St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1902-10-01

There was no long argument, but be
spoke at white heat, and as he appeal.
ed to the men to think, each not of
himself alone, but of the others as we'll
the yearning born of his long months
of desire and toll vibrated in his voice
and reached to the heart. Many men
looked uncomfortable and uncertain,
and even the manager looked none too
cheerful.
At this critical moment the crowd got
a shock. Billy Breen shuffled out to
the front and, in a voice shaking with
nervousness and emotion, began to
speak, his large, coarse hands wander
ing TREMENDOUSLY about;
"Oi hain't no bloomin' temperance
horator, and mayhap Oh hain't no right
to speak ere; but Oh got somethin' to
saigh. and Dim a-goin' to saigh it.
"Parson, e says, is it wisky or no
wisky in this ERE club? If We hask
me, witch We don't, then no wisky, says
OF, and if We hask why, look at me!
Once OF conld mine more coal than
hany man in the camp; now OF haint
fit to be sorter. Once Oh 'ad some
pride and hamilton; now OF 'angs
round a-waitin' for some one to saigh,
ERE, Billy. ave summat' Once OF
made good paigh and sent 1t 'ome reg
ular to my poor old mother. She's in
the wukus now, she is OF hain't sent
Ter hany for a year and 'alf. Once
Billy was cd fellow and 'ad plenty
O. friends; now Slavin ITSELF kicks un
bout, e does. Why? WhyY His
voice rose to a Shrek Because when
Billy lad money in is pocket hevery
man in this bloomin' camp as meets
up at hevery corner says, 'Ello, Billy,
wat'll ye aver And there's wisky at
Slavin's, and there's wisky in the
shacks, and hevery 'oliday and hevery
Sunday there's wisky, and wen We
feel bad it's wisky, and wen ye feel
good it's wisky, and heverywhere and
Railways it's wisky, wisky wisky! And
now ye're goin' to stop it, and 'ow?
The manager e says picters and mag
like gentleman, 'e does, and e don't
ave no use for Billy Breen. Billy,
'e's beast, and the manager, e kicks
un bout. But supposn' Billy wants
to stop bein' a beast and starts a-tryin'
to be a man again, and wen e gets
good an dry along comes some un
and says, 'Ello, Billy, ave a smile? it
haint picters nor magazines 'ud stop
I'm then. Picters and magazines!
Gawd 'elp the man as hain't nothink
but picters and magazines to 'elp I'm
wen 'e's got devil hinside and dev-
il houtside a-shovin' and a-drawin' of
un down to ell. And that's Were Dim
a-goin' straight, and yer bloomin'
league, wisky or no wisky, can't 'elp
me. But" and he lifted his trembling
hands above his head, "if We stop the
wisky a-fowin' round this camp yell
stop some o. these lads that's a-folow-
in me ard. Yes, you, and you, and
you" And his voice rose to a wild
scream as he shook trembling finger
at one and another.
'Mon, it's fair grewsome tae hear
him." said Geordie. Hes no. canny."
And, reaching out for Billy as he went
stumbling past, he pulled him down to
seat beside him, sayin: "Sit doom,
lad; sit doom Well max a mon O We
yet" Then he rose and, using many
RS, said, "Maister Chairmon, a. doot
we'll just haze to gle it up"
"Give it up?" called out Nixon. "Give
up the league?"
''Na, ma, lad, but juist the wee drap
whusky. It's nae that guild anyway,
and it's terrible price. Mon, gin We
street, in Gleska, We ken, yell get mair
for three an saxpence than ye wull at
Slavin's for S., an it'll no. pit We mad
like yon stuff, but it gangs doom smooth
an saft-like. But" regretfully, "ye'll
no can get it here, an Pm thinkin' I'll
just sign yon teetotal thing" And up
he strobe to the table and put his name
down in the book Craig had ready.
Then to Billy he said: Come ava, lad!
Pit yer name doom, an We'll stan by
We"
Poor Billy looked around helplessly,
his nerve all gone, and sat still. There
was a swift rustic of garments, and
Mrs Mavor was beside him and in a
voice that only Billy and I could hear,
said: