New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-03-31
Stories of John b. Cough.

Stories of John 81. Cough.
From the New York Star.
John B. Cough believed that his end
was near, and he had made every
preparation for it. He had engage
ments until some time in March, and
he said that if he was spared to fill
them he would then bid farewell to the
lecture field. Only a few days before
he was stricken down he talked for an
hour on this subject with Star Re-
porter. The writer had not seen him
for several years, and Mr.. Cough
asked If he appeared much older than
at their last meeting. When answered
in the affirmative, he said in almost
pathetic tones:
eyes, my career is nearly run. I
fear when my engagements, which end
IN March, are finished l will have to
give up
.'You may live a long time yet if you
take sufficient rest, " remarked the re-
porter.
''Rest is what would hasten the end"
he said, "for it is the love [ have for
my work that keeps me alive. do
not fear death; but do not want to
leave as long as I can hold my hand
against that diabolical foe, rum. If
my strength holds out, shall make
other engagements, and when | die, I
hope it will be as the French sergeant,
at my post OF duty, and then could
say to my old foe, Ihave surrendered
only to my God"
"You have made strong fight"
eyes, and my antagonist has been q
cruel one. For every blow [ have
dealt | have received two. No man
has had to endure more than I. Ihave
been slandered from the very day that
Ienlisted in the fight againstrum up to
the present time, but I expect
ed it and have never once
been disheartened. Thousands OF
attempts have been made to black
mail me, but none of them succeeded.
| have no doubt but that plenty of
good people believe that drank after
beginning my temperance work. But
| say now, realizing that my work is
nearly done, that I could not have
led a more correct life than l have
since that time. Not long ago while
conversing with some friends, was
seized with terrible pains in my left
side, and [ screamed in my agony.
One OF the persons present was a. ply
stefan, and he advised me to take a
little brandy. | refused and he said
there was certainly no harm in doing
so. as it would give me instant relief.
[ said was satisfied that was so, but
that Ipreferred death. While it would
have been no harm to me, perhaps,
harm would have resulted to the
cause of temperance. People would
have said that John B. Cough drank,
and it would have been added that
did not believe it wrong to take
drink once in a while.
Another thing that I have never
done is to break the Sabbath day. 1
have never Travelled on Sunday, and
have never hesitated in breaking an
engagement rather than do so. Il
never receive visitors on that day, no
matter who they are. If it is possible
| go to church twice, and always
walk; [ would not think of riding.
Now, don't understand that think It
would be a sin to do so, but, as said
before, [ have to be careful, so as to
avoid giving the champions of rum an
opportunity to injure my character.
1t used to be no common thing for a
glass OF whisky to be sent to my room
at various hotels, and after l left the
place it would be said that had
whisky sent to my room. Not long
ago, at a hotel in an Indiana town,
two theatrical people ordered a negro
to carry glass Of whisky to my
room. In few minutes he returned
to the bar with the empty glass and
said that Mr.. Cough was very
much obliged. The actors thought
it was a good joke, and they
told the negro to carry me an
other: In the course of a few min
utes he again returned and said that
Mr.. Cough again was very much oblig-
ed. The third was ordered with the
same result. While the negro was be-
ingdlspatched with the fourth, the re-
port was current that | was drinking
whisky as fast as it could be sent to
me. This attracted quite crowd to
the barroom. When the negro return
ed ne was SO drunk that he could
hardly walk. He knew we'll that
would not lowhim in my room with
whisky, SO he drank it himself.
"Once in q Pennsylvania hotel a
man ordered the bartender to send a
cocktail to my room. When the wait
er arrived at my door with it l indie-
nantly ordered him away and then
followed him to the barroom. Did
you send that to me9!' asked the bar
tender. BE said he did, and / said.
Don't you think you are contempt-
lble cury He turned red in the face
and pointed to the man that ordered
It. he was the proprieto Of saloon,
and ! simply asked him if it was nee