The Russellville Democrat., 1886-01-28
THE GOOD WIFE KNEW IT.
The Experience of Drunkard Who One Day Broke The Habit that EDslaved
 Hum.


 Habit that EDslaved
 HIm.
 There Is retired cobbler living in Angelica, N. T., who deserves the respect of his countrymen for moral courage.
 Ten years ago he was, and had been for long time. confirmed in ebriate--not periodical spreer, but gefAine soaker, warranted not to draw a sober breath from sun to sun. Occasionally the fumes of the whisky with which he piled himself would Fclear away from his beiogged brain, and at such times his mental equili- brium would wrestle with the prob lem of total or even partial abstl- hence, 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 per. emptory.
 One day, however, halt was call ed, and this is the way he tells of it:
 ''I was on my way to the barn when 1 saw small snake in, my path. 1 kicked it with my boot and it turned to bit of crooked twig which snapped in my hand and threw away. 1 thought nothing more of tue matter untll I reached the barn, when directly before me a second snake twisted across the boards. With puck spring seiz- ed it and it proved to be whiplash. A sudden horrible fear made me faint and weak. 1 sat down on the lower rung of the ladder leading to the loft and wiped the cold sweat from my forehead.
 ".Snakes, by Jerlcor l exclaimed that means business
 "Then l started straight ahead at corn stalk that soon began slowly to wriggle and curve. With burst ing eyeballs and all the strength of mind l possessed forced that corn stalk back from the animal to the vegetable kingdom, and then l stag gered feebly out in the open air. l leaned against a fence, and for fear 1 should see more of those horrible twisting things, l clung to post and closed my eyes.
 "'Time IS called, Jim, l said to myself, whisky and you part com pany to day. and soberer than 1 had been for many months, though with no more strength than baby, l managed to get back to the house.
 There was a fight, though2 l didn't tell my wife, for l had made a good many promises that hadn't held water, and l thought I'd go It alone for while. 1 got up Tn the morning after terrible night, with the thirst of chased fox upon me. Water wouldn't quench it, and l tried milk. 1 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 un- broken to the bottom. Then l tack led another and another, until the fierce craving was somewhat dulled. It 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?
 Il let them talk, for the struggle was too sore and fearful to be spoken of, and 1 went on drinking the milk
 The road from my house to my shop lay by the groggery. When l lclt my gate in the morning took the road, and on dead run, as if pursued, 1 made the distance. l ran hard all the way home to dinner, and back after that meal, never in fact, trusting myself to walk, or even take the sidewalk for months. The cure was slow. 1 keep all the brakes hard set yet A single glass of hard cider would undo the work of all these years, but you can bet that glass doesn't touch my lips while the memory of those little crawling black reptiles stay with me"
 And did your wife finally learn what became of the milky" he was asked.
 "Yes," and his voice broke. 'I told her on her deathbed.
 "'Jim, dear she sad, when 1 had finished, with her hand clasped in mine--'Jim, dear, knew It all the time.' "--N. Y. Sun.
 L. r.: IT