Imperial Valley press., 1914-06-12
THE MANICURE LADY
(BY WILLIAM F. KIRK

AaASAC "N9 q NGiy iCSti NV Ni>' %
up to the house last night visiting
with father, and it was sure treat
to hear him talk of his travels.
guess he has been almost everywhere
/ in the world that is safe to go, and
4 he remembers about everything which
/ he has ever saw" said the Manicure
/ Lady.
"This old gent claims that the hr-
man race is about ready to give whis-
key the gate. He says he bases his
remarks on what he has saw and on
the ideas of lot Of wise old Ikes
that have spoke with him. He says
whiskey is going to go, that the De-
mon Rum is due for an awful kick in
the shins."
81 guess he is right" said the Head
Barber. 81 amt no temperance preach
er, but l feel it in my bones that the
sale of whiskey is coming to a end
before long. And l am glad of it."
81 thought you liked your little nip"
said the Manicure Lady.
Il used to go to it a little" admit
ted the Head Barber, "but the last
year or so have let it alone. / never
was 10 steady drinker of it, anyway
could take a drink or two when /
thought wanted it, or l got along
without it for a week or two and
never thought nothing of it. But since
quit it altogether | feel that muca
better"
Father didn't warm up none to the
prospect" said the Manicure Lady.
"He knew in his heart that his old
pal was telling the truth, but I guess
that the outlook was kind of bleak
and Larren to father. Poor old gent,
he is living mostly in the past these
days He was brought up and lived all
the years of his life among men that
liked their toddy. Some of them went
to it harder than others, but they all
nibbled, and I guess that for the last
forty years father has never went
week without his mornings morning.
He is one man in million at it, |
guess, because he never neglected his
family none that l knew of, and he
was always as kind as a kitten to all
of us, though at times a little more
So"
at would be pretty hard on an old
boy like that not to have a nip when
he thought he needed it." said the
Head Barber.
"Yes," said the Manicure Lady, "but
father looks at it philosophical. He
says that he amt far to go, anyhow,
and if he has to live his last few years
as dry as a fish in the bottom of
boat, he won't complain none, think !
ing of all the good it will do the
younger men to have whiskey where
they can't get tempted by it. The old
gent is a good old sport, and if the
country goes dry before his time he
will grin and bear it, though | have
4 hunch that he will kind of welcome
the grim Reaper"
at wasn't so many years ago that
a man could get a drink of good
liquor" said the Head Barber, "but
the stuff that they are filing bottles
with row and putting whiskey labels
on amt fit to give to a mad dog. It's
plain poison. I don't believe there is
any such thing as pure whiskey
left, and when you think that pure
is bad enough, you can get
some idea Of the damage this new
stuff is doing"
"The old gentleman at our house
last night says that the only thing
for This country to do is. to switch
off onto beer instead of BOOZE" said
the Manicure Lady.
"Maybe So" said the Head Barber,
"and I guess it wouldn't hurt fel-
low rome to switch from that to min
eral water"