Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1896-05-08
this part Of the programme was not

this part Of the programme was not
carried out.
In the meantime the light divertise-
ment which Billy Meekins was sched-
uied to furnish did not materialiZe, as
for some reason or other Billy devel-
oped remarkable staying powers. In
fact, he and the general were about the
only persons left In an apparently
normal condition, and TO all appear
ances he was as normal as the general.
which is saying good deal OF be-
ginner, for the general had an inter-
state reputation for his steady head.
His enemies. in fact, said he was
walking juga sort OF official jug with
slightly infiamed palate in the neck,
especially devised for gubernatorial
representation at state dinners
Well after all the champagne had
gone off the crowd followed suit and
the gray early morning and tumbied
into bed very soon before his wife
who was very conscientious house
keeper got up, and fell into a sound
sleep.
About o'clock he woke up with
very strange, confused feeling, such as
had never fallen to his lot before, and
which alarmed him considerably, and
started out Immediately to discover his
present approximate position in time
and space. In the course Of his voyage
of exploration around the roosI he ran
aground on the washstand and cap
sized, taking with him the water
pitcher. When his wife appeared she
found her husband in truly alarming
condition. He was lying among the
ruins of the water pitcher breathing
heavily, deathly pale, and so far gone
that he could not even articulate. Il
was something she had never seen be-
fore With great presence of mind she
hauled him on the bed, dispatched three
boys for the doctor and sent out a gen
eral alarm among the neighbors, who
turned out in great force When the
first doctor arrived he found her on the
verge of collapse, but strenuous to be
told the truth. Unfortunately he was
an old-school practitioner, who prided
himself on his ability to do just that
thing. Madam" he said, your hus-
band is drunk When he came out of
the room the neighbors knew the
worst.
OF course Billy Meekins didn't know
the seriousness of the catastrophe at
the time, but it was promptly brought
to his attention when he once regained
consciousness. Under the circum
stances there would naturally be
certain amount of tribute due to out
ragged womanhood in any family, but
Billy's wife was actually vindictive.
She said it was bad enough to be a
newspaper mans wife anyway, With
out having married drunkard, and
She started for home on the next train:
it was full two months before she was
coaxed back again.
When she finally reIented she re-
turned with preparations for whole
sale reform. She instituted family
prayers at once and broke up half Of
Billy's sleep to drsg him to church. She
also proposed him for special attention
to Ler minister, which he received. She
said it should not be her fault if he
did not have good companions in the
future, incidentally making remarks
about the other men in the office which
have forever precluded further rela-
tions of friendship and amity between
her and the other mans wife, and she
filled the house with temperance en-.
thusiasts and missionary workers, who
come often to dinner and sing psalm
tunes a long time after In the evening.
All of which Billy takes cheerfully for
the sake of harmony and as the price
of his sins having found him out OF
course as time has gone on he has
gone into the good work himself as
guaranty OF good faith; he is really
quite an ardent temperance man. 1t is !
fascinating to hear his little addresses
to the loyal children's league. But he
tells me privately he is afraid this sort
of thing is going to drive him to strong
drink.