Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1892-10-24
through a straw at the press before
he was five years DID,"

/ Slamming the door in anger. His wife
proceeded to draw pledge which
prohibited the making Or using of CT
der, and this she signed, herself, and
started out to circulate
She had to have the courage of
her convictions and strength given
her in answer to prayer. to stand up
against the opposition that she met.
Not a single farmer would promise
not to make cider, but she said she
was surprised to find out how many
there were who only made it for vine
gar.
Several women pledged themselves
not to drink the stuff, and they were
all, without exception, anxious to have
their children sign the pledge.
The excuses given the good woman
were amusing:
s'I have to drink red pepper and CT
der to keep warmed up" said one.
IT should have cold the hull durn'd
time all winter if I didn't"
ssI should wanter drink it with billed
vituals," said another. "I never care
nothing about corn beef and cabbage
without cider"
s'I shall have ter give up eatin' pop
corn if I sign that said another; "pop-
corn hurts nobody when it is washed
down with cider"
II shouldn't know what to do when
folks come in in the evening without
cider to pass around" a good many
said this, but Mrs. Sloan went home
from her first days work satisfied
that she had set her neighbors to
thinking and to talking upon the i'm
portant subject, even if she had not
secured many names.
1t was an excitement that didn't die
out. The mother Of the very first boy
that got tipsy at the cider mill came
rushing in to put her name on that
paper.
IT mean to fight it through" she
said. ''I'n stand by you in anything
you may say or do"
IT shall send every boy home that
see standing about that cider tub, or
hanging about the mill"
All rlSnU, nope you Will.
Other mothers said the same thing;
some of the boys were angry and left
the bars down into the yard of the
mill and it happened very strangely
that nearly all the COWS in the neigh
borhood got loose that night, and go
ing to the mill ate so heartily Of an
old pressed cheese that they lay all
about the ward and roadside helpless
in the morning.
esThe boys turned them in here,o
said some one.
eff they hadn't been sizzled on CT
der they wouldn't have thought of
such thing,' said another.
All the men turned out to save the
lives of the COWS. Some of the cider
had worked just enough to be nice to
the taste, and pretty soon good
many of the men were as badly off as
the poor brutes.
A free fight was the result.
ssAnd this is only October" said one
of the women; "and with all the CT
der to be drank there is in this neigh
borhood, how shall we live until
spring."
"Cider's awful stuff said old Moth
er Wiggin t'I like it SO well, it has
done so much for me, it amt likely
should do it any HARM" and she slip
ped away leaving the other women
holding an indignation meeting in
Mrs Sloan's kitchen.
There were barrels of cider at the
mill belonging to nearly every one of
the neighboring farmers. They al
ways had a bee, turning out with
drags and oxen to get the cider home
and into the cellars.
The bee was to take place next day.
The men gathered bright and early to
find every barrel empty.
cit is the work of the women"
they said; but the woman affirmed
that they knew nothing about it.
at amt likely that you'd lay it to
me.'' said old Mother Wiggin; E'I
think too much of the stuff to waste a
drop. That is what you think, but
YOU are mistaken. Cider has ruined
me; now so long as I live I'll be the
ruin of all the cider 1 can find any
where. I can't pay a fine. I've drunk
up my property, but you can put me
in Jail and it will be a better home
than I've had these many years"
ssShall I be like her when l am old
if I drink cider?' asked a beautiful
little girl, standing by; "say, papa,
shall I?'
ssThe Lord forbid!'' said Mr.. Sloan,
I-s..1s 4, l;t+lo a Tor. in his arms