The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-01-14
The Good Wife Knew 1t.

There is retired cobbler living in
this places, writes an Angelica, n. Y,
correspondent, who deserves the re-
spect of his countrymen for moral cour-
age.
Ten years ago he was, and had been
for long time, confirmed inebriate-
not periodical spreer, but a genuine
soaker, warranted not to draw a sober
breath from sun to sun. Occasionally
the fumes of the whisky with which he
piled himself would clear away from
his befogged brain, and at such times
his mental equilibrium would wrestle
with the problem of total or even par
tial abstinence, to be utterly wrecked at
the sight OF his haunts the first faint
call of his system for the stimulant
which long use had rendered peremp-
tory.
One day, however, halt was called,
and this is the way he tells of it:
81 was on my way to the barn when |
saw small snake in my path. / kicked
if with my boot, and it turned to a bit
of crooked twig. which l snapped in my
hand and threw away. l thought moth
ing more Of the matter until l reached
the barn, when, directly before me, q
second snake twisted across the boards.
With quick spring l seized it. and it
proved to be whiplash. A sudden hor-
rible fear made me faint and weak. I
sat down on the lower rung of the lad
der leading to the loft and wiped the
cold sweat from my forehead.
"'Snakes, by Jerichor l exclaimed
That means business
Then stared straight across a corn
stalk that soon began slowly TO wriggle
and curve. With bursting eyeballs and
all the strength of mind l possessed
forced that corn-stalk back from the
animal to the vegetable kingdom, and
then | staggered feeb!y out into the
open air. | leaned against fence, and
for fear should see more of those hor-
rible twisting thing, l chung TO post
and closed my eyes.
"'Time is called. JIM | said TO my
self, whisky and you part company to-
day; and soberer than | had been for
many months, though with no more
strength than baby, managed to get
back to the house.
There was fight. though! l didn't
tell my wife. for had made good many
promises that hadn't held water and /
thought I'd go it alone for a while |
got up in the morning after terrible
night with the thirst of chased fox up
on me. Water wouldn't quench it. and
l tried milk. l crept into the milk-roOm.
slipped straw into the edge off
cream-covered pan, and sucked out the
milk until only the cream was left,
lowered smooth and unbroken to the bot
tom. Then tackled another and an
other, until the fierce craving was some
what dulled. 1t was a household mys-
terry 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?
II let them talk, for the struggle was
too sore and fearful to be spoken of, and
l went on driking the milk.
''The road from my house to my shop
lay by the groggery: When l left my
gate in the morning took the road,
and on a dead run, as if pursued,
made the distance. l Iran hard all the
way home to dinner, and back after
that meal, never, in fact, trusting my
self to walk, or even take to the side
walk, for months. The cure was slow.
/ keep all the brakes hard set vet 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 crawl
ing black reptiles stay with me-"
'.And did your wife finally learn what
became of the milk?' he was asked.
yes" and his voice broke. Il told
her ON her deathbed.
''Jim, dear she said when had fin
ished with her hand clasped in mine,
Jim, dear, l knew ii all the time.'''