Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1902-03-29
AREAL REFORMATION

and unique case OF that sort that / ever
happened into occurred in Detroit II years
ago last New Year, and the chief figure IN
1t was man VINO is now the president of
one OF the big western railroads. He was
then the superintendent Of a line running
into Detroit. At THAI time he was man
OF 40, who had groTD up in the railroad
business, with delightful family, and more
things in general to live for than whole
lot Of us ever get anywhere near accumulat-
ing. There was only one thing the matter
with him, and that was his habit Of going
off on occasional jamborees This little prae.
tice 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 thlse or
four days, after which he'd show up az his
Detroit office tremulous and shattered aid
work like galley slave for his outfit until
the next spell crept ever him. | don't sup
pose there is any worse sort of game in
TIE world than this one Of nibbling at the
drinking vice in secret, nor one that grows
more steadily upon 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 be was fooling his superiors,
and that because he never drank around
Detroit, and made show of himself, they
were entirely unaware Of his weakness but
his supposItlon, as usual, was wrong. They
knew all about the nwardness of his mys-
FERROUS little trips, and they overlooked
them because the man was crackerjack
and almost essential to the road Finally,
however, his disappearances became so fire.
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
hack were laid before him to his vast sur.
prise, and the president of the road calmly
but firmly told him that a repetition of his
little disappearing stunt would be taken as
token that the superintendent desired to
have his resignation accepted as an official
OF the road. The president said that the
road didn't mind its 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, and himself possessed of suf-
fcieni self-control to drink afterward in
moderation
at 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 off totally
from 'Inuary | to December 81 | was
with the superintendent when he took his
last drink before his years abstinence on
the stroke OF midnight, December 81 There
wasn't anything spectacular in his manner
of passing up the vice that had gradually
nailed him. He simply tossed off a final
high one with the crowd of us, buttoned
up his oyereoat, said Good night, fellows
and went home.
We'll | saw this man two or three times
week after that. in all sorts of places and
in all kinds of company, and, as was pref
fy 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
81 draw at which all the rest of the fellows
would be taking nibbe once in awhile,
and when the chaps who were unfamiliar
with his case would press him to have
drink he would only grin at them dreamily
and tell them that he was off the stuff for
year | knew that it was a hard strug-
gle for Inn, and ] had a conviction as the
year passed on to its close that the way
he was almost bound to break out when his
year was up would be disastrous for his
physical and mental wen being, not to
speak Of his position with the railroad.
well. a few day, before the end of the
year the superintendent asked about
dozen of his intimates to attend little sup
per which he was going to give al leading
hotel in Detroit 10 see the New Year in.
! had feeling what this was going TO mean
for him. and when ! got him alone / took
the liberty to demonstrate with him. adj
vised him to pass il up-told him that a
!.
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. l men
toned his wife and family and his position,
and grew pretty eloquent, for he was a fine
man. and | didn't want to see him go to
the bad. as felt he would If he again took
up drinking.
+" 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 ! wanted
10 take care Of him In case he became vio-
lent. We all presented ourselves at the
private banquet room OF the hotel at half
an hour before midnight. The spread was
a 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
mornings thereafter. Four OF five cham
payne pals were ranged aronnd the sides
OF the table, the s1eboard was Uttered
with bottles of choice wines and liquors,
and huge punch bowl was in the middle
OF the table-there was every sign of a
night of IT, Our host was busying himself
brewing the hot punch when we showed
up. lie was an expert at that sort of
thing. and he inhaled the rising fumes OF
the hot decoction with what | took to be
delighted expression of countenanee,
None of the other fellows was familiar
with the story OF the superintendent for
mer trouble with the drinking habit, as
was. and 50 they simply laughed good
turedly over the approaching ending Of his
swear-of period
"A coupe OF minutes before midnight the
superintendent opened magnum of cham
payne and filed our glasses. just when
-. Em.f xsFhfutfa keoan IN soraaah he Sfunal