Part 32 (1/2)
An equally venerable brother, who bore the unique title of ”Colonel,”
slowly responded, ”Have to do without, sir, _have to do without;_ not a drop to be had in the county, absolutely not a drop, sir”
The brief silence which followed this announcement was broken by the corroborative testimony of a more youthful associate of sienial and hospitable expression of countenance, sonac
”Yes, sir, the use of spirituous liquors is now only a tradition with us; but I have heard ence in such hospitality was not uncoentlemen”
At the conclusion of still further cumulative testieneral situation reminded me of an incident that occurred in a State far to the north while the ”Maine Laas in operation
A dilapidated-looking pedestrian, with a pack on his back, early one afternoon of a hot July day pulled up in front of the post-office in a s a citizen as just co out with his copy of the _Weekly Tribune_ in hand, he inquired,
”Where can I get a drink?”
”The Maine Law is in force,” was the reply, ”and it is iet a drink in the State”
The heart of the wayfarer sank within hiht here on your streets, for lack of a drink?”
The ”better angel” of the citizen being touched thereat, he replied,
”My friend, I am very sorry for you, but no liquor is ever sold here, except by the apothecary, and then only as a medicine”
Upon further inquiry, the important fact was disclosed that the shop of the apothecary was three-quarters of a mile away, on the left-hand side of the road With an alacrity indicating soathered up his pack, and through the dust and heat at length reached the designated place
Sinking apparently exhausted upon the door-step, he feebly requested theto drink The immediate reply of the apothecary was that the Maine Laas in force, and no spirituous liquors could be sold except upon the prescription of a physician After earnest inquiry, it was ascertained that the nearest doctor's office was one ain betook hi an hour later, in tone ed the apothecary, as he hoped for mercy himself, to let him have a drink Upon inquiry as to whether he had procured the required certificate, he said, ”No, the doctor wouldn't give me any”
The assurance of the apothecary that the case appeared hopeless only added to the distress of the poorlow
Stirred to the depths by the agony of his visitor, the apothecary at length said,
”My friend, I would be glad to help you, but it is impossible for me to let you have a drink of spirituous liquor unless you have a doctor's certificate _or have been snake-bit”_
At the last-estion, the face of the htened, and he eagerly inquired where he could find a snake The now sympathetic man of bottles told him to follow the main road three miles to the forks, and then a few hundred yards to the west, and he would find a sered a few snakes, and by the exercise of a reasonable degree of diligence he et bit,_ and thereby lay the foundation for the desired relief With bundle again in place, and evincing a buoyancy of er for many hours, the traveller resuthened, and the fire-flies were glistening in the distance,
”With a look so piteous in purport, As if he had been loosed out of hell To speak of horrors,”
he re-entered the apothecary's shop, thren his bundle, and in tones suggestive of the agony of lost souls, again begged for a drink
”Did you get snake-bit?” was the feeling inquiry of thereply, _”every snake I ements six months ahead, for all the bites he could furnish!+”_
xxxI REMINISCENCES
A BARBECUE AT THE BLUE SPRING, KY--NOTABLE NATIVES OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD --THE SCHOOLHOUSE CHURCH--SOME OF THE PREACHERS--THE TEACHER OF SINGING--HOW THE SCHOOLMASTER WAS PAID--MANNERS AND DISCIPLINE--THE DEBATING SOCIETY--THE WRITER'S SPEECH TO HIS OLD NEIGHBORS--SOME BOYHOOD FRIENDS
Soon after my nomination for the Vice-Presidency, in 1892, I attended a barbecue at the Blue Spring, a stone's throw from my father's old home in Kentucky This was in the county of Christian, in the southwestern part of the State It is a large and wealthy county, its tobacco product probably exceeding that of any other county in the United States