Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1885-10-23
METHEGLlN.
a beverage That Once Knocked Out Sam

ICor. n. Y. Tlmes.l

Ward.
[Cor. n. Y. Tlmes1
Talking OF good judges OF liquor"
said gossipy friend the other day, ''poor
Sam Ward, that's gone, had as keen q
palate as the best OF them. Sam was
prou1 OF his sayacity In detecting adul.
terations in goDd old braudiss, liquors.
and cordials, althou yh never heard him
boast but once or twice Of his skill In that
line. One summer-it was early in the
seventies-I happened to meet him at
Lenox, and was,with him In a small party
OF convivial spirits who took long drive
one day. We had dim n at a back coun :
try hotel-even in the back woods you
DON'T find inns nowadays-and it was a
very ordinary feast The wine was
worse, and Sam Ward fell into iro iically
I extoliing its virtues. From sarcasm the
talk becams earnest, an finally we were
. discussing famous brands. Sam, of course,
was the soul of the party, aud warm
/. ing up on the sui jsct, went SO far as to
boast that he could detect any kind of
sliquor with ease. We were all interested
nobody was every bored by Sam Ward
and it was late when we started on our
homeward drive. We missed the main
road, and were caught in shower, that
developed into a steady pour, 50 that we
were all glad to stop at the first conven-
lent farm house. The proprietor seemed
TO be trifle suspicious at first, but Sa N
soon won him over completely; the old
man brought out some home- wine,
and Sam told good story. The farmer
produced mora wine. Sam had more sto-
ries Down the cellar stairs went the old
fellow again, and this time he came up
with lis stone pitcher half full of O thick,
oily fluid. Mr.. Ward, who always got
the best was honored with big goblet
that held nearly pint. Our host filled it
to the Drim, while the rest of us had to
be satisfied with smaller allotments. We
all slipped and sipped again. It was a
very warming drink.
"What do you call this, my friend?"
asked Sam. The old boy chuckled, and
told US to guess. Instead of guessing we
drank some more, and emptied our glasses
before we rose. Again the cups were
filled and again they were drained. 1 felt
happy, and the others see ned quite as
merry. just then the hired man came in
to the kitchen with the announcement that
he had got the cows. The farmer hated to
go, he said, but milking was milk ng, and
prepared to go out. Up rose S IN 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 swal-
lowed. Sam insisted on milking a COW.
and we all went out to ieaky old shed,
under which st ,od four peaceful bovines.
The rou'e was more or less indirect per-
haps-the ground was slippery with the
rain. In vain the old m1n protested. Sam
would milk, and the party of admirers
huddled around in an applauding circle
to see tie performances Ward grayely
took the STOOL placed it under the animals
nose, aud then lurched to the ground di-
rectly back of her, thrust tn pail forward
under her hind legs, and bravely began
his task. 1t was a meditative 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 a pud-
die, lay sprawling before Us. Somebody
helped him up. Sam Ward looked first on
that cow and then oD tho stool; he picked
up the stool, sat down on it, and went to
sleep. The next morning remember get
ting out of feather bed and crawling
down to breakfast with the biggest" head
my shoulders ever carried. 1t was quia ct
meal; even Sam didn't care to talk. We
climbed into our carriage, wanted to paw
our entertainer, who (thou III q genuine
Yankee) declined to take q cant, and were
ready TO derart. Sam had been thinking
of something, and he leaned forward and
looked squarely at the farmer.
My FRIEND he said, would you do me
one favor? What was that beverage you
regaled US with las night? 1t was a pleas
ant liquor, but it wasmuscular, my friend,
very muscular, l should jud ge-if taken to
excess
"The farmer laughed. 'MetheglinY he
said plain honey and water-just honey
and water that's worked little
''Sam fell back in his seat. 'Metheglin,,
he murmured. 'Metheglin, Igreat be thy
name. You've fioored Sam Ward-aoored
Sam Ward, who has not been fioored in
years land years. Great be thy name.
I'll teach New York point or twop And
he did.''