The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-09-16
A Bottle Of Teers.

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A Bottle Of Teers.
80
~Tha following story II vouched for
by Rev. J. B. Cuipepper OF Georgia.
Who received II from . man In vir-
ginis who, said he knew the party and
eonfirmed 1t "a all Of IL features:
Some years ago . noble young
man Of Virginia was happily married
to one Of the most beautiful young
women Of that grand old State. lie
possessed beautiful mansion and a
- mule farm. But q bar was near
his home. The bar-keeper became
his personal friend and In time In.
duced him to drink and gamble. As
the years rolled by his financial in
terest failed until his sole possessions
were reduced to home and q one
mule farm. One night In the gam.
bling saloon Of the bar-room near by,
he was brutality shot to death. After
being buried by some negroes under
an apple tree In his own garden his
wife received the following note from
the bar-keeper:
Dear Madam: This will inform
you that hold mortgage over your
late husbands mule and farm, also
the farm implements. also the house,
hold and kitchen furniture, also your
household goods including trunks,
wardrobe and wearing apparel. As
wish possession. will you do me the
kindness to vacate at once. here
with send man to take charge yr
the premises. the keys. etc., and rep
resent me in all things.
"Signed. --
THE following Is the answer to this
note.
"Sir. you demand the keys. send
them herewith. The one with a .ed
string unlocks my wardrobe. In the
right side you will find my wedding
dress. I never wore II but once. II
Is yours now. by action Of my hus-
band. whom I never disobeyed. In
the folds of that dress. you will find a
small phial, with a few tears I'm II,
the last had to shed. but they are
historical. They stand for the birth
of little birl born under a happy
roof-of fifteen Joyous. girlhood.
schoolday years. OF short sweet
and marriage. to the brav-
est, best man ! ever knew. but for
whiskey. of the day we moved into
this palatial and well-kept home. of
'he--a,as! so short honeymoon spent
here. You will find all of these sweet
sacred pleasures in the bottle of tears.
A change. sharp and sudden. came.
You may read n. sir In the tears I
bequeath to you. They will tell you
OF the first time my husband crossed
your villainous threshold: Of the first
time I detected liquor on his breath,
and Of how he put me gently aside
with shower OF assuring kisses, say
Ing that for my sake. he would never
be brought under the hatefx. effect of
strong drink: Of how he became a
constant trippler; Of the first time his
step was unsteady; OF his rapid de-
cline In housekeeping and home love:
OF the ease with which he would mig
me; Of the first t'r,e he
spoke a cross word to me; of the lirst
oath In my presence You will fnd
Il all the bottle Of tears. sir. You
VIII find there. too. one rainy, wind
shaken. thundcr-b doomed. lightning
torched night. in which 1t looked as IL
the building would be demolished. II
was that storm-shocked night that
our first-born. little Mary, came into
this old whiskey-soaked world. You
VIII also find In the bottle Of tears,
the grsedgored part you played in my
house that night-for while one ply
sician was attending me, In an ad-
Joining room. one stood over my poor
drunken husband. who was the VIC
tim OF imaginary serpents. gorillas and
devils. In reality. ne was only your
victim. But you Will find 1t. sir. in
the bottle OF tears. i saw In the light
ning's glare the storm as 1t toyed with
the shade trees. heard the rain DASH
Ing In fury. against the windows; the
room was Jared by angry thunder.
Bnt louder than thunder. to me.