Nevada County picayune., 1888-06-20
The BottOmleSS Jug

5 saw 1t hanging up in the kitcher Eof thrifty, healthful, sturdy farme Fin Oxford county, Mainc-s bottom less jug! The host saw that the GU, ! ions thing had caught my eye. an, ahe smiled.
 X ou are wondering why that iu! gs hanging up there with it's bottom Aknocked out:' he said. My wife 2 aperhaps, could tell you the stor 3bettcr than can. but she is bashfu sand l am not, so Ill tell it: 2 My father, as you are probabl saware, owned this farm before me- Sile lived 10 good old age. worke, shard all his life. never squandcrc, Smoney was a shrewd, careful trade land a good calculator; and as mel
 were accustomed in his day and gen 5 seration, he was temperate man; swas the youngest boy; and when tn fold man was ready to go. and h. knew it, the other boys agreed that 3since had stayed at home and talk en care of the old folks. the farm should be mine. And 10 me it wa Iwilled. 1 had been married three years.
 Well, father died-mother hao zone three years beforehand Jeff !rhe farm to me with q mortgage of lS2 ,000. l had never thought SC much of it before but 1 thought o1 it now. l said to Molly. my wife
 Molly, said l, look here, Here $ father had this farm in its first strength of soil. with all its magnifi- cent timber; and had six boys, q, they grew up, equal to so many men, to help him; and he had work ed early and late. and vet look at it A mortgage of s2,000, What can l do! And 1 went to that old iug-it had the bottom in it then-and took a stiff drink of Medford rum from it.
 ''I noticed a curious look on the face of my wife just then, and l ask ed her what she thought of it; for l of course. she was think ing of what I had been talking about. And so she was. Says she
 "Charles, I have thought of this a great deal and l have thought of a way in which believe we can clear
 he mortgage off before five years ,re ended,
 Says I, Molly tell me how you II 10 it.
 "Shc thought little while, and hen she said, with funny twinkle m her blue eyes:
 Charles, vou must promise me
 his. and promise me solemnlv and ,acredly: Promise me that you will never again bring home, for the pur- pose of drinking for beverage, at any one time, more spirits of and kind than you bring in that jug that your father has used ever since l knew him, and which you have used ever since he was done with it.
 ''Wcll. knew that my father used since in a while, especially in having time and in the winter when we were at work in the woods, to get the old gallon jug filled. So l thought it over. and after while told her I would agree to it.
 Now, mind said she. you are never. never, to bring home for a common beverage more spirits than you can bring in that identical jug. And 1 gave her the promise.
 And before l went to bed that night I took the last pull at that iuc. As I was turning it out for a sort of nightcap, Molly looked up and said
 Charles, have you got drop leftE"
 .I told her there was just about a lrop. We would have it filled on inc morrow. And then she said if Il had no objection she would drink that last drop with me. l never shall forget how she brought it out that last drop However, l tipped the old jug bottom up. and go' about a great spoonful, and Molly said tha1 was enough, She took the and poured few drops or hot water into it and bit of sugar i and then she clinked her glass against