The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-01-22

whiskey had saved his life, and he'd never
be such fanatic again.
He went on drinking it to prevent
relapse. He argued that if the air was
,ull of grippe germs, it was well to be ON
the safe side.
The relations between himself and Mrs.
Brett were severely strained. She had
used upon him every argument that love
or common sense, scorn, or contempt
could make use of, and all in vain,
Do not understand me that Mr. Brett
grew into a brute all at once upon the
use of whiskey, as Ulysses companions
were turned to swine by partaking of the
treacherous dainties of Gree. AT first
he laughed at Mrs. Brett; then he be-
came good-naturedly sarcas ic; then,
gradually, her reproaches were met with
sullenness and anger. Then told he twas
sorry day when he ever married her.
| She said it was-for her. Then he went
off to business. She fretted all day over
the unkind words of the morning, and
longed for the slow hours to pass that
he might return, and she would throw
herself into his arms, and they would
make mutual concessions. She would
prevail on him through his love for her
to give up that terrible whiskey,a and they
would be happy once more.
Poor Carries father had been one of
those unfortunates who commit spiritual
and moral suicide through drink. She
knew its insidious tendencies, and she
felt she would rather die than live to suf-
fer through it such anguish and sorrow
as her broRen-hearted mother had known.
The fact that Wallace Brett had been
a temperance man had been the casting
die which had decided her in her choice
between him and other suitors.
Within eight or nine months from the
time when Mr.. Brett took cognizance of
his headache, and said "A-chou!" over
his ledger in November, he was pretty
well along on the ''primerose path of dial
lance" that leads to the everlasting bon
fire.
His nose had grown red; there were
whiskey-rimples on his face, which was
flabby and unwholesome looking. He
began to stay out late, and come home
drunk. The children had stopped run
ming to meet him, and skunk out of sight
when they saw him cOmming.
He had stopped going to church; he
wasn't banking any Of his salary; he had
fallen behind with the payments on his
properly. AT the office, the proprietors
said it Cooked as if Brett Was going to
the dogs; if he didn't pull up pretty soon
they'd have to ship him."
About this time, Mrs. Brett who had
been growing pale and chin with the in
tolerable trouble she was bearing, fell in
to low, nervous condition, bordering on
prostration. She couldn't sleep or eat;
everything she attempted seemed to over
come her. She would sit in her chair or
lie on the couch all day, and brood and
sigh, or burst into tears if spoken to.
Mr.. Brett told DR.. Kayo that she was
down in the mouth; to ''go and see
her and give her tonic"
Next day the two men met
"What do you think of my wife," ask
ed Mr.. Brett.
cts serious case; very serious"
''SeriOus-eh?" asked Mr.. Brett in
amazement Thought t was only
nerves.
NERVES are enough, for that matter;
but Mrs. Brett has a germ disease. I'm
not sure but that it's incurable."
Mr.. Brett turned white and stared hard
at the doctor
1T is induced by the most dangerous
and destructive microbe ever met with
in medical jurisprudence. It's the arch
microbe that swallows up all the other
microbes, as Aaron's serpent rod swallow
ed up all those of Pharaoh's magicians
She's dying women, Brett"
80, Doctor, don't tell me that! Can't
anything be done for hcr?"
WELL" said the doctor gravely,
there's only one chance, and l haven't
much hope of that I've seen that one
little chance fade out so often in cases
like hers. If we can only kill the mi
crObe-the whiskey microbe-that's des-
troping her home, hopes, happiness, and
husband she'll get we'll fast enough.
There's not another thing ails her; but
she's of delicate, nervous organization,
and if you don't stop breaking her heart
with your drunken brutality, she won't
be alive three months IRON now"
That's pretty plain talk" said Mr..
Brett, gasping it out in broken, disjoint-
ed way.
Exactly, when have a surgical oper-
alton to perform, cut as deeply as ne
cessary. You'd better not get mad, but |
think over what I've said. It's true as
doctor have you got"
Anything to help kill the microbe?
Yes; come into my Office. Fix you up
something to steady your nerves and
stop that craving. But mind you, man,
nothing but God and you in full partner
ship of activity and determination can
kill it. This kIud goeth not out even
with fasting and prayer alone. You
mnst fight like Leonidas at Thermopyla
AGAINST darts that darlxen the sup,u