New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1888-10-24

duu d COloe HOUSE duQ edUllg-rOOm
right there, where frstrate hot tea
and coffee, baked beans and potatoes,
soup, bread and butter and cheese
can be had at low prices in a quiet
tidy place, and where a man can
smoke his pipe and have a chance to
read a newspaper, or have one read
to him. ooh, Wouldn' t that be just
lovely, increased 'sYou see, Molly,
we might get Finnegan and two Of
his neighbors made special consta-
bles in case of trouble from ill-dis-
posed fellows. The priest would GER
tainly favor the enterprise. | think
it can be done, and believe it would
prove a, mighty influence for good
a lively piece of leaven in that lump.
They could still get their horrid
whisky at the old places" faltered
the wife. OF course, said Ingersoll,
Esthat can't be helped. But there
would be raIying point for the OPP
ponents ofliquor. and beside that in
stead of the drinking places being
the only resorts, there would be a
room far more attractive than any
of them, where hunger and thirst and
social instincts could all be satisfied
at d price unknown before for cheap
ness. But, Molly dear, if we do that
we must stay athome next summer,
instead OF going to Mt. Desert, and I
can't have my new barn, nor you
your new greenhouses, eh?' SsPooh!''
quoth the little wife, sswho wants to
go to Mt. Desert, and who can't get
along without a greenhouse" And
ifthere were tears in hereyes, they were
happy tears That's IngersolFs re
mark, not mine, you know" added
Washburn:
you've seen him them" said I.
Eyes; didn't | tell you? was up
at his place last week, and he took
me to old Finnegan's eating-room,
and wegot a right good emp of coffee
for five cents, and a sausage and a
piping hot potato for another five.
And we pretended to read our news
papers (which we had brought with
us), while over the top of them we
watched the happy, sober faces
in the room. Always some
one, sometimes a dozen, eating
and drinking at the small clean
tables that filled the room. A good
deal Of loud talking, but no uproar;
all good-natured, all decent. Inger-
soil said that in the warm weather
many families went there for their
dinners, to save the heat and expense
of a fire in their small houses, and
that it was quite the custom for men
at work in the neighboring factory
to go there for their meals instead of
bringing them from home. We
looked into anotherroom, built with
in a year, where were books and
newspapers and games, and where
they have penny readings and sing
ing meetings and lectures in the even
ings, and sewing school for girls and
women in the afternoon. I assure
you it was quite exciting to hear and
see. Ingersoll knew half the people
that came in and was evidently well
known and very popular
"How is all this paid for?" asked.
SsFive-cent dinners can't go very far
toward it, and though Ingersoll may
be able to afford the luxury Of sup
porting such a place, it's ofno value
as an example fits not somewhere
near selfsupporting. People can't
stay at home always, and do with
out greenhouses and barns as a per-
manent thing -at least, they don't
want to-"
"Since the first year this concern
has not only paid it's own expenses,
but it has given Finnegan a good
living, and enabled him to make the
addition I spoke of and to keep the
place repaired and refreshed and at
tractive. You must get the figures
from Ingersoll."
WELL" said, Fall this sounds
very charming and delightful; but
what has been the effect Slit on the
drinking? That's the main point,
after all, you know, Washburn.'
Il asked Ingersoll that, and he re
ferred me to one Of the selectmen, for
my answer. That official assured
me that intemperance had been
gradually diminishing till there is
not to-day one-quarter of what there
was before thatroom and shop were
taken by Finnegan; and he said that
a fact of still greater Importance is
that there has grown up in that
neighborhoodas strong public opinion
in favor Of temperance, and that
false swearing on the witness stand
during liquor trials, and refusals to
testify to sales, have become the ex-
ception instead of being the rule, as
they were five years ago. .
We rose from the table at which,
during this alton, we had been
engaged in reducing order to chaos,
and as | got into my cont and took
up my hat, "Washburn," said ], ssit
seems to methat Ingerson has turned
up trumps."
AS To Smok ing.
Albany Journal: An ALBANY Dhysi-