The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-01-17
THE GREAT DESTROYER
SOME STARTLING FACTS ABOUT
THE VICE OF INTEMPERANcE:
The Broken BotiIe-This Mechanic Paid
Seven Hundred Dollars For Some
Shattered Glass, But His Wife Was
Thankful When He Brought 1t Home

The roken Botile-This Mechanic Paid
Seven Hundred Dollars For Some
Shattered Glass, But His Wife Was
Thankful When He Brought 1t Home
Come on, boys, let US go and take a
drink"
The speaker Hwds William, Scott a.
Woodworking mechanic who, with
three of his shOpmates, on his
way home, at the close of the weeks
labors. All of them had taken several
drinks and had begun to show the
effects of them, especially Scott; who
staggered as he walked.
The four went in and stood before
the bar of the saloon, which was but
q short distance from SCOTS home and
had for years been patrOnized by him.
Drunken men seldom drink and leave
q saloon when there are two. or more
together; and on this occasion Scott
and his friends stood at the bar and
conversed So n after the, other treat,
ed in turn. e. !
Suddenly their conversation was in
terrupted by Scott accidentally .drop-
ping from his unsteady grasp the. bot
tie from which he was about to pour
q dram.
"Hellow said the, That was an acct
dent"
Accident or not, you'll pay for that
liquor and bottle" retOrted the saloon
keeper. whose attention was called to
Scott by the crash.
You don't mean that. Lawrence"
said Scott; ut was an accident"
That's all right replied the saloon
keeper: '''but the price of that bottle
and liquor will take the profit or
many O drink: / can't afford to lose 1t,
and you'll have to pay for it."
But" pleaded the mechanic, 1--WE
but a dollar of my wages left and 1
must take it home."' .
The saloon-keeper, however, was in
exorabR, and Scott handed over the
dollar note which was to have given
his wife and little ones q Sunday din
her. ~. 49,. o.. ..
when he got his change he turned
to the saloon-keeper and said:
Il didn't think you would. Go that.
Lawrence, after, I've been spending; a.
good part. of my wages here for the
past ten years"
"Well,' if you have. I guess you've
got the equivalent Of every cent you
spent" gruf1y responded Lawrence
Ibid /" said Scott quietly, and
picking up the pieces he started from
the saloon. -.
There was something in his manner
that Lawrence. did not like. and TAX
ing the amount he had received from
the mechanic from the drawer, he
threw it noisily on the counter and
| called Scott to come back; but the
latter had reached the door and went
On out.
He proceeded to his home, and meet
Ing his wife he placed the pieces Of
broken bottle in her hand, saying: :,
"There. Betty, I paid seven hundred
dollars for that, and I think you'll
| consider it cheap" 49,.
For a moment Mrs. Scott did not
understand him; but looking at the
pieces of the bottle and ~inhaling the
fumes of the liquor she intuitively
grasped his meaning and with q glad
feeling in her heart she said:
What do you mean, William" p
II mean" said Scott, that for ten
years that bottle has been swallowing
my earnings; but nov I've. boughtit 1t,
and l am going to see if the broken
bottle is not better than the whole
bottle ."-Happy Home.