Middletown transcript., 1912-09-28
THE STORY OF A VOTE

In little village in the state OF Mime
sofa, lived young couple happy and con-
tent, until the husband who had always
taken "a social glass; began to freqvent
the saloons until he became a common
drunkard. The wife toiled on patiently
hoping for better day. She finally per
suaded her husband to move away from
ths every day temptations to a town
where there were no saloons. Here they
began life anew. Mr.. N.-Was a bright
business man, of kind social disposition
making many friends and providing we'll
for bis wife and two children, girl and
boy.
After living thus, in peace and comfort
for some time, came day when the citi-
zens of this quiet little town faced the
'kigh license question. A shudder ran
through the young Woman's frrme as she
heard the news, for knowing as she did
her husbands weak point, she feared
again the lot of drunkard's wife. The
next day she spent talking with her
neighbors, revealing the story of her past
telling her own experiences in a saloon
town and asking every woman to use her
influence to prevent the sale Of liquor in
their town.
Election day over and votes counted it
was found that the cause for which she
so faithfully worked had lost by one vote
The poor woman cried in bitter disap-
pointment, "Why did that good man
cast that voter (She said good man as
many a man will either vote to get the
license money to uphold the town, or not
vote tall thinking, my vote don't count
for much.")
In short time saloons sprang up on
one side of the street. She got her hus-
bands promise that be would alWaps walk
on the other side of the street to and from
work, thinking perhaps it would save him
and for time it did. One evening, how
ever, he was detained at his Office till |
quite late and thought he'd take the |
short route via ''saloon street" home. In |
the doorway of the saloons stood friends
and acquaintances who called to him in |
merry tones, 'fCome. have a good time" /
or lust have drink" Their was mirth /
and laughter and the tempting beverage
within and like thousands before him. he /
was temp ed and he fell. From this dav
on he sank rapidly till be became social |
outcast, despised drunkard. His patient
wife turned to her wash tub for support.
One morning after having spent a
drunkard's night on the floor in q back
room of a saloon. his face spotted with
blood marks received in fight be came
home to find the house empty, The
mother had gone to work as usual, and
on leaving the house he saw his children
at play by the lakeshore. He was very
fond of his son and walking towards the
children he called to the little fellow to
Rome to him. The child looked up and
seeing his drunken fathers swollen bloody
lace, became frightened and ran aWay.
This SO aroused the demon within him
that he pursued the fleeing child and
catching him, held him beneath the suT-
ace of the water till lifeless. The little
.irl screamed in terror, people came to the
eene and the man was arrested. He is
% this day serving life sentence in the
Minnesota State Penitentiary.
The mother on learning of the fathers
Iced screamed in agony. ''Why did that {
.ood man Sast that vote?" She lost her
eason and is now raVing maniac in one
II the insane asyluNs of the same state, !
where she from morning until evening /
lay after day, screams until her voice Is
'one, why did that good man cast that
'ote2' {
P. S.-This story is not fiction, but 4
acts, and as near as can remember is as
old by one of the members of the North
Dakota State Enforcement League. +
SALLY ANN q