The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1886-01-13
THE NEW YEAR DIARY.
Experience Of the Man Who Has Sworn
on This Year.

The diary of the topper who resolved to
abstain from liquor is copied by the Chicago
Herald, and reads as follows:
January Loot gloriously full last night
preparatory to swearing OF to-day. Head
q little heavy and large this morning, but
pretty well. About supper time experienced
strange gnawing in the pit Of the stomach.
Sucked two lemons and was relieved.
From observations taken this day I have
arrived at the conclusion that q man can
live on fresh water cocktsils, providing he
takes them far apart. Think / see the
autumnal c~oloring disappear from my
nose. This total abstinence business is
simply marvellous.
January 2-Still holding the fort. Joined
the Sons and Daughters Of Cold Wafer
Brigade tonight and was decorated with a
blue ribbon. Drank q glass OF brown pop
after l was initiated. Was seised with vio-
lent retchings soon afterward and had to
60 home for repairs. A whisky sour with
cider on the side would fill an aching void
this lonely night. But l must rid my mind
Of such spiritual things or l b a fall by the
wayside.
January 3-Had a delightful dream last
night. Thought l was standing beneath a
| cataract of rum and mOlasses in some dis
| tant land. Stuck by the cataract until I
you Ulx0U olu ACA PAOAO uPon AuAAN0O0A00
| rock, where ! lay four hours with a spray
and lemon peel falling upon me in a fra
grant lovely mist. Then l walked up n
found that q water-p;pe upstairs had burst
and that a dirty stream was trickling from
the ceiling into the bed in which | was sleep
ing. Went down town to get q plumber
and while on the way I stepped into a drug
store and took some rum for q toothache.
Evening-Have just got back from Plumb
- N-1~~S- ---A H~@-4- ~1l -.
shake.
January f.
January s.
January G.
January farewell, mute timekeeper OF
mans weakness. With all thy information
as to weights and measures, postage rates
and legal chestnuts 1 now spurn thee as
though thou vert a snake, for 1 have had
EN- and Am still i'll.
The most persistent pledge breakers are
the smokers. Ever since Noah knocked
clay pipe and sat down to hear it rain for
forty'days. the annual ''swear-offs" are
slaves to the sable dudeen, the fragrant
cigar and the malodorous cigarette have
been legion. But few have been kept until
the policy expired. Pledges made on Jan
larry l, 1885, will be broken about as fol-
lows:
January 1-Stopped smoking last night
at the earnest solicitation of friends, who
maintain that 1 will get fat as a reward
for my abstemousness. Sucked a quill
toothpick nearly a day. and went to bed
with symptoms OF nausea.
January 2-Found q 'snipe" in my room
this morning. Lit it, placed it upon the
window sill, and then 1 sat down on a
stool and inhaled the smoke. Delicious in
cense! But l didn't put the smoking "sol-
dier" in my mouth, and therefore, l have
not broken my pledge. When l was all
ready to leave the room I concealed the
''snipe" in my shaving mug, worked hard
all day and went to bed with a saccharine
taste in my mouth.
January 3~-Uneventful day. Borrowed
a chew of black plug tobacco this after
noon. It was my first attempt at mastic- |
ating the weed, and I must confess it made |
me sick. But l haven't smoked.
January 4-Bought some "fne CUT to
day and have chewed it with considerable |
relish. just before l retired l smoked a
cubeb cigarette, and then inhaled the fumes
from the ''snipe" which / removed from the
shaving mug and relit. Nary a puff from
anything stronger char cubebs.
January 5-Bought a ten cent plug of
Night Sediments Delight to-day. Ate OF it
until l got dizzy and then went home.
January 6-Sick all day.
January 7-Resumed smoking this morn
ing. Bought the blacklist, the thickest and
the cheapest torch l could find and
it until the ashes fell on my chin.
A retrospective glance shows that since the
first day of the new year l AVE broken a
pledge, lost nine pounds of adipose tissue
and acquired the vice of chewing tobacco.
Fond dreams of cleanliness, so long.