The Opelousas courier., 1896-02-08

spirit. But by gatlins, she weaned
hin, you understand, and she weaned
him for good.
At that time old man Steve was jest
naturally Twin down at the Cross Roads,
all to his board and washin. 1t had
now been three days and nights since
he was sober enough to 60 home. He
was drinkin like a fish and spendin his
money as free as water runnin down
hill.
One night a little past supper time,
whilst old man Steve and the gang was
settin around the fire drinkin and
smokin and tellin sniutty yarns, who
but Aunt Melindy walked in and pulled
up d chair and took a seat and set down.
Old man Steve and the rest of the gang
looked like they didn't know whether
to break and run or back out through a
knot hole in the floor. But presently
the old man rallied his nerve and went
on to say, says he:
Gin the name of all creation, Melindy,
what in the devil are you doin here?"
1 nave CoHo w Jiho Joui Po'o ON~
wife's husband" says she. "Stevcn
Brady, we have now been married clost
on to forty years, and my right and
proper place is by your side. My chill
dren are your children, and your home
is our home. Your God is my God,
your country is my country, your peo-
pie must be my people, and your COM
pany shall be my company. Where
your hayward feet wander amongst tho
.meanderin scenes Of this vain and
world, there will 1 likewise also
my tracks. l have cried my old
eyes red and dry, and begged you to
quit your drunken ways and go home
and live with me, but you won't 60. So
1 have now come to live with you. Ac-
to what the Word says, We are
one in the flesh, and if you live in a hog
wallow 1 will live with you, and If you
60 to the dogs and the devil l will like
wise also go with you. When you
drink l will drink, and when you die
by tho blessins of God 1 hope to die
with YOU"
Old man Steve then up and told the
rest Of tho gang not to pay no attention
to Melindy-that she was ont Of her
head. but he would git her of home now
presently. He told her to shut her fool
mouth and 20 back homo where she be-
longed, but she wouldn't bulge marry
inch. When old man Steve callsl the
gang to take another drink shr joined
in with them as big as life. The old
stood it as long as he could, but
at last he caved in and broke
Come along with me, Melindy," says
he, presently, land let's 60 home"
Thea no went home, and she went
with him. That was fifteen years ago,
next March, but when old man Steve
Bradley lett tho gang that night he left
'em for good. Aunt Melindy had
weaned him, and she weaned him for
ever.
weaned "with q Middlin Of Meat"
l have met up with n man in my
day and time that had been weaned
from drinkin whisky with a middlin Of
meat-forty pounds Of bacon. 1t was
Nath Hankins, which use to live some
down in the Flat Woods. l was
along with Andy Lucas and Blew Scrog-
gins one day when We met up with
Nath and they tried their level blamdest
to make him fail in line and take a
drink with them.
"You will have to let me off this time
says Nath. Il have quit, and l
quit to stick and stay. have forever
and eternally buttoned my lips agin the
stuff, and honest TO God, boys, l wouldn't
take q drink fsr a clear deed to a ten
acre lot in Heslven.
81 reckon you all mought wonder
what has come to pass to bring such a
big change in the general
spirit of my dreams, and jest betwixt US
gals, I will give you the facts.
II got broke from drinkin whisky
with forty pounds of bacon. It all come
TO pass down there in Murder Creek
Christmas Eve night of last win
ter. had went to town that day and
a whole passale of fancy stuff
Tor my old woman and the children, and
a barrel OF -four and a side Of
bacon for reglar eatin. Naturally of
course, since 1t was in the Christmas
md the weather was cold as tiugins, I
bought a jug OF spirits. Coin on home
hat night l took the jug in my lap and
1t there and played with it and
Kissed it most too reglar and frequent,
consequentially by the time I got
% the creekI didn't know anything for
But anyhow, by some onlucky
look or tnercrook the wagon got turned
,ver and all the contents thereof was
'pilt right there in the swamp. In the
sc%atteration / fell fiat Of my
back End forty pounds of bacon fell on
Of me.
''Oncst or twicst I sorter come to my
lenses and tried to git up, but 1 couldn't
make it. 1t seems to me as II I had been
. fight and the other fellow had got
IN top and was holdin me down till l
followed calf rope, and I thought to
you can whip me perhaps whilst
am drunk and down, but dadblame
1ou, / will see you dead before l boiler
ike q calf.
Then / went to sleep and there I
fiat of my back in the mud and
water oil night long. When / woke up
he next mornin l was 50 tremendous
old and stiff / couldn't nov a peg. By
/ couldn't 50 much as lift up my
'oice and call for help. It al way
Ifter sunrise when the boys driv up
With the wagon and took that middlin