Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-08-18
ALMOST DROWNED IN WINE.
His Wife Was Relentless So Hs Hse
Enough for Once.
fsan Francisco Chronicle )

fSan Francisco Chronicic.l
William Stevenson, who lives among the
foothills twenty-five miles east OF FRESNO,
has a small vineyard. from which he makes
an excellent quality Of wine, famous IN the
whole country. He until recently had
tenant named Moreford keeping house a,
the vineyard. The tenant bad wire. aha
the tenant and his wife often bad iouu
words, and one or the other OK them was
always running OF and threatening To
come back no more, but they both came
back.
Yesterday the tenant visited the wine
cellar to inspect the wine and sample IL,
and he forgot 10 quit the sampllng until he
was somewhat inebriated. in which condi,,
ton he went to the house and proceeded
TO read the riot act to his wife. she pos,
sessed a spirit that had been rendered
plant and malleable in tho fiery furnace OF
domestic tribulation. and she packed up
her valise and set out for Fresno, saying
she was going 10 have n divorce or kno"
the reason why.
After her departure Moroford returned
10 the cellar and drank bowl after bowl of
wine His wife did not go to Fresno nor
apply for q divorce. She stopped at
neighbours and told her tale of woe. and
the neighbor advised her not 10 get di-
vorce, but TO go back and make peace with
her husband and forget the past.
But she did not 60 back for several days,
aud when she did return she found her hus-
band still III the wine cellar, lying on the
floor with bowl of Angelica by his side:
He was III the full enjoyment of life and
when his wife came all the notice he took
| of her was to ask her If she got the slivorc
all right When she saw the plight he was
| in her wrath was kindled, and she opene
| the faucets of all the wine-twelve bar
rels-and SIX barrels of vinegar and q bar
L. l.lts NOR
Her husband was too intoxicated TO help
| himself. as the wine, vinegar, and mOiasses
| began to soak him. He howled and swore,
| but the food-gates were left open and the
cellar rapidlv filled with the contents Ot
| the barrels. Fortunately, II did not get
deep enough TO drown HIM before 1t tiowed
Out over the doorsill, and his life was saved.
His wife was inexoraole and unforgiving.
and declared that SINCE he was so fond OF
wine she was going 70 see that, ne got
enough Of IT for once. She found herseH
a safe perch on top of the barrels and de-
| liberatey let him take chances on his lie.
| The wine. vinegar, and molasses filed the
| cellar and then escaped down gutterway
| toward the creek, forty yards distance.
A band of thirty or forty Indians were II
| field across the creek chopping wood.
One Of them, hearing the commotion ana
| cries of murder and loud cursing, was at
| tracted by curiosity to Investigate. 1t hap
uened that lust as he reached the gutter
| leading from the wine-cellar TO the creek
the flow of wine came down. He tasted 1t
and called to his companions to come.
They came and drank of wine. vinegar,
mud. and molasses. yelling in the mean
while. When the gutter had run dry they
| drank from the creek. They became
| drunk and boisterous.
| Mr. Stevenson came home that evening,
| and when he saw what had happened he
discharged Moreford and his wife and
drove the Indians of the ranch. The
creek for three miles had a yinegary smell.
| Mr. Stevenson was hot.