The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-07-07
New and Amazing Serial Describes One
Mans Long But Losing Battle
for Freedom

: height of one OF these tantrunls
CHANGED In, and to the ama1e-
ment Of everyone she instantly
Gained down and became contrite.
It was a discovery!
After that I was frequently
called in-the dead of night to
come down and get "Bernice"
auieted. And Ruth -hecoming
more and more respondent. Con-
tinually she talked of suicide, be-
moaning a rnisspent life with moth
ing save misery to look forward
to. did my best to console her,
spending many hours with her.
In addition to this suicide talk
she persistently declared that she
was going to become a dope
fiend," and that I must get her
some of the stuff. Not once but
many times I told her with all
the eloquence at my command
that dope and death were
synonymous, and that to learn 70
use the stuff was tantamount to
getting a thorough reservation In
a chamber of horror car for Hades.
She nevertheless insisted, and /
believe she enjoyed nagging me
about it for the reason that she
interpreted my intense objections
as indicating true and deep re-
gard for her.
Ruth craved fealty, though tenn
peramentally ephemeral herself.
I made a number Of excursions
with her into the country in an
effort to get cheerful. We spent
a weekend at Dipsea; another ut
Boyes Springs. How / evaded
drink I don't know. 1t was avail
able and the proper thing was to
drink. Wherever went.
Yet. wlYen I finally did succumb
to that first drink" was not
in the city, nor with maleficent
companions. 1 was on a trip to
San Jose in the farm wagon with
"Old Charlie" the ranch fore
man, and we had stopped at a
winery on our way back to get
Charles brandy jug filled.
Charlie had habit of taking a
drink in the morning. A jug Of
brandy lasted him several weeks
Drink Again.
But after the jug had been re-
plenished that afternoon the pro-
prietor of the winery began prais-
ing new brandy which he had
been aging for several years, and
cask of which he had just
tapped. He patronizingly offered
us each a glassfuI Of the stuff
and almost without thinking I
quaffed mine.
A few minutes later, beside
Charlie on the wagon seat, the
drink began to take effect. Never
in my life had one drink so COM
pletely taken possession of me.
felt foolish and hilarious, just like
the many baby" drinkers I had
seen and despised. 1t was not
like me- to act that way at all.
Charlie didn't seem to notice my
exhilaration; perhaps he was feel
ing jubilant himself
After we got into the foothills
and were nearing the ranch be.
gan to sag-the effects of the
drink were passing-and I sug-
gested to Charlie that we have a
drink from the jug. He declined,
but he told me to Ego ahead; hit
'er up all you want"
= Within less than a quarter Of
an hour took two big drinks
from the jug, and when we ar
rived at the ranch I. was tipsy.
l sent word up to the ranch
house, making some excuse for
not coming to dinner, and then,
when l felt no one was observing
me, L sneaked off along one Of
the cowpaths and then over to
the hills as fast as l could go,
back to the winery, where ar
rived before dark. I praised the
brandy to the skies and asked IL
l might buy two quarts
A few minutes later l was on
my way back to the ranch, the
two quart bottles wrapped Sc.
curely in my coat.
(TO Be Continued Tomorrow
n