The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-10-11
W, C. T. u. DEPARTMENT.
Conducted by the ladies of the ". c.
II. U. of Anderson, S. c.
Eli Perkins Joins a Drinking Club.

senger, as he bit Oft chew OF plug
tobacco while the train was pulling
out Of Topeka. "Drinkin' whiskey
Why, they're drinkin' more whiskey
than they ever did before =
"But we never see any bar-rooms, .
I remarked.
":No, they amt no bars an they
amt no signs Of a bar; but they S
drinkin .
Then Irode through The State with
out seeing barroom, drunken man,
or a sign up where whiskey was for
sale. Valuable corners were occupied
by stores, and the money that used to
60 into the open saloons was going
into the stores. found that Kansas
used to send out 100000 to Peoria
and Kentucky for whiskey, and now
she is sending out about a million a
year. I found that Kansas is now
saving through temperance s14, 100000
year, and in ten years will save s140,-
OOO,O 900; and still that red-nosed
lounger in the smoking car is contin-
ually screeching through the car !:
"Theys drinkin' more whiskey in
Kansas than they ever did before!'
Up in Maine I heard the same whis-
key drinkers refrain. 1t never came
from a church member or from a pros
porous, moral, business man. it al
ways cane from drinking man. So
during my last trip through Maine I
decided to investigate and find out if
the law preventing drunkenness doub-
led the drunkards-if tie law prevent
ing the sale Of whiskey really increas-
ed the sale Of it.
Well, a lecture engagement called
me up to Pennington, twenty-five
miles north of Lewiston. The engage
ment was for Saturday night. I had
to drive up from Lewiston. 1t was a
$40 ride through the snow.
tThis is temperance State isn't
it?" I said to the stableman as he was
hitching up his team.
Temperance State!' he exclaimed
"Why, they're pourin' down whiskey
here-drinkin moren they ever did
before y
"Hadn' you better take hot milk
punch before we start ?" I said.
Hot milk punch!" he said, his eyes
swapping with joy; yes, it would
taste good; but you cant get those.
fancy drinks up here. No bars, you
know, an you've got to make them
fancy drinks at home
"But when there is so much drink
ing there must be bars near by, |
said.
"Well, they're drinkin' all the
same, but we don't have bars. We
have to manage little: and it takes
time, you know"
So we started off for the long twen-
ty-6ve-mile ride through the snow.
We passed several hotels and stopped
and warmed. There were no bar
rooms, and hot lemonades we're the
only drinks to be had.
We found Pennington without
bar, and thorough temperance town.
The audience that greeted me showed
temperance, intelligence and prosperi-
ty in their faces.
Coming back the next morning, l
said to my driver: 1T is strange that
people will so traduce this temperance
State.
"They don traduce it, said the
driver. "They's drinkin goin on here.
I can get you drink
"You can get me drink" | said
with an accent on the "can. SsWhy,
Of course you can, 1 said enthusias-
tically, "and when we get to Lewiston
wn']l have some nice hot Whiskey.
won t we?'
I noticed my man didn't enthusc.
Then after moments thought he re-
marked:
"I'm m afraid I'll be too busy putting
out my horse; but could get you a
drink if had time.
''But I'll pay boy for unhitching
the horse I said, as we drove into
the Lewiston stable. "Now, let's have
the drink, come on =
Cali right" said the driver. II
think I can gcta drink; but mcbby the
whiskcy is out, and we'll have to take
bottled beer.
Then I followed him through the
dried weeds aud snow along the river
bank.
"This ism the way to saloon, l
said.
"No, I'm going to Mike Grady S.