The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1890-08-08
TEMPERANCE NOTES.
AUNT MACS EXPERIENCE.
Why She Won't Tone Up" on Rock and
Rye or Madeira and Beef.

that line, as We my hands full here at
home. A young fellow was hurt by a
bank Gavin in on him while diggin'
on side hill, and they brought him TO
ne, KNOWN I'm allus glad to be able to
arm an honest penny an stay at home.
The comp'ny pays all his bills.
"'Do l give him tonics, an somethin'
Strengthening Yes'm, does.
you've heerd rock an rye was a
great strengthener-um-yes. Not a
drop of the rye has that pore boy tasted
sence he has ben in my hands; but he
kin have all the rock he wants, an if he
has sweet tooth, that'll be considera-
BILE. The doctors an me have scrim-
mayed over the rye, but l beat 'em an
they had to hold their wrath.
''Jes' listen, an I'll tell you why Pm
so down on rock an rye. l hain't allus
been pore an lived in a little house,
havin' to work lively for daily bread,
as once l had a good husband an four
promisin' sons, who kept me real COM
Portable.
Consumption took off my husband,
an John, the Oldest boy, soon followed
him, an you wouldn't blame me for
tryin' any an every remedy l ever
heerd of when Willie an Eddy took a
cough. Good old port, with raw egg
beaten in it, we had for Willie, then
another sort O. wine with raw beef
chopped in it, come next an, ma'am, l
was so foolish as to think the red flush
on his cheek meant the honest red be-
longin' to returnin' health, so l kept
givin' it to him, keepin' the poor boy
half drunk with wine. ] had to give
him up. Oh, those were bitter times!
I felt that my God had forsaken me in
my darkest hours. Past experience
hadn't taught me to throw away such
deceivin' medicine, so l began to dose
Eddy with brandy an loaf sugar, tallin'
great pains to get apple or peach brandy
of great age and purity (?) which cost
more than l was able to pay. One thing
comforts me, Eddy never learned to
like it. All through his sickness he
hated it, never hunted it up of his own
accord, as did John an Willie.
"You can guess what sore heart
carried when l was forced to see Eddy,
just turned seventeen, fadin' away.
Every day he grew little weaker, an
thinner, but was always patient an
lovin'. The priceless (?) brandy didn't
save him, an one winter morning there
was fourth grave dug under the row
Of cedars that my mothers hands had
planted long ago, in old Mount Zion
church-yard.
II made an idol of Gilbert, the last
one left. No, it wasn't right, but l did
it, feelin' rebellious when the thought
would come; He'll go the same way the
others have;' l watched him carefully,
thankful that he seemed strong in body.
His limbs were straight. and he had a
handsome face. My Gilbert, the baby,
was winnin' lad. Oh, the pity, the
pityi" and the large, almost masculine
figure for the moment swayed with emo
ton.
We looked about us and saw that bare
and poor as the small room was, it was
very, very neat and clean, though Aunt
Mag hadn't an over-supply of time to
spare from her "washin', ironin' and
scrubbin'" engagements, to spend in
looking after her own home.
Colbert" she resumed, Learned fast,
and got to be a telegraph operator, and
his Office was in the little depot, just
across the way; you can see it from the
east window. But his work was night
work, an it's wearin' on young boy to
be up all the night. He was lool1in' to
get the day job. When he began to get
peaked an thin-faced, l fixed up the
most temptin' lunches l knew how to
get up, but he kept losin' appetite an
flesh, an one mornin' he fell faintin' at
my feet. Somebody said Get him
rock and rye: that is the very best med
icine prepared for debilitated folks.
The rye will brace them up, the glycer-
inc and rock candy is soothin' to the
cough got the rock and rye. Gilbert
liked it. had no trouble to get him to
swallow his medicine.
Its doing me good, mother; can
work all night and not get tired said
he, and / began to hope that there
wouldn't be fifth grave soon, dug
under the cedars. That bottle had to
be re-flled right away; we hadn't the
money to get it as often Gilbert wanted
it. and then he was angry with me for
being SO stingy. l was frightened
when it was too late, but my pleadir' s
were in vain, and one day he came in at
the door discharged from his position.
For what, son?' l asked, and thrill
of pain shot through my heart as read
in the superin tendent's letter that some
body had complained: He was no longer
to be trusted, an telegraph operators
should be sober and trustworthy
''After that he wasn't long in fallin'
to the lowest notch. How fast he went,
and couldn't stay his course one little
moment, though my heart was breakin'.
Soon he became known as that good
for-nothing Gilbert Wade ready to do
any thing for drink of liquor. One
mornin' there was an unusual crowd
gathered at the depot waitin' for an ex-
cursion train, and l sat at the window
watchin' Gilbert, with great fear in
my heart; he was just drunk enough to
be insultin' and abusive, and there were
others there who were not themselves.
Some one said something Gilbert did
not like, and he struck out his clenched
hand, and there before my eyes, oh
ma'am, l can't tell you"