Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1886-10-07

went to him with the story of their new
liberty and their new hope, and begged
him to covenant with them; to promise
them and their wives and their chill.
dren, as they had promised, to abstain
all traffic in drink. But Bob good
natlredy but emphatically refused to
take the pledge, dismissing all their
arguments with breath. He declar
ed that his drinking wasn't hurting
himself or others.
1T is hurting Others, the temper
ance people urged. You're at the
head of the hold -outers.' You're the
most influential man among them
Fifty or a hundred men are standing
behind You, covered by YOU. Admit
ting that whisky doesn't hurt you, it's
hurting them. If you'll Join the
movement, we'll reform the last man
of them
Still Bob refused. If there were
men behind him, he had nothing to do
with their being there; they put them
selves there, etc.
But the greater the opposition he Of
fered, the more determined were the
temperance people to conquer his will.
They ordered to the front their logi-
clans, their eloquent men, their per
suasive womcn, till Boh's refusal, from
being good -naturcd, grew to be coldly
polite, then severely digniGed. At
length one day, he replied angrily:
Look here. I'm tired of this. lou
mcddcrs, get out of my shop, and let
me alone. Don't you come bothern
me with this talk any more. I've had
enough of this naggin. You're an
inpudrnt set of fellows to come advls-
ing me about my duty to my wife and
children. Which cares most for EN-,
YOU or me- You better 60 and look
after YOUR own wives and children
Mine have more clothes and better
clothes than any of yours, and the
clothes are all paid for, and that's
more than some of You can say. Look
out for your own homes, and let mine
alone My wife amt goin' to thank
You for meddin about her happiness.
She's the happiest woman in town
now. Tend to your own wives, / tell
You again; | say mines the happltst
woman in town.
He said the same thing. My wife $
the happlest woman in the town, to
the old gray-haired minister, sent to
him by the perscvcring temperance
people.
The minister had married Bob TO
this happest woman in town; had re
ceived the happicst woman in'o church;
had instructed ak Bob's children: had
been the family adviser and svmpa-
thzer.
When Bob said to him, MY Wfes
the best care1i for woman in town, the
happiest woman in town, the minister
replied
But she might be the happicst
woman IN any town, the happlest
woman in the world if von'd stop
drinkins.'
You don't mean to say that it would
make her any happier, said Bob.
Yes, | do. Or course it would make
her happier.
Did she say that it would?' Bob de
manded shabby.
Not that know of, bat there is no
right feeling woman who is not
grieved and shamed by her husband S
drinking.
I don't believe my wiGe's grleved
and shamed ut anything | do, or
that she has ever been. NY drinking
doesn't worry her. | meyer get
drunk.
Suppose YOU ask her. the minister
suggested.
i will; will ask her to night Bob
said promptly
And what them said the minis
ter.
If she says that it will make her any
happier to have ME give up drinking
I'll do it. I'll 90 to your temperance
meeting tonight. III leave it all with
Susan
Good said the minister, laying his
hand on the other s arm, and feeling
sure of his man.
That evening after tea was over, Bob
said to his wife that he would like to
have a little talk with her. So they
went away to the spare room together,
and then he told her all abcDt 1t, how
the men and the minister had been
talking to him, of the arguments they
had used, etc, etc, of how he had