The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1909-08-26
THE DEACON s DAY.
By N. QUAD.

and dignity. He was man always to
be found on the side Of law and order
and charity. The only thing In this
world that troubled him and his good
wife was the fact that they had a
nephew over at Saltville who was a
loud young man. Money had been left
him by an aunt. and he sported. He
not only sported at home. despite the
protests of his widowed mother. but
he came over to Riverton and sported
there. The deacon struggled and strug-
gled with him. but II did no good.
He would drink cocktails. and he would
speed his auto around the town and on
the highways. and finally he was or
dered out Of the deacon's house and
told never to return. Then the sporty
youth began TO study how to get even.
Now. the deacon had n weakness for
sweet cider. though he didn't 70 tell
ing II around. When cider making time
came he carried apples TO the mill and
had one barrel Of cider madr-never
more. The cider would retain its
sweetness for about month. When
It began TO get an edge on IL. IL was
provided with mother and rolled
aside TO become vinegar.
or course this little one 'barreled af-
fair was known 10 the nephew. and
after little thought he saw his way
clear. When the apples and the barrel
had been taken TO the mill he was
ready with his plot. Perhaps he had
the aid Of the owner Of the mill. but
that has never been satisfactorily set
tied. There are thirty-two gallons Of
cider In the average barrel. How many
gallons OF something else went into the
barrel has not yet been solved by Sher-
lock Holmes. II was sufficient no mat
ter what the number.
When fhe deacon went after his bar
rel II was ready Cor him. and never did
a cider barrel look more innocent. Il,
was rolled down cellar to cool and was
not tapped until the afternoon Of the
next day. Then the deacon's wife
went out TO visit neighbor. and he
put spigot In the barrel and drew n
glass 70 frial:. re had been drinking
cider fer tweniy-ihrce years. but never
did cider taste like that before. II had
n peculiar iaSie. u had mn agreeable
TASTE The palate just cried out fof
me- {. The deacon gave II more. lie
was little Bit frightened when he
found himself laughing. for be had not
laughed for sixteen years by the nj.
manac. hut he drew another glass and
slowly slipped II and figured that h.
must have mixed lot OF Seek No Fur
-fher apples In with the pippins. Al
any raie. he wasn't going 70 seek any
further for good Ihing Who cai
tel Just l,uw many GLASSES Of swee;
cider n inan win drink under favorable
conditions: you cant even guess ~ 4
Whea Deacon IIar,lsionc asccuGe,
from the cellar his eyes were shining
and his hair curling. He Put on hi,
hat aud walked ont 10 the rafe. won
dering why hts heels were 10 sprinGy
ard down b. the postoiiice he saw NJ
. auto. II was the one bclongii 9 90 hi
sporty nephew lie walked down Their,
20 give The young man blast: Int. moi
: finding him. he was seized with a sud
den desire 10 take ride all by hi
lonesome. lie had been shown how &
start and stop the machine. Before
!. leaping In he whoopcd. lie didn'
: mean 10 wlinop. hut the whoop scrtel
! wllooped itself. Then he whoopet
!. again as hp started on.
!. The town Of Riverion will never for
:. get that day. In fact. u Is observed u
!, n sort Of holiday under the name o
! ''deacon's day lie put that auto q
!. It's fastest clip and went up and dow
. the four or i've streets. He drov'
everybody within doors. lie immo
!, lated twenty different runaways. IL
! whoopcd NJ the corners. and he whoope'
Ia the middle ~ the blocks Sometime
he whoope. aud swung his hat nj tb
same time.
when this happened the rlachinc q
/, Their grazed tree or took TO the side
walk and cleared or the kerosene bar
rels In front Of the groceries. o
course II was plain that something wa
wrong. and hundred people woul
\ have extended help II they could. bu
;. the trouble was they couldn't.
10 But they stopped the deacon at las
4 They piled dry goods boxes on th
: street and ran him into milliner
s store and captured him. lie was stl
;, whooping. but he didn't fight bac
% when they carried him home and ~
i him 10 he'd. Of course there was SOM
= thing done about II. No deacon ca
n perform that way after so many yeai
4 Of problty without bit Of scandal 70
. lowing lie had to toe the mark befof
y his church. lie was dimly cousciou
70 that he had drunk too much cider. IN
10 be Intended 10 own up like man an
IA ask that the contents Of the barrel
u investigated. lie was saved from thi
~ however. A brother deacon suggeste
!, that he submit his head for medical @
A. animation. and the suggestion was r.
: lowed. A doctor felt OF bis bump
- asked him LOT Of questions and the
i, made medical report 10 the effect:
~ This Is TO certify that have car
fttffx axanfined fnfo tho mental cOud