The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-22
ANN1E,s TREATMENT FOR DRINK.
Before the Gold Cure Was THIS Cure Was.
and It Is One That Remains.

He was n great big fellow, with n fist on him
that could fell an ON. and a jaw that indicated
he was willing TO If an opportunity were Of
fered, but In other respects he seemed to THE
Sun reporter to be a most exemplary man. He
was one of n dozen laborers waiting on n pier
for n scow that was apparently never To get
there. and they were talking about Il drunken
man who had been removed n few minutes be-
fore in n patrol wagon.
by gosh" said the big fellow. II used to
have a weakness for the wet myself. and I'm
ashamed to say so. but I've took n ride in that
zane gollickle, too. More han one. ! guess.
but it's all o'er now
One of the men cha fled him a bit. and he
went on.
About twenty years ago or thereabcuts.
when l was n bigger fool than / am now he
said, II was a hard one, but somehow l found II
woman TO have me, and l got married. She
might have done worse, mcbbe. for | was
never out of work. but she couldn't have done
much worse. though I'm thinking 1t wouldn't
have been safe TO have told her so. .Arnic's
friends. and mine. too. didn't want her to
marry me, but you know how n woman Is
when she takes n notion, and Annie had n no.
ton I was worth tryin. TO save. or course. |
made all kinds of promises and sworc to them
thicker than blackbcrries, that / wouldn't
drink. any moe, and would keep my :elf
straight for her sake. You know how mon
guess | was in love With Annie. I told her she
would, save me if she would marry me. and she
thought mehhc she could, so she married me.
Annie owned her own house. and we went
to housekeeping ia that, and for the first two
months we was happier than two bees in n
honeysuckle. and ] Thought II was easy as any.
thing 10 be respectable IL only | had n good
woman ia. help me, But the sunshine wasn't
married man, and kind of tclt lonesome OF
nights and wanted TO see the boys once more.
home fuller than a wagon load OF lay.
Annie met me nj the door. and had sense
enough 10 see that my only chance was to nut u
did, for | was twice MS big as She vas. and ten
times as ugly. and the way talked around
thing. and she t.ok what sail Ike an angel.
and l closed by tumGling on my hair as!rcn,
caa no 20, hut when | did. thought was
smothering will, bed covers all over my head.
yell. might rs well have tried 10 get ont OF
Jail. Annie vas on the outside saying things
begun to Eel T. cowhids whackinHg me over
the body from head 10 foot. Then | under
stood that Annie had sewcd me IN ~ a sheet
or something. and was giving mo II lesson.
II was n sharp one, too. and kent up iii ] had
made a thousand promises 10 keep sober. and
not to hurt her when ] got out.
II made the promises easy enough. but she
didn't let me out TIL sunday morning and by
that timc | wasn't 40 drunk as WAS. but |
was manGer than ever, ana MS soon as was
loose | forgot everything and made u grab tor
my wife. :,obody knows what would have
happened. If Annie hadn't been the Kind al a
woman she WAS, but she was The right Kind,
AID as l reached for her she reached Tor n
shovel handle there was in the corner, and the
next thing knew | MAS laid out HAT and An
ME was standing over me.
"'Now, look here, Tom says she, You've
begun by lying TO me and getting drunk, You
haye broken your promises. Yon have tried TO
fight me ms you would fight a man, and ! have
laid gu out as a man might have done; II YOU
move lnnI or FOOT now. I'll smash kOu fiat
This ~ my house and everything IN ii Is nine.
| don't nsk any more promises of YOU, but II
you ever get drunk again. you never come un-
der my roof: Now. get up aud ~ 10 bed. and
I'll - tIr the dOctOI.' which size did, boys"
he concluded. "and from that dav to this one
Annie and l haven't had n squahble, and
though | am not under any. PROMISES not 10
drink, l don't think l have had more than q
drinA q year since that Sunday morning."