The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-09-27
TEMPERANCE NOTES.
HOW SHE WON.
Farmer brakes Wife Knocks Out Drink In
Her Home.

NouIOunu UnlS Slrihe, III just my
luck, was the not very gentle expostu
lation of John Drake, as he threw the
lines to his hired man upon his return
from town.
why. what is it now, john" asked
his modest little wife.
"Why, this miserable strike prevents
my getting the beer that the harves t.
ess will expect when they come on
Thursday. and | shall not be able to
get half the work out of them now
that l should" and John sat down on
porch chair in not Il happy mood.
Mary Drake said not a word; she
could not sympathize with him, and
she dared not express her own satisfac-
ton. She had, three years before, tried
to urge him not to provide the beer, as
was his custom; but his Outburst of rep
rimand wounded her sensitive nature,
a md taught her that she must WELD her
intuence-strateg ically.
John Drake was one of the most pros
porous farmers out Of the little city of
P, in southern Illinois. His large,
white farmhouse and red barns We're
situated on little knoll. and could be
seen for miles around. He was known
as a dominant man, but everyone add
mired his thrift and the business abili-
ty he manifested in the management of
his farm.
Five years before his first wife died
and the following summer he had mar
ried Mary Mandell the district school
teacher, thinking he saw in her just
the guide his motherless children need
ed. She was an orphan with no espe-
cial ties, and was rather won by the
rugged virtues of Mr.. Drake She was
a woman of twenty-nine years, and
thought there must be much to admire
under Johns plain exterior He kept
his four children, two girls-ncarly
grown now-and twin boys, Younger,
at school in the city of P, for John said
he should give his children the advan-
tages he had learned in the saddest
way to value-by the want of them.
Mary could not comfort him for the
loss of the beer, but she commenced to
rcvolvc in her mind some plan for
satisfying the thirst of the harvesters.
She thought long and late that night,
The next morning she said: John, l
will serve hot coffee to the men all
day tomorrow, if you like, and think
they may enjoy it
"All right" said Mr.. Drake, IF you
want to. but | doubt their caring
much for it" =.
After he had gone TO the field she
called the girls in and revealed her
plan. They were very fond of her,
and always in sympathy with any
thing She wanted to undertake. and
ordering their driving horse which Mr..
Drake called the ladies' pony" they
hurriedly dressed and were soon on
their way to town to purchase an oil
stove. They were back by dinner
time and all the afternoon We're busy,
with the help of the boys, gathering
daisies and small branches with which
to make bower under a great oak
tree at the edge of the field.
I'VE will put our daisies in water
over night" said Mary, that they may
be fresh tomorrow for we must have
great deal of the white ribbon color,
you know, for just between ourselves
this is temperance booth that we are
enabled to set up here, thanks to the
strike"
1t was very busy day, and between
directing and helping in the house and
the new bower, she was very tired that
night: but her heart was most light
that she at last had an opportunity to
carry out some plan to supplant the
beer.
The next morning she was up bright
and early; after seeing that things
were well in progress for dinner she
went to the field, and with the chill
dren's help served coffee until eleven
o'clock, carrying it to the mowers boil
ing hot from the little stove. The
cream was delicious, as only country
cream can be, and the men seemed
wholly satisfied. They had a
sumptuous dinner in the farm
house diningroom at noon, and
at half-past one Mary was at
her post again out of doors ready to
serve coffee. She was delighted to
hear one of the men say: ''Well, l be-
1ieve this is the best thing l ever drank
in harvest field; it may be because it's
hot
II believe so, too" responded an
other, lit is kinder stayiu' to mans
stomach"
That night as they were filing out
from supper, a small man who was
known to love his beer, said: Mrs.
Drake, think that's the best coffee
ever tasted. 1t keeps a fellow salts
fed. same's food"
1--WE shall be anxious for harvest
next year, so that we can have some
more of Mrs. brakes good coffee"
chimed in Big Dick, the great royster
OF the neighborhood and center of every
fight.
Mary smiled quiet thank you" and
goodnight" but she felt tumult of
Joy that her coffee booth had given
such satisfaction. The children had
retired and Mr.. and Mrs. Drake
were sitting on the porch af-
ter their busy day enjoy
ing the quiet country scene,
bathed in moonlight, and the gratifica-
ton of Il successful day for the NOW
ing
Mr. Drake said: Mary, I never
thought daisies were pretty until to-
dag. They have been such pest to