Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1893-02-23
BILL AND THE seEFsTEAK.
Hou One aIan Was Drought to q Realiza-
tIon of the Folly OF Drink.

this class Of men there was one who was
employed in a rolling mill who often at
the end of the week had 800 in his
pocket. But this man. who was called
Bill by his fellows, was in the habit of
spending few hours each evening in
saloon. where in drinking and playing
cards his weeks pay was often squander-
ID. He was a good fellow and liked his
family. but he spent his money with the
boys.
Well, one Saturday night he went into
the saloon, and. after paying his bill and
after drinking and playing cards few
hours. he arose from the table without a
cent. Then he thought of going home,
and it occurred to him that he had not
secured anything for Sunday dinner,
and that he had forgotten to pay his
weekly bill at the grocer's. Well, Bill
went home and went to sleep. The next
morning he awoke with a thirst upon
him beside which the torments of hades
were mild in comparison. Going out,
he hardly dared to face his wife. He
soon returned, and his wife met him
with q sad face and told him there was
nothing to eat in the house. The thirst
was consuming him, but he made reso-
luton not to drink anything during the
day. He looked out again, and he saw
the wife of a man who worked beside
him, who did not make so much money,
going to church with her children, all
neatly clad.
What contrast was presented to him!
His wife miserably attired, his children
without decent garments, and, worse
than all, no food in the house. He passed
o miserable day, and the realization of
his mode of life came upon him with
telling effect. The next day he rose and
said to his wife, "Pll try to get some
thing for breakfast from the butcher"
Going down the street he entered the
market hesitatingly, and behind him en-
tered the saloon keeper with whom Bill
spent his money.
The butcher hastened to wait on the
saloon keeper, and the latter quickly
said, "Give me five pounds of porter
house steak-the best you've got-and
cut it thick, if you please" Eyes, sir,
I'll send it around to your home imme-
diately," was the reply, and the saloon
keeper went out. Then Bill said to the
butcher: 81 want to get something for
breakfast. l drank little too much
Saturday night, and l spent all my
money. would like credit for this week.
have resolved not to drink another drop
so long as l live, and will come in here
Saturday and pay you in full"
"Bill," said the butcher, you've told
me this tale many times before, and
don't take much stock in your resolu-
tions."
"But," pleaded Bill. won't you give
me this opportunity? l haven't drank
anything since Saturday night, and ]
mean to keep my word at any cost. >
"Well," refectively replied the man of
meats, "Tll give you some liver" So
Bill took the liver, and as he got out on
the sidewalk he held it in his hand and
slowly calculated. "Beefsteak-cut thick
liver"
His family had liver for breakfast, and
he went into the mill to go to work.
About the middle of the forenoon boy
came around with a beer pail, for they
rushed the growler" in this mill, and
approaching Bill said, "How much are
you going to give us? Bill was too
busily engaged with his own thoughts,
and he did not heed the boy with the
''growler," which had hydrophobia in it,
and the youngster repeated his question
and emphasized it by poking Bill in the
ribs.
Then Bill looked up and shouted,
''Beefsteak-cu thick-liver." The boy
went off and reported that Bill was
crazy. The whole week he worked hard
and fought the thirst for rum that at
times nigh maddened him. When his
work was completed and he had his pay
in his pocket, he went to the butcher
shop, paid his bill and said to the aston
ished proprietor, "Give me five pounds
of porterhouse steak, the best you've
got, and cut it thick, if you please.
"Yes, sir; certainly, sir" responded the
butcher; ''shan send it up at once, sir.
at was then and there" said Bill in re-
lating the circumstances of his reforma.
ton, ''that I resolved my family should
eat no more liver"
The provisions he had ordered reached
his home before he did, and when he ar.
rived he found his wife looking at them
and wishing that they were for the use
of their family, and she explained that
they had been left there by a boy, though
she had told him there must be mis-
take. Then / told her that I had sent
them, and that hereafter 1 would drink
no more, and she put her arms around
my neck and said, Bill, you're dandy!
and I hadn't been SO happy myself fol
years"
It's pretty good, no matter what it is
that will make man and wife begin
courting again. Don't you think sol
But after supper Bill asked his wife to
go down town shopping, and when they
returned home Bill had spent all his
money for Mary and the children, and his
heart felt more buoyant than it had fol
months Then the next day he saw his
wife and children go to church as neatly
dressed as any of the families of his fel.
lows.
Bill said: when got enough money
I got suit for myself, had it made, and
one Sunday as passed the door of the
saloon keeper with whom I spent my
money he was standing in the doorway,
and as l came up he said, Hello, Bill
Where have you been for the last six
weeks? looked at him and said, Beef.
steak-cut thick-liver,' and walked
along with my little boy"