Evening star., 1901-12-28
A REAL. REFORMATION

- MA L. EE " n W y loN
Talking about swear-offs," said corre-
spondent of one oS the western papers. 'the
most ornate and unique case of that sort
that l ever happened into occurred in De-
troit eleven years ago this coming New
Year, and the chief figure in it was a man
who is now the president of one of the big
western railroads. He was then the super
intendent of a line running into Detroit. AT
that time he was man of forty, who had
grown up in the railroad business, with
delightful family and more things In gen
eral to live for than whole lot of us
ever get anywhere near accommodating.
There was only one thing the matter with
him, and that was his habit of going off on
occasional jamborees. This little practice
grew upon him, SO that he finally got into
the way of hiking to small points on his
road on pretended business, and OF hitting
up the old thing on the quiet for three or
four days, after which he'd show up at his
Detroit office tremulous and shattered and
work like galley slave for his outfit until
the next spell crept over him. don't sup
pose there is any worse sort of game in
the world than this one of nibbling at the
drinking vice In secret, nor one that grows
more steadily upon a fellow who once per-
mits himself to become a devotee OF the
practice. This man absurdly supposed, as
do most men who engage In that sort OF
thing, that he was fooling his superiors
and that because he never drank around
Detroit and made a show OF himself, they
were entirely unaware of his weakness; but
his Supposition, as usual was wrong. They
knew all about the inwardneSs Of his myS-
terious little trips, and they overlooked
them because the man was a crackerJack
and almost essential to the road. Finally,
however, his dfSappearanceS became SO ire
quent that the cause underlying them
couldn't be overlooked any longer, and the
superintendent got a sharp carpeting. The
details of his course for couple Of years
back were laid before him to his vast sur
prise, and the president of his road calmly
but firmly told him that repetition Of his
little disappearing stunt would be taken as
a token that the superintendent desired 10
have his resignation accepted as an official
Of the road. The president said that the
road didn't mind it's higher officials drinking
moderately and kindly suggested that If the
superintendent were to totally give up
drinking for year he might, at the end
Of that time, find himself possessed OF suf-
ficient self-control to drink afterward In
moderation.
'It was at the close of the year that this
little talk was handed to the superintend-
ent by the president, and the superintend-
ent, pretty sore over being found out, but
nevertheless fully persuaded that he was
entirely in the wrong, told the president OF
the road that he would swear on totally
from January to December 81. I was
with the superintendent when he took his
last drink before his years abstinence on
the stroke Of midnight, December 81, 1890
at the Russell House in Detroit. There
wasn't anything spectacular in his manner
of passing up the vice that had gradually
nailed him. He simply tossed off final
high one with the crowd Of us, buttoned
up his overcoat said Good night, fellows,
and went home.
well 1 saw this man two or three times
a week after that, in all sorts of places and
In all kinds of company, and, as was pref
ty Intimate with him, | always felt when
he was around the hard kind of a fight he
was putting up. He'd sit in at little games
of draw at which all the rest of the fellows
would be taking nibble once in while,
and when the chaps who were unfamiliar
with his case would press him to nave a
drink he would only grin at them dreamily
and tell them that he was off the stuff for
a year. 1 knew that it was a nard sttug-
gle for him, and fihad a conviction as the
year passed on to otis close that the way
year was up MOULD be disastrous for his
physical and mental well being not to
speak of his pbsitfon with the railroad. I'd
seen, as I've often Seen since fellows max
ing UP for swear-off periods in ways that
almost took them under the ground, and l
felt pretty apprehehsive over what 1 felt
certain was going to happen to this friend
when his time ran out.
"Well, a few days before the beginning
Of the year 1891, the superintendent asked
about dozen, of his intimates to attend a
little supper which, he was to give 1t a
leading hotel in Detroit to see the New
Year in. l had, feeling what this was go
ing to mean for him. and when I got him
alone took the liberty to demonstrate with
him. I advised him to pass it up-told him
that a man with even an hereditary predis-
position to liquor who had been able to
give up the habit for a year could give it
up for good, and urgently recommended
him to cancel his order for that midnight
feed. I mentioned his wife and family and
rratx nftx ofpS ,ny,f fnr
he was fine man. and didn't want TO see
him go to the bad as 1 felt he would If he
again took up drinking. He listened to me
calmly enough. but there was in his eyes
an expression that caused me to believe
that was talking vainy.
My times up on New Years eve, and
you be on hand for that supper, that's all,
he replied to my adjurations.
Il was on hand largely because l wanted
to take care of him in case he became vfo-
lent We all presented ourselves at the
private banquet room of the hotel at half
an hour before midnight The spread was
magnificent one Our host the superin-
tendent, was in fine fettle, and, in looking
him over, had regretful thoughts of what
difference there was going to be for him
IN the morning and perhaps for several
payne pals were ranged around the sides
Of the table, the sfdeboard was Uttered
with bottles of choice wines and liquors
and huge punch bowl was in the middle
night Of it. Our host was busying himself
brewing the hot punch when we showed
up. He was an expert at that sort OF
thing. and he inhaled the rising fumes OF
the hot decoction with what 1 took to be
delighted expression of countenance.
None of the other fellows was familiar
with the story of the superintendents for
mer trouble with the drinking habit, as I
was and so they simply laughed good ma
turedly over the approaching ending of his
SWear-off period.
"A couple of minutes before midnight the
superintendent opened a magnum of cham
pagne and filed our glasses Just when
the first whistle began to screech the signal
that the New Year was driving out the
old. he raised his glass of champagne,
looked at it, and gave the New Year toast
We all tossed off our glasses. Our host
put his down, placed glass Of mineral
water to his lips. and slipped it. Most Of
the other fellows noticed the action.
What's this?' they inquired of him in
surprise. Aren't you along"
Nope said the superintendent, smiling
good-naturedly at them. I'm off for an
other year. But don't you people bother
about me. Go ahead