Year: 1871

that he was perfectly miserable
when he could not obtain the means
Of gratifying his thirst. He had
neglected his family till his wife's
father had taken her and her chill
dren to the parental roof He had
spent all his substance for drink,
and was kept from the poor house
only by performing menial services
for his food, and by the kindness of
Thomas Edgarton, a member of the
Society OF Friends, VINO had known
him from his youth and had a
strong hope that in the course of
time Daniel would see his folly and
turn again into the right path. The
leading merchant in the place had
let him have drink as long as his
money lasted, but would trust him
no longer. He was loafering about
the store one bright moonlight eve
ming, pleading with the merchant
to trust him for a drink. His re-
ply was:


''Not a drop more, Daniels


He remained a while longer and
left. AS the cool air of the even
ing fell upon him, he all at once be
gan to give utterance to his feelings
in the following strain:


Not a dropmore, Daniel Am
I drunk, OF am I sober2 1 am So
Der. Not a drop more, Daniel. =
Did Haskins think a drop more
would hurt me? MOI out my mo-
ney was gone. He has got the Bi-
bic my mother gave me. He has
got the shoes my wife bought for
Jennie, and paid for with her own
earnings. Not drop more, Dan
iel.' Daniel, what say you to that2
I say so too. I once had good
clothes, and now have nothing but
rags. Not a drop more, Daniel, till
I have others as good as when Ma
ry and I were married. I had once
a good watch, but that too is gone.
Not a drop more, till I have another
as good as the one I pawned to Has
kins for drink. 1 have seen the
time when I had a nice good horse
and buggy, and could ride into
the village in as good style as any
man in the place. Not a drop more
Daniel, till I own another horse and
buggy as good as I once had. I
once had COWS which furnished my
family with butter and cheese, but
Haskins has got them. Not drop
moro, Daniel, until those COWS, or
others as good, are mine again. I
once had this wallet filed with bills,
but now there is not a cent. Not a
drop more, Daniel, till this Wallets
well filed again"


BY this time he had reached the
place where he had formerly resid-
ed, and he stood and leaned against
the fence, and mused for time in
silence. He viewed the desolatc-
ness of the scene by the light of
the moon; and his eye ranged over
the house and barn once his own,
which had become out of repair
He then said: "Once I owned this
house and farm. Here I was born.
Here my father and mother died.
I was the pride Of their hearts but
/ brought down their gray hairs in
sorrow to the grave. Here I CONF
menced my married life, and all that
heart could wish was mine. Here
Mary and I took comfort till Has
kins came and opened his rum shop
and now he calls it his! In that
south room my children were born,
and here my Jennie died. Oh, how
sorrowfuI she looked when she saw
me take her shoes and start for the
store to pawn them for rum, while
she Law sick. Aud then how she
begged me before she died never to
strike her mother again. 1 can see
her now, her pale face, her wasted
form, but she cannot come to me
again. And oh, my wife how shame
fully have I abused youi 1t was
not your Daniel that did it. No!
it was that vile rum that Haskins
sold me. No wonder you were ta-
ken from me by those who love you,
and not see you abused. They
won't have me in the house. Not a
drop more, Daniel, till the house is
mine again. Not a drop more, Dan
lei, until these broad acres are again
in my possession, and that wife and
children that are living, are in yon-
der rooms, and we are happy fam
flv once more. Not drop more,
Daniel, so help me God, till all
these things are accomplished. !
shall not forget them"


He had become 50 much Ocon-
pied with his thoughts, and spoken



in a tone so loud, that he bad not
heard the wagon which by this time
had reached the road, in which was
seated the kind-hearted Quaker
who has been mentioned. BE stop
ped his horse and heard distinctly
the language which Daniel had
used. As he closed his soliioquy
he turned and saw Thomas Edger-


ton, who said:


! @Daniel, does thee mean to keel