JUG.
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 saw it hanging up in the kitchen of a thrifty, healthy, sturdy farmer in Oxford county. Me.-a botto nless jug The host saw that the curious thing eau ght my eye, and smiled.
 "You are wondering wha. that jug is hanging up there for with its bottom knocked out" he said "My wife, per haps, can tell you the story better than I can; but she is bashful and ain't, so I'll tell it.
 ~My father, as you are probably aware, owned this farm before me. He lived to a good old age, worked hard all his life, never squandered money, was cautious trader, and a good calculator; and, as men were accounted in his day and gen. eration, he was temperate man. was the youngest boy; and when the cid man was ready to go-and he knew it. the others agreed that since l had stayed at home and taken care of the old folks, the farm should be mine. And to me it was willed. 1 had been married then three years.
 We'll, father died-mother had gone three years before and left the farm to me with mortgage or it for two thou sand dollars. I'd never thought of it be- fore. said to Mollie, my wife:
 "'Mollie, look here. Here fathers had this farm in its hrst strength of soil with all its magnificent timber, and his six boys, as they grew up, equal to so many men to help him; and he worked hard-worked hard-worked early and late-and yet, look at it A mortgage of two thousand dollars What can l do?'
 And went to that iug-it had it's bot tom in then-and took a good stiff drink of old Medford rum from it.
 noticed curious look on the face of my wife just then, and l asked her what she thought of it, for supposed she was thinking of what I'd been talking about And SO she was, for sne said:
 "Charles, I've thought of this great deal, and I've thought of way in which believe you can clear this mortgage of before five years are ended
 Says 1: Mollie, tell me how you'll do it.
 "She thought for while, and then said, with funny twinkling in her blue eyes-says she:
 q" Charles, you must promise me this, and promise me solemnly and sacredly Promise me that you will never bring home for the purpose of drinking for a beverage, at any time, any more spirits than you can bring in that old jug-the jug your father has used ever since knew him, and which you have used since he has done with it
 "Well, knew father used once in while, especially in having time and in winter when we were at work iu the woods, to get an old gallon jug filed so thought that she meant that l should never buy more than two quarts at time. thought it over, and after lit- tie while told hei would agree to it.
 !" Now, mind,' said she, you are new CT, never to bring home any more spirits than you can bring in that identical jug And gave her the promise.
 "And before went to bed that night took the last pull at that jug. As Twas turning it out for sort of night-cap, Mollie looked up and says she:
 "' Charlie, have you got drop left P
 "There was just about drop. We'd have to get it on the morrow. Then she sad, if had no objections, she would drink that last drop with me. l shall never forget how she said it, that last drop!' However, tipped the old jug bottom up and got about great spoon full, and Mollie said that was enough. She took the tumbler and poured few drops of hot water into it and bit of su- gar, and then she tipkled her glass against mine, just as she'd seen us boys do when we'd been drinking to good luck, and says she:
 "' Here's to the old brown jug!
 "Sakes alivel thought to myself that poor Mollie had been drinking more of the rum than was good for her, and tell you it kind of cut me to the heart. l for got all about how many times she'd seen me when my tongue was thicker than it ought to be, an my legs not so steady ing. drank the sentiment, The old brown jug,' and let it go.
 "Well, went out after that, and did my chores, and then went to bed and the last thing said before leaving the kitchen-this very room where we now sit-was:
 "We'll have the old brown jug filled tomorrow
 And then went of to bed. And have remembered e.er since that went 10 ped that night, as had done hun- dreds of times before, with buzzing in my head that healthy man ought not to have. didn't think of it then, nor had ever thought of it before, but I've thought of it good many times since, and have thought of it with wonder and awe.
 "Well, got up the next morning and did my work at the barn, and then came in and ate my breakfast but not with such an appetite as farmer ought to have, and could not think then that my appetite had begun to fail me. How ever, ate breakfast, and then wen, out and hitched up the old mare for to tell the plain truth, was feeling in need of glass of spirits, and hadn't drop in the house was in hurry to get to the village. hitched up and came in for the jug. went for it in the old cup hoard and torssr it out and