The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1893-03-24

days just after he had reached manhood,
and had built himself a house to shelter his
wife and child that he felt the need of a
barn and saw his way clear to build one.
A temperance wave had recently passed
| over this part of the state leaving its marks
in the lives and works of few staunch
men and women who had seen and
deplored the evil of intemperance. Among
the names affixed to the temperance pledge
| was that of our friend who was to build the
barn. He was of sound Puritan stock and
| when he put his name to paper he meant
business and was prepared 10 stand by ita
When the time came for the barn to be
raised the invitation went out and and the
neighbOrS responded. On the morning OF
that day our hero held the following col
lOquy with his wife who was preparing her
share of the feast for the hungry. 1t was
the Gus, ON in those days after the advent
of the first for the father and mother to call
each other PA and "Maam" to accuSt0m
themselves | suppose to their new relation.
SO Pa said, swell Ma'am you will give
them all they can eat and all the coffee
they can drink but no rum" Ma'am avs,
"Why Pa do you think they'll work with
out it? They always have it you know
eyes he says know-but can't do it Eve
| signed the temperance pledge and 1t would
not be right" There spoke the Puritan
| The day came and with it the men
| bringing their long spiked poles and their
| for the frame from the ground. 1t was the
| fashion to pass around drink early in the
day to put the men in working order. but
when coffee was offered instead of the
| usual stimulant murmur of diSpleaSure
was heard and one old man relieved his
mind by saying, ''Wa'al | heerd somethin
Of this ere nonsense afore | cum but
didn't believe it. If neighbor "P' thinks
he's gOn to get his barn raised without a
drop of rum he'll find out he's mistaken
tell ye." The men apparently agreed with
him and Ma Jam grew anxious and whisper
send for some rum?' "No," says Pa sit
wouldn't be right and | won't do it,
Pa stuck to his guns and the result was
the men struck work and went home leav-
ing the frame on the ground. Our hero
was sadly disappointed but bravely said he
had only been true to his pledge and was
ready to accept the consequence.
They went to bed with heavy hearts and
toward morning Ma'am was awakened by
some unusual noise outside and called out
PA, wake up! Wake up Pam afraid they
are trying to carry off the barn now, they'd
yesterday" Pa had been sleeping the
sleep of the just and was not so easily
aroused but finally Ma'ams anxiety had its
effect. He arose and hastily dressed him
self in the early daylight and went out to
see where the noise came from. And then
SlpHt 1lleJ HIS dSGODlSneu eyes ana maze
him, if he had ever doubted, firm believer
in special providence ever after. There
stood his barn as erect as if strength and
harmony had worked like magic 1t was
mystery but soon explained. A neghbor
who employed number of men engaged
in rafting logs on the river near by had
come home just in time to hear from one
who had been present, the story of the
previous day and determined in his own
mind to help his neighbor. ''P." out of his
dilemma SO lie called his men together |
and harangued them after the following |
fashion.
Now boys you see "P." has got himself
into bed of fire by signing that blasted |
temperance pledge. He's tarnal fool no
mistake about that but he has his good
points and tries to do right according to his
light He's young and only just started in
life, he's poor aud can't afford to hire his
barn raised and I'll tell we my idee. If
you'll all agree to it. I'll stand that and
give we all the stiffest glass of rum we ever
had and We'll go and raise his barn afore
we start down the river in the morning."
The boys agreed and this was how the
barn was raised on temperance principles.