The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-01-31
REFORMING A HUSBAND.
How a Toledo Woman Cured an Appetite
for Drink.


for Drink.
William Matphin is a mechanic re-
siding in the upper part of Toledo. who
would have been most excellent hus-
band and father were it not that the
demon drink had full possession of him.
The very best of men are not good when
possessed of this devil, despite the in
genious reasoning of man with a rubi-
cund nose who attempted to support
the habit by specious reasoning. His
process was like this: Man in his
natural state is deceitful and desper-
ately wicked. A man in liquor is not
in a natural state, and, therefore, there
must be an improvement in him. How
ever plausible this may seem, it does
not work out properly. Mr.. Matphin,
when in liquor, was ugly and venomous,
and he kept in liquor with such steadi-
ness that his business was leaving him,
and he was going to the dogs with great
rapidity and precision.
The poor man knew the danger that
enveloped him and tried desperately to
break the chains that bound him. But
all in vain. The desperate, constant
craving was too much, and it was inn
possible for him to 90 out without coming
home in condition shocking to behold.
He vowed and vowed and vowed, but
he broke his VOWS Just as regularly as
me fnatfo tfTefn 1ffstt sss1 l. trtar
always overcame him and made way
for second, and SO on to inebriety.
About six weeks ago he was brought
home in state of insensibility at ten in
the morning. Mrs. Matphin, who was
strong and muscular woman, had him
conveyed to a room on the second floor
/ of the house, back. Then depositing
him on the bed, she pondered and went
for carpenter.
my dear" she murmured to heTself
''this has been going on long enough
This house is FROM this time on an in.
ebriate asylum, run on Mrs. Matphin'
ideas"
While Mr.. Matphin was peacefully
sleeping there were extraordinary things
/ going on. A wicket which would JUS
admit tray was cut in the door, anC
the door was nailed and boarded up, SC
as to be beyond Mr.. Matphin's strength
to break it. Then bed was brough
up and placed in the hall across thu
door, and Mrs. Matphin, with base
ball club convenient, sat in a rocking
chair and calmly pursued her mending
At about four Mr.. Matphin awoke anC
looked wildly around.
Are you awake, my dear?" asked
his spouse.
Yes, what time is it?'
about four in the afternoon"
''Gracious heavens! | must get up.
ought to have been down town to-da,
instead of wasting my time here. o
that awful drinks
civilian, you won't 90 down tow
to-day at all, nor tomorrow, nor We
the next day." said Mrs. Matphin
drawing yarn through the heel of ;
stocking. you are going to stay RICH
in that ROOM"
"Whatr
Fright in that room for an indefnit
period of time. That is what you ar
going to do"
Let me outr' he shrieked, rushini
with all his might against the door.
''William," said she, showing he
club, ''you can't break that door; an
if you did | should fetch you with thi
club. l am going to reform you
; Naturally you are very excellent ma
and tirst-class citizen. Until you 90
the Internal appetite for liquor the1
was not better husband or father, br
since YOU transferred all there is in yo
to the beer-shops there isn't NOR
= worthless brute in existence. You ar
not worth shucks to yourself or an
body else. Your stomach is all gone
you can't eat, you can't work and 70
can't do anything Moral suasion won
| do any good, and have not time
wait for prohibition; for long before tt
people come to that you will have go1
hence, where it is warmer. | have 0
gained myself into a prohibition part
t and have ratified the amendment YC
= are going to stay in that room till yC
| can eat bcefsteak and swallow a CT
e of coffee without the preliminary cocl
= tail. After what you have gone throug
f | don think you are fool enough to T.
, sumo after you have once got rid of Il
= appetite, and the appetite is what yC
S are going to get rid of. You will pro
f badly have delrium tremens; if so, yc
, will have to suffer. Better death
y delirium than to live drunk, as yC
a have.
e Let me outr' yelled Mr.. Matphin.
: ''Be quiet, was Mrs. Matphin's T.
r Spouse, going on quietly with her kni
: ting. "You don't get out of that roo
o till you are thoroughly reformed, unle
L you break through two thicknesses
It oak plank, and even then yon will ha'
a to overcome a baseball club welded
t woman who knows her rights, al
+ knowing dare maintain. Your best no
), is to keep quiet and submit to the ineN
S table"
e Mr. Matphin, seeing that resistan
!, was useless, succumbed, and was tole
r ably quiet. For four long weeks d
o Mrs. Matphin keep him there, sleepir
r across the door nights for fear he won
IS by some means escape. The result w
G marvellous. His face took on anoth
u hue, and the appetite for intoxicatr
y liquors disappeared entirely. He game
y in flesh, and to amuse himself duril
1t his confinement invented valuable m
II chine. which he is now securing n pate