The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-12-31
The Good Wife Kew 1t.

ANGELICA, N. Y, December 8.-There
is retired cobbler living in this place
who deserves the respect of his country
men for moral courage.
Ten years ago he was, and had beer
tsor long time, confirmed inebriate-
not a periodical spreer, but genuine
soaker, warranted not to draw sober
breath from sun to sun. Occasionally
the fumes of the whiskey with which be
piled himself would clear away from hi:
befogged brain, and at such times hi:
mental equilibrium would wrestle with
the problem of total or even partial alb
stinence, to be utterly wrecked at the
sight OF his haunts or the first faint cal
of his system for the stimulant which
long use had rendered peremptory.
One day, however, halt was called
and this is the way lie tells of it:
II was on my way to the barn when
saw small snake in my path, | kicked
it with my boot and l turned to bit o.
crooked twig which snapped in my hand
and threw away. l thought nothing
more of the matter until | reached the
barn, when directly before me a second
snake twisted across the boards. With
quick spring l seized it and it proved
to be q whip lash. A sudden horrible
fear made me faint aud weak. sal
down on the lower rung of the ladder
leading to the lott and wiped the cold
sweat from my forehead.
Snakes, by Jericho. / exclaimed
that means business
"Then stared straight ahead at q corn
stalk that soon began slowly to wigge
and curve. With bursting eyeballs and
all the strength of mind possessed
forced that corn stalk back from the an
imal to the vegetable kingdom, and then
staggered feebly out into the open sir.
leaned against fence, and for fear
should see more of those terrible twisting
things, I clung to post and closed my
eyes.
"'Time is called, Jim,' 1 said to my
self, 'whiskey aud you part company 10.
day. and soberer than ! had been lor
many months, though with no more
strength than n baby, | managed to get
back to the house.
"Tbere was a fight, though l didn't
tell my wife, for | had made good many
promises that hadn't held water, and [
thought I'd 20 it alone for awhile. 1got
up in the morning after terrible night,
with the thirst of a chased fox upon NE.
Water wouldn't quench it, and tried
milk. I crept into the milk room, slipped
straw into the edge of cream covered
pan, and sucked out the milk until only
the cream was left, lowered smooth and
unbroken to the bottom. Then tackled
another and another, until the fierce
craving was somewhat dulled. 1t was a
household mystery what became OF the
milk. No cat could lap it, my wife said,
and leave the sides and cream untouched,
and where did it go?
II let them talk, for the struggle WAS
too sore aud fearful to be spoken of, ard
went on drinking the milk.
"The road from my house TO my shcp
lay by the groggery. When l left my
gate the morning 1 took the road, and en-
dead run, as if pursued, l made the
distance. ran hard all the way home
to dinner, and back after that mea.l,
never, in fact, trusting myself to walk,
or even take to the sidewalk for months.
The cure was slow. keep all tho brakes
hard set yet. a single glass of hard
cider would undo the work of all these
years, but you can Get that glass doesn't
touch my lips while the memory of these
crawling black reptiles stays with ME"
"'Ard did your wife finally learn Whist
became Of the milk?' lie was asked.
"'Yes,' and his voice broke. 4 told
her on her deathbed.'
"'Jim, DEAR, she said, when ! had
finished, with her hand clasped in mine
Jim, dear, knew it all the time.'"