Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1901-05-06
STORY OF THREE YOUNG MEN.

where in this paper, was taken to
Northampton, Mass, for burial last
Saturday, after brief funeral services
in the Methodist church conducted by
Rev. F. S. Bickford of South Newfane.
Mr.. Mitchell was one of three young
men who came from Northampton
seven or eight years ago to work in
the basket shop in this village. They
were all highly skilled as workmen
and were industrious and steady for
time but it soon developed that they
were vic Tins of the drink habit, and
after few weeks they began to make
occasional pilgrimages to their former
home, where the stringent restrictive
high license law there in force was not
sufficient to deter them from indulg-
ing in a weeks debauch during which
their earnings were used up and their
clothing Oftentimes pawned. Coming
back to our village after these period
ical sprees they expressed so much
shame and sorrow over their cOndi-
ton, and so strong a desire to throw
off the bonds that held them, that the
| sympathy of our neighborhood went
out to them and every possible effort
was made by our people to encourage
and hold them up. These efforts for
time seemed unavaihng, as one of
the three, after living here several
years, became incapacitated for his
work and went to charity hospital
in Pittsfeld, Mass, where he soon
afterward died from the effects of his
years of dissipation.
The second of the trio left here
about two years ago to follow his
trade in town where liquor could be
readily obtained and as the result Of
his increased excuses he became the
subject of Authorizations to the extent
that he was committed to an insane
asylum where he still remains, a
charge of the state, with small en-
enlargement that he will ever recover.
The third, George Mitchell, was a
pleasant, kind hearted fellow whom
everybody liked. His persistent eff
forts to conquer his appetite were be-
lieved to be sincere and he was taken
into the local temperance organization
and afterward as a probationer into
the Methodist church. Not only these
organizations threw ar ound him their
strong arms of support, but helping
hands were held out to him!and en-
coUraging words given him by our
entire community. Under these in
fuences, for period of eight or nine
months, he was sober and industrious,
and walked the streets of our village
erect in the knowledge that he was a
free man.
Thinking himself strong enough to
resist temptation he went to his for
mer home for a visit and came back
to this place, with pledge broken and
courage gone. Since then, finding
that he could secure all the liquor that
he wanted at or near Brattleboro, he
made frequent trips to that town,
spending nearly his entire earnings
for liquor and ering his personal
effects when money was gone. Again
and again have his friends endeavored
to stay his course, but without avail.
On Friday morning of last week he
took the train for Brattleboro, eluded
friends who were watching for him,
went to a place where there is every
reason to believe that he was known
as a common drunkard, was sold what
he wanted to drink on the spot, and
three pint bottles OF whiskey to carry
away. Getting on a freight team he
started for Williamsville, he and the
driver partaking freely of the liquor
on the road and both becoming thor
oughly intoxicated. When about a
mile from home Mitchell pitched from
the wagon, the heavily loaded wheels
running over his face and shoulders,
breaking his neck.
In the light of the story of these
three young men how are we going to
vote in the contest that is now on for
the introduction of the licensed saloon
in Vermont? We greatly mistake the
sentiment of rural Windham countylif !
its vote is not an emphatic one against |
such a proposition. And we believe,
Notwithstanding straw votes, that |
Brattleboro, so much of whose life |
blood is drawn through the arteries of |
these rural towns, will never vote to
send coursing back again that which |
debauches and impoverishes-
Bilousness is a condition characterized by |
a disturbance of the digestive organs The !
stomach is debi1itated, the liver torpid, the
bowels constipated. There is a 1oathing of
food, pains in the bowels, dizziness, coated