La Junta tribune., 1914-02-14
QUITTING THE OLD GAME
Ham blythe Records the Joys of Wa
ter WAxOa Travel After Three
Years OF NOn.Alcoi,olic Life

In few minutes II will be three
years since ! have taken drink
There is no more alcohol In my sys-
tenn than there is In glass OF spring
water. The thought of putting alco-
hol into my system is as absent from
my mind as is the thought OF putting
benzine into IL, or gasoline, or tax
ing a swig OF shoe polish II never
occurs to me. The whole thing is
out OF my psychology. My palate
has forgotten how II tastes My stom-
ach has forgotten how II feels. NY
head has forgotten how II exhilar-
ates. The next morning fur has for
saken my tongue. II is all over!
Looking back at the old game from
this little three-year hillock OF ab-
stinence-it is not an eminence like
those occupied by the IL and Is year
boys-looking back at the old game
from this slight elevation. II is per
haps excusabie for man who nut in
sN"'o a. NhV oiu khIit W SET
the old game off against the new
game and make up debit and ere
dit account Just for the fun of 1t.
Just for the fun of IT, My kind OF
drinking was always for the fun OF
it-or the fun that came with II and
out OF It and was In it-and for no
other
souse. All the drinks | took were
for convivial purposes solely. except
on occasional mornings when too
conviyial evening demanded a next
morning conniver In the way of a
cocktail or frappe. or brandy
aud-soda. for purposes OF encourage
ment and to help get the sand out OF
the wheels.
Passing over the physical and men
tai sides OF the fight--which, | may
assure you. were annoying enough To
suit the most eNacting advocate OF
the old policy of mortifying the flesh
and disciplining the mind-ther.
came eventually the necessity OF
learning how to keep In the game on
a water basis-or. rather. OF learn
Ing how TO keep In such portions OF
the game as seemed worth while on
soft drink schedule was too old
to form many new ties. | had ac-
cumulated farflunE line OF drink
Ing men as friends. They were most
ly the men with whom association
was a pleasure-as in politics tn.
Williams are always the good fellows
and l did not want to lose them.
however willing they were to lose
me.
There came. however. with my
mineral water view. y discriminatory
sense that was not enjoyed In the
hikhball period-thai is to say, /
found. viewed with the cold and may.
hap critical eye OF abstinence. that y
number OF those with whom l WAS
wont to associate needed the soften
ing glow radiated by the liquor In
me to make them AS good as had
previously thought they were Their.
were some | found | did not miss,
and more came To the same conclu-
sion about me. They were all right
-1ne'-when seen or heard through
ears and eyes that had been affected
by III. genial eharitableness OF cou-
pie or three cocktails; but when seen
or heard with no adyentitious appli-
anccs on my part save ginger ale
they wsr. rather depressing and
am quite sur. they held the same
Views about me.
and good many sloughed me off.
and n working basis was obtained
At first tried to keep along with
the old crowd. but that was impos-
sible In two ways. never realized
until after | Was ON the water Wa
Kon what .str.r - In piffle I used to
think was witty conversation. and
they discovered speedily that my non
alcoholic communications fitted In
neither with III. spirit nor the spirits
of the occasion.
The crying need Of the society OF
this country II n non alcoholic bcvcr-
age that can be drunk In quantities
similar 10 tn. quantities IN which
highballs can b. drunk. A man who
IL = good. handy drinkcr can lap up
half q dozen hishbails In the course
Of an sv-ning-snd may lap up con.
siderable more that that number and
hold them comfortably: but that man
doss no. exist who can drink half os
that bulk Of water or ginEsr Ne, Or