The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-08-26
HOW TO LIMIT DRINKS.


men" said "A well known New Yorker. whs
was standing ON the piazza of the club house
at "A seashore resort near New York, when
they both fell down within "a hours after they
had finished their cure. They both went into
quarantine together and did all they could 10
help one another. Between them they man
aFed Ia put in six weeks, and when they
came out you would not have recognized
them. They did not look like the same two
men who had gone int o the retreat. But the
day after they reached New York both OF
them got so drunk that thev fell down In
front of Delmonico's and had 10 be carted 10
a hotel in n hanson. The cure they took was
said to be the best in the country, too"
What are they going 10 do nowY"
swear of again and not drink another
drop for three more months.'
why not follow my schemef" asked fat
man at the table. II never drink unless my
wife does, and that works TO a IT When
married she thought was drinking too much.
| knew 10. She doesn't believe in total absti-
nonce for other people and she likes cock
tail herself Bat had 10 diminish the daily
supply, and shs suggested that | should never
drink unless was with her and she wanted
10 drink at the same time. l consented to the
arrangement, expecting that IL would cure
her taste for drink permanently. But 1t didn't
although it decreased nv amount to the
proper supply That arrangement doesn't
interfere with our wine at dinner, nor does
ii Inconvenience US whom we take supper to-
gether II we are driving and want a drink
when we come home, that is not forbidden,
and IL we want a cocktail before dinner, that
is all right. But il does prevent my taking
two or three gin rickeys during the morning
a ~ 10,
mention the incidental highballs and the
brandies and sodas at night"
That's better scheme than Smiths"
came from tho other side Of the table.
while he was sick two years the doctor al
lowed him only twelve drinks day. Mikes
average was considerable more than that.
Well, the doctor gave him n bell punch, and
lie was to pull it every time he took drink.
For about n week he followed the plan relg-
iously. Then he grew little careless, and
for four out of SIX months he carried the thing
with him he would rcg ously pull the
handle on the punch until il registered
twelve. That he always did when he ordered
his first drink. Then he would turn in and
drink as much as he ever had drink before.
But the doctor saw the bell punch when it
registered only twelve drinks, and IL was
good thing for Mikes confidence in
his doctor that the man never claimed
10 have done him the slightest good
It was as gentle method Of trying
To prevent "A man from drinking as l
ever saw, although have known Of cases In
which men who used those particular bell
punches were able to keep their drinks down
to the limit"
zone of the best schemes ever saw" said
another one of tho men, was perfect 80 long
as il lasted. But IL failed after a month. |
know n ma, whose wife thought that he
drank too much for his means. She thought
he drank too much for his health, as well,
but she put il on financial grounds. A wom"1
knows that soon she objects 10 drinking
on the grounds Of principle she il very likely
To have little or no influence So this wife
put il on grounds of economy, and made her
husband promise to give her exactly the same
amount that he spent ON liquor. He was in
his second year of married life and he prom
iscd willingly. IL astonished him to see how
much at the end Of every day he was com
PEELED to hand over TO his wife. She would
have an accounting with him every night af-
ter dinner going through the day drink by
drink IL did reduce considerably the amount
ne drank for it fmade him realize how much
he spent every day But his wife got Tired of
estimating the amount ne owed every nlght,
he wouldn't or couldn't remember, and they
gave the plan up. But it was one of the best
while il lasted"
"A man who determined 10 keep down his
drinking" said the last man left who had not
put In his oar, told me that he reduced his
customary supply by question of time. At
first he concluded To drink nothing before l
o'clock. That left him free until lunch time
Then he moved it on to o'clock, and the
prohibition moved i'm successive progression
until II reached q o'clock. Now his cocktail is
the first drink of the day. But it's not the
last. There are later whistles and sodas, and
sometimes other LIQUORS. Now he is trying TO
work the time test backwards, starting at
dinner He does not allow himself to take a
drink until l0-after his dinner. He is going
TO make il IL. II, and probably l. That will
give him only time for one drink before bed
time, and with the daylight arrangement in
its present perfected form, he expects to re-
cover entirely from any possible i'll effect OF
too many drinks. IN. Y. Sun.