The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1891-05-21
TEMPERANCE NOTES.

TEMPERANCE NOTES.
4 STORY Or MAINE.
the Liquor Curse.
The steamer Mcrriconeag was glid-
ing down Casco bay from Portland one
summers afternoon.
Several Harpswell Neck and Orr's
island people were on board. There
was one sea captain from Bailey's
island who was quietly reading the
daily paper. The remainder of the
passengers were strangers. One who
was from q distant state was talking.
loudly about the laws of Maine.
Its all nonsense the way they do
down here, .. he said. Its true that
these islands are rapidly being built
up. But the work is mostly done by.
people who don't care to live under
stupid laws. As for the natives here I
know that they were far happier when
they could drink all the liquor they
wanted to. Most of the money here
was gathered IN those days. n b
"A companion of the speaker, who
perhaps thought that he was talking
too loudly, turned to person near
him, and asked if he knew the name of
.at island lust off to the right ~
81 do not" was answered, ''but /
think that this gentleman can tell you,' -
pointing to the man who was reading
the daily paper. He looked up as if
pleased to give any bit of information
desired. He gave the name of the
island, and drew little nearer to the
group of strangers, saying:> THAT
place has quite a history. One of the
strongest and hardest women on our
roast lived there for years. She often
went fishing, and always had good sue
cess. She raised good crop on the
island, and saved up several thousand
dollars
"And I'll wager she liked a good
glass of New England rum" said the
stranger with the loud voice, straight
ening himself up. II wouldn't wonder
if barrels of liquor have been landed
on that island }
The man with the paper folded it
slowly as he nodded his head in assent.
''It's one of the outermost islands,
you see," he added, ''and that made it
easy to srouggle things ashore there. :"
''And that strong woman played
many sharp trick, I'll wager" said
the stranger with great glee.
eyes. One time vessel from the
British provinces came up the coast
with load of liquor. They landed
several barrels on that island But the
custom house officers at the city soon
heard of it. Down they sailed, expect
ing to make a fine haul. But just as
their boat rowed in to the shore down
came the woman with her head all tied
and bandaged up She walked slowly,
and groaned now and then.
"'Oh, captain she said, I've had a
terrible night. That tooth of mine that
has bothered me SO long hasn't let me
get wink of sleep. You haven't got a
little bit of rum, have you, captain?
Oh, dear, such shooting pains! If only
had half a cupful to battle my face in it
would be all right. Nothing seems to
ease it like that Haven't you got just
drop, captain?'
Ono he answered. I'm sorry
you're suffering SO. But we don't carry
around such remedies as that
1.-THE men were resting on their
oars. What's the use of fooling away
our time herc?' one of them said.
"'That's so,' added another If
there was rum anywhere on the island
you can rest assured that she d have all
she wanted
"Guess that's so,' the captain as
sented, and when he had told the wo-
man he hoped she would soon feel bet
ter, he gave orders to row back to the
vessel"
''Guess she did feel better!'' laughed
the stranger. ''She had keen mind.
That proves just what I was saying,
that before these temperance notions
came around, and people drank freely,
they were strong, quick and bright.
There you can see by the looks of the
buildings there how such people pros
per though so much is preached about
the curse which always follows those
who deal in such business"
':But arc those buildings owned bv
the descendants of the woman?' asked
the passenger who had inquired the
name of the island.
No." said the islander with a twin
kle in his gray eyes, ''strangers occupy
the place. Some years after the wo-
man had deceived the custom house
officers, man came there to live. In
some way he gained the woman's con-
fidence. She allowed him to take up
her money to a city bank. When she
had about five thousand dollars deposi-
ted there he drew it out and left,
leaving her duped as she had often
duped others. In the end she seemed
to lose her reason. She was found
drowned in the little cove yonder one
day. We who live here in Maine feel
that there is great deal of truth in the
stories about the curse which always
follows the meddling with liquor
The man spoke quietly, but the
stranger from the distant state rose
quickly and went to the bow of the
boat.-Chas. N. Sinnett, in Union Sig.
nal.
ALCOHOLIC HEREDlTY.