The Opelousas courier., 1896-02-08

@yA4 never YET nau 10
~MWSD~ try my hand in
l@WMMMN>SAW that particlar
WNMMMmWWM>W ~ line OF business,
WNA@MMs< Y and it maybe
WwSA@MM8T% mought be moro
harder than it seems and looks like on
the first flush. But l have seen three
or four m in my day and genera
ton which could wean q man from
white ink and "sperfts.of-cats-a-
aghtin." / have likewise also took
notice Of some cases where it took q
woman and the good Lord botA to turn
off the job in proper shape.
And now in orderment to lend a
helpin hand to the risin generation
and moro particlar the good women OF
the c%ountry--I will give out the main
est facts in some cases which have come
to pass down In the Rocky Creek re-
gions.
Buckets and Bottles Everywhere.
Ono of the hardest and most terriblest
drinkers that ever had his day and gen
Grafton in this country was hook-eyed
Billy Stringer. He didn't cuss and he
didn't fight and he didn't gamble with
the documents" but when it come to
drinkin whisky Billy he was there. He
was right tolerable we'll fixed in regards
to this worlds goods, with what had
come down to him from the family, and
he got something in the way OF boot
when he married. But be would pole
off down to the Cross Roads every day
the Lord sent, exceptin Sunday, and
went in deeper and deeper with whisky
till his farm was goin to rack and ruin,
and it looked like nothin but starvation
ahead for him and his family.
Finally at last in the run of time his
good wife took it into her head that
maybe she could break Billy and wean
him off from whisky. The next mornin
bright and early Billy went down to
the Cross Roads as usual, and then late
along in the shank of the evenin he
come home drunk as usual, and ifany-
thing maybe a little moro drunken. He
had worked up such q tremendous bad
case of it that day till it took two men
to tote him home and put him to bed.
Soon as ever Billy got to sleep good
Misses Stringer put out she did and went
down to the grocery at the Cross Roads
and bought fifteen gallons OF mean
whisky, which she told the store keeper
to please send it right on up to the
house.
When Billy woke up and come to his
senses about daylight the next mornin
he was feelin-tut maybe you mought
know how he felt. And il in case you
don't know there are plenty Of people
in this country that could tell you il
they was only brave and honest enough
to spit it out. He feltlike he could bite
q mill pond in two at n lick and then
swallow both ends of it. The first
thing he saw was a water bucket with a
gourd in it settin in a chair by the side
of his bed, and he vent down after
some water. But instid of water he got
. gourd full of whisky. And Billy he
didn't want any whisky to speak of
right then. 1t was most o soon in the
morning. He then turned over. and
there Vas another water bucket with a
gourd in it on the other side of the bed.
Oncst more Billy went down after water
and come up with whisky. Presently
he got up to hunt for water, and he
found buckets and bottles all around.
But it wa all whisky-whisky, whisky
everywhere, and marry drop Of water.
Then Billy opened up and called for his
wife, and wanted to know who in the
thunderations had set EN- up to SO in
fernal much whisky, when the mainest
thing with him was water.
at was me that bought the whisky,
Billy, and I bought it for you" says his
good wife.
you must be drunk yourself, or
either goin crazy" says Billy. q
mo, I aiylt drunk, Billy" says she,2'
.'and ATT goin crazy so far as any
body knows of. But when the time
comes I want you to die at home. 1t
seems like you are dead bent on KILN
yourself with whisky, and it has pes
tered me powerful to think that you
mought die in that dirty, filthy gro
Gerry down there at the Cross Roads.
So I went and laid in q full stock of
whisky, and you can now git 1t without
ramblin of down there after it. II
bought It and paid for it with my own
money, Billy, and brought it home for
you. It is yours, Billy-every drink
and every drop OF 1t is yours. So you
can wade right in now and help your
self. You know how hurtin and heart
breakin 1t is to me for you to be for
ever drinkin and ~carousin around. But
If nothin else will do you but to keep
till it kills you, / would . whole lot
for you to wind up the business
right here and die at home"
And do you know it makes me happy
clean down to my socks to tell you that
Billy Stringer didn't plunge
in and kill his fool self then and there?
Well, he didn't. Bless gracious, he
amt dead till yetf But he is q sober
now. Her Eeforwards from that
day he never hts took . drink. His
weaned him. She weaned him
good. Aud / have now told you a best
! could how she turned of the job.
.And She Went With Him."
Old man Steve Bradley was way up
clost to sixty before he went busted
with whisky. But he kept on foolin
~ and : i - t;1l nv ond Nv