The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-01-11
a Kentuckyan's Will Power.

II have been steady drinker Of Ken
lucky whiskey for forty five years." said
a ruddy checked, gray haired man of Is
to two companions who we're sitting at a
table in the Hoffman house cafe one
night last week, says the New York San.
81 was born and reared in Louisville,
and my experience SIS consumer of the
native liquor is worth something. re-
member we'll my fathers fear that l
would become addicted to the stuff.
What l suppose he meant by the phrase
addicted to it was that might let it get
the mastery of me and become drunk
ard. His words made a profound i'm.
preston upon me, although when mere
boy I had high opinion of my will
power and secuted the idea that any
habit could get the control. Just to
prove it to myself I used occasionally to
quit chewing or smoking, or both, for
spell, long or short, and begin again with
feeling Of triumph, just because l knew
that I could stop when pleased.
GAS to the whiskey habit, 1 felt per.
fectly safe. I knew the taste of whiskey
when Is OF 16 years old, and before l
was 20 had made up my mind about
the conditions under which man could
drink without enasngering his future. |
resolved that under no conditions would
ever take drink until after supper. I
firmly believed that this rule would be
my salvation, and that if l adhered to it
| could never fill drunkard's grave. 1
did stick to it for several years, and then
modified it slightly.
after the modification felt that any
man was safe who resolved uot to
drink during business hours and adhered
to bis resolution. Some time later ex-
tended the limit, and for years could not
be persuaded to d.ink before i O'Clock in
the afternoon. felt apprehensve or
my companions, who look drink ri.
after dinner. | believe three or ur
years passed before concluded tina |
might safely push the limit back to 9
o'clock, and I held that this was the ear
liest hour that a business man could
indulge in liquor without endangering
his prospects. 1t was not more than
year before | added another hour to my
time for indulgence, and the following
year found me taking an appetizer be-
fore my MONDAY meal.
'It took eleven years to bring the
limit down to 10 o'clock in the morning,
when, with other meu in the tobacco
warehouse, / stepped across the street
every day to get little hot lunch. Thea
| frlicitated myself with the tdea that
there WAS 40 danger of becoming topper
if man abstained from drinking until
after his breakfast bad digested. Sew
eral years passed, anti | mad arrived at
the conclusion that ono drink of wh!s-
key right after breaL ast as a starter for
the day was correct thug aud could not
harm any able bodied IAN. | had by
that time convinced myself that tie
danger lay in taking u nip before break
fast, and that those who did so were
bound to epd as drunkards l don't
think | took drink before breakfast for
fifteen or tw.n,y years, but during that
time always l;a. that it was necessary
to have one to fortify myself against the
open air. especially in winter"
GLOW is it nov % asked one of his
companions.
"Now," said the Old gentleman, 81 am
congratuiaiing myself that don't have
20 Get up in Tie middle Of the night to
take nip"