The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-17
SOUL OF oUIPS AND cRANKS.
PercsrinatIons Of . Wet Philosophers
Among Dank DryA

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Str. The
Interesting n altogether lunar letters
on prohibition and Its practical workings
In Maine and other New England States
published In THE Sun recall several hap
penings that are personal experiences OF
my own and indicate the Ineffective
ness Of sumptuary legislation in reform
Ing the bibulous habits OF men. To a
man born n bred in New York. where
rum is to be had for the asking and
where 1t Is at times looked upon as
pharisaism to decline a treat they
mad a tincture of rare humor.
During a tramp in Connecticut some
years & I strayed into a town that
had just blown ITSELF to a new Jail.
Though my resources had not reached
a point that made 1t necessary or de-
slrabie l conceived a fancy to spend a
night within Its walls. and with more
perseverance han merit succeeded In
being locked up. The night vas an In
structive study OF the straying habits Of
mat steady little Commonwealth. where
drinking is the objectionable sin. for
most OF the inmates, though sober and
In their right mind while / mixed with
them, were really In limbo for the ami
able concession that their will had made
to their palate. But the real humor OF
the experience did not develop unit
some years later. Being in the same
town i went to the office OF the Jail and
asked to see the keeper over whose re-
iuctance | had prevailed on my previous
visit. l found on being permitted to in
terview him that he was locked up as n
"habitual' on the complaint. as he Bit
terly admitted. OF his damned mother
ln-law." This jail is in a dry town TINT
has the idyllic charm one Is apt TO asso-
slate with Hardy's English villages as
depicted in some OF his Wessex tales.
But the demon rum" Is in a measure
one OF It's guardian angels, for its beauty
Is In part made possible by the con-
tract labor OF these hostages TO Its puri-
tanical sobrIety.
have been refused a bottle OF beer
In a Hartford hotel OF a Sunday night.
but have had the nectar" served 10 Inc
In n tea cup.
Some dozen years ago | was rail-
shooting on the Connecticut River. The
only man / could get TO pilot me was a
deputy sheriff who was the poseessor OF
a good power boat. / think that he
knew every joint on both s!d,s OF the
stream. This was not remarkable In ar
oficer commissioned to enforce the ex-
else laws, but he stopped n drank al
all of them. He told me a story of a
man whom he had "apprehended' for
intoxlcation on whom he found a bottle
OF whiskey. lie paroled his prisoner in
his own custody over night, and next
morning. when they had between them
finished the bottle. he ended the parole
and Jailed his man.
The most concrete personal experience
that | have had OF the uselessness OF
prohib!tory regulation as al aid TO tenn
perance was In Virginia. / had dropped
as a stranger and from the sky on the
railway platform OF the ancient STATE
capital at Williamsburg. Casting around
for n place TO go | accosted a Scotch
man who was the possessOr Of a de-
llghtful hrogue. lie took me to his hotel,
Tor he kept one. and after dinner, "a
show my appreciation Of his fr!endl!.
ness and his nationality, | invited him
TO have a Scotch h.ghball with me. Ills
answer. allowance being made for iny
novice attempt to indicate the vernacu
lar. was Scotch ~haighball2 va cud
ma get aue / tina toor { love ma money
Boot ! ca g!' Va soon. + ! hd' IT W ne
and he tapped his coat 20 Indicate 10
hiding place In the inside pocket. W,
adjourned to the dining room. where vs.
were the sole occupants. and my hos
produced two TASKS. II would be any
thing but ingenious and certainly no
"consonant with a prope recognition OF
hospitality 10 confess that ! went TO bed
sober and at the same time disclose tbs
fact that the genial bou.'lcr. who wa
70 drive me to Yorktown IN 'he morning
delegated the task TO 4 Cul0rod stab
boy. And Williamsburg VAS SO dry
that II was ankle deep in dust!
While drinking that highball my hos
told me a story that will Indicate tn
ineradicable love for stimulant In mer
and the subtle hypOcrlsies 10 which som,
Of them will resort IN an attempt 10 rs
cape the condemnation hat IS supposed
TO be the penalty ~ addiction to its use
The Episcopal convention was beini
held In Richmond and the old Dominion
swarmed with clerEymeu from all oye'
the United States as much bent on pleas
ure as business. As Il was A. the tim,
OF the Jamestown Exposition there wa
great demand for conveyance from VII
liamsburg 10 jamestown and the sur,
rounding points Of interest This thrift
Scotchman ran a stage To on OF thes'
points. The demand for carriages wa
far In excess OF the supply. and tn
Scotchman, with n full vehicle. was ap
preached by n gentleman " the clOtt
who asked transport. When the impos
sibility was made clear 20 him the cler
gyman. who had a fall ovcrcoat over hi
arm. shook 1t impatiently n some
thing dropped from the inside pocket
The Scotchman stopped, picked up tn
dropped article and rendered Il to ~
owner. but he dominic denied that I
was his. My host exhibited his prize Il
me. II was n half pint flask with al
expensive snakeskin cover. down IN,
centre OF one side OF which vas a sli
TO show the extent OF the demand mad,
on It's contents. lie held II up eNult
insly as he exclaimed
;. 1T wur ha' full. an It wur domne'
guide whuskey too" y. Y. e..
NEW York, September 10.