Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1886-11-22
temperance.
THE GOOD WIFE KNEW TT.

spect of his countrymen for moral
courage.
Ten years ago he was, and had
been for long time confirmed in
ebrlate-not periodical spree, but
a genuine soaker, warranted not to
draw sober breath from sun to sun.
Occasionally the fumes of the whis-
ky with which he piled himself would
clear away from his befogged brain,
at such times his mental equilibrium
would wrestle with the problem of
total or even partial abstinence, to
be utterly wrecked at the sight of
his haunts or the first faint call of
his system for the stimulant which
long use had rendered peremptory.
One day, however, a halt was
called, and this is the way he tells
it:
81 was on my way to the barn
when | saw small snake in my
path. | kicked it with my boot, and
it turned to bit of 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 a whiplash.
| A sudden horrible fear made me
faint and weak. | sat down on the
lower rung of the ladder leading to
the loft and wiped the cold sweat
from my forehead.
''Snakes, by Jericho % l exclaim-
ed. ''That means business
''Then l stared staight across
cornstalk that soon began slowly to
wr1ggle and curve. With bursting
eyeballs and all the strength I pos
sessed | forced that cornstalk back
from the animal to the vegetable
kingdom, and then l staggered fee
bly, out into the open air. | leaned
against a fence, and for fear | should
see more of those horrible twistings,
l chung to a post and closed my
eyes.
''Time is called, Jim," 1 said to
myself; whisky and you part COM
pany to-day and soberer than l
had been for many months, though
with no more strength than a baby,
l managed to get back to the house.
''There was fight though! /
didn't tell my wife, for l had made
a good many promises that hadn' t
held water, and thought I'd 90 it
alone for awhile. l got up in the
morning after terrible night with
the thirst of chased fox on me.
Water wouldn't quench it, and
tried milk. 1 crept into the milk
room, slipped straw into the edge
of eam-covered pan, and sucked
out the milk until only cream was
left, lowered smooth and unbroken
to the bottom. Then l tackled an
other and another, until the fierce
craving was somewhat duled. 1t
was household mystery what be-
came of the milk No oat oonld lap
it, my wife said, and leave the sides
and cream untouched, and where
did it go?
81 let them talk, for the struggle
was too sore and fearful to be spoken
of, and | went on drinking the milk
s'The road from my house to my
shop lay by the GROCERY. When ]
left my gate in the morning l tool
the road, and on a dead run, as i
pursued, made the distance. / rar
) hard all the way home to dinner
, and back after that meal, never, il
fact, trusting myself to walk, O
} even take to the sidewalk for months
, The cure was slow. | kept all tn
brakes hard set yet. A single glas
of hard cider would undo the worl
t all these years, but you can bet tina
d glass doesn't touch my lips while tn
, memory of those crawling black rep
;, tiles stays with me-
'Did your wife finally learn wha
became of the milk p he was asked.
Eyes" and his voice broke. s.
told her on her deathbed."
Jim, DEAR" she said when | ha
finished, with her hand clasped i
ne mine, "Jim, dear, / knew it all tn
of time"