The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-09-04
THE BOTTOMLESS JUG.

1IE BUIIUHLESS jug.
Isaw it hanging up in the kitchen of a
thrifty, healthy, sturdy farmer in Oxford
county, Maine-a bottomless jugl The
host saw that the curious thing caught
my eye, and smiled.
You are wondering what that jug is
hanging up there for, with its bottom
knocked ont, " he said. My wife, per-
haps, can tell you the story better than
can; but she is bashful, and I aint so Tn
tell it.
Ny father. as you are probably aware,
owned this farm before me. He lived to
q good Old age, worked hard all his life,
never squandered money, was cautious
trader and a good calculator; and, as
men were 7ccounted in his day and gen.
erations.h was temperate man. I was
the youngest boy, and when the old gen
tleman was ready to go-aud he knew it
the others agreed that, since 1 had
stayed at home and taken care of the old
folks the farm should be mine And to
me it was wilIed. had been married
then three years.
'WslL, father died-mother had gone
three years before-and left the farm to
me with a mortgage on it for 1000 1
said to 1Iollle, my wife:
''Mollie, look here. Here fathers had
this farm in it's first 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, 4 mortgage Of two thou
sand dollars! What can do 2"
And went to tha: jug-it had its bot
tom in then-and took a good stiff drink
of old Medford rum from it.
Il noticed the curious look on the face
of my wife just then, and asked her what
she thought of it, for I supposed she was
thinking of what I'd been talking about
And so she was, for she said:
GO Charles, I've thought of this a great
deal, and Pve thought Of way in which
l believe you can clear this mortgage off
before five years are ended
"Says +: Molly, tell me how you'll do
it,
She thought for awhile, and then said,
with funny twinkle in her blue eyes
says she:
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 as bev-
erage, at any time, any more spirits than
you can bring in that old jug-the jug
your father has used ever since 1 knew
him, and which you have used since he
has done with it.
"WeH, / knew father used once in a
while, especially in haying time and in
winter when we were at work in the
woods, to get an old gallon jug filed; so
thought that she meant that 1 should never
buy more than two quarts at time 1
thought it over, and after little while
told her l would agree to it.
"'Now, mind said she you are never,
never to bring home any more spirits
than you can bring in that identical Jug
And l gave her the promise.
"And before I went to bed that night
took the last pull at that jug As I was
turning it out for a sort of night cap,
" Charley, have you got drop leftp'
"There was just about drop. We'd
have to get it on the morrow Then she
said, If 1 had no objections, she would
drink that last drop with me. shall
never forget how she said it, that last
dropp However, 1 tipped the old jug
bottom up and got about a great spoonful,
took the tumbler and poured few drops
of hot water into it and a bit of sugar, and
then she tinkled 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 aliveI thought to myself that
poor AfoIlie had been drinking more Of the
rum than was good for her, and tell you
1t kind of cut me to the heart. I forgot
all about how many times she'd seen me
when my tongue was thicker than it ought
to be and my legs not so steady as good
legs should be; but ! said nothing.
drank the sentiment: The old brown
Jug and let it GO
well, 1 went out after that and did
my chores and then went to bed, and the
last thing I said before leaving the kitchen
this very room where we now sit-was:
"'We1l have the old brown jug filed
tomorrow
"And then I went off to bed. And
have remembered ever since that l went
to bed that night as had done hundreds
OF times before, with buzzing in my head
that a healthy man onght not to have. I
didn't think Of it then, nor had | ever
thought of it before, bat I have thought
of it a 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 with no