The press and standard. [volume] (Walterboro, S.C.) 1890-current, September 23, 1908, Image 2

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* o L W1LLY0U VOTE FOR THIS? OR THIS? A BOTTLE OF TEARS. The following story is vouch ed for by J S Culpepper of Georgia who received it from a man in Virginia who said he knew the Jjarty and confirmed it in all of its features. “Some years ago a noble D man of Virginia was y married to one of the most beautiful young women of that grand old State. He possessed a l»eautiful mansion and a twenty-six mule farm. But a bar was near his home. The bar keeper became his personal friend and in time in duced him to drink and gam ble. As die years rolled by his financial interest failed un til his sole f»ossessions were reduced to a home and a one mule farm. One night in the gambling saloon of the bar room near by, he was brutally shot io death. After being buried by some negroes under an apple tree in his own gar his wif den his wife received the fol lowing note from the bar-keep er. Dear Madam: “This will inform you dial I hold a mort gage over your late husband’s mule and farm, also the farm implements, also the household and kitchen furniture, also your household goods, includ ing trunks, wardrobe and wearing apparel. As I wish possession you will do me the kindness to vacate at once. 1 herewith send a man to take charge of the premises, the keys, etc., and represent me in all things.” Signed The following i$ the answer to this note. t “Sir, you demand the keys. 1 send them herewith. The one with a red string unlocks ray wardrobe. In the right side you will find my wedding dress. 1 never wore it but once. It is yours now, by action of my husband, whom I never disobeyed.- In the folds of that dress, you wiil find a small phial, with a few tears in it, the last I had to shed, but they are historic. They stand for the Wth of a little girl bom under a happy roof—of fifteen joyous, girlhood, school- day years, of a short, sweet courtship and marriage, to the bravest, best man I ever knew but for whiskey, of the day we moved into this, then palatial and well-kept home, of the-— alas! so short honeymoon spent here. You will find all of these sweet, sacred pleasures in the bottle of tears. A change, sharp and sudden came. • Y<N may read it, sir, in the teal? I bequeath you. They will teU you of the fint time my husband crossed your vilfianous threshold; of the first time I detected liquor on his breath, and of how he put ale gendy aade with a showed of Muring kiss-s, saving that ftraqrahC^ ha would never btjbtuqght under the baneful effects of strong drink; of how he became a constant tipplenof the first time his step was un steady; of his rapid decline in home-keeping and home love; of the ease with which he would misunderstand me, of the first time hfc ever spoke a cross word to me; of the first oath in my presence. You will find it all in the bottle of tears, sir. You will find there too, one rainy, wind.shaken, thunder boomed, lightning- torched night, in which it look ed as if the building would be demolished. It was that storm-shocked night that our first-born, little Mary, came into this old whisky.soaked world. You will also find in the bottle or tears, the greed- gored part you played in my house that night—for while one physioian attended me, another, in an adjoining room, stood over my poor drunken husband, who was the victim of imaginary serpents, gorillas and devils. In reality, ne was only your victim. But you will find it, sir, in the bottle of tears. I saw in the lightning’s glare the storm as it toyed with the shade trees, I heard the rain dashing in fury, against the windows; the room was jarred by angry thunder, louder than thunder, to me, were the groans and screams and oaths of my erstwhile noble and manly, but now fal len and cowardly, husband. You will it all, sir, in the bottle of tears. I heard the low strange cry—the advent cry of the baby—a cry which ordinarily fills a mother with joy but which filled me with a new anguish, as I thought of such a fit begining, to a career destined to be one of piercing shame. I at first prayed that we all three might meet death in the storm, which now seem ed to-be urged forward by all the furies of Pandemonium. Then I asked that the little might live and win papa the years next , and few sorrow, laden the coming of the Second girl; of the flight of the luxury, of the desertion of friends; of the absence of visi tors; of the curtailing of ex penses and enforced economy in order to meet your liquor claims; of the loss of my health of other efforts to keep the wolf from the door; of the times I fled, by night, with frightened children, from a rum-crazed husband and father; of a cheerless hearthstone; of a bare table, and the birth of the third child, in the midst of the squal or, to which only a drunkard’s home is familiar; of my vain efforts to keep the children clothed and fed; of the deeper depths into which you pulled my, now helpless, hus band. One night there was ruch a pain in my heart that I cried out. It awo3(e Mary, who came to me and asked what the matter was. I told her that I was in so much pain that I must be d)ing—that she would have to take mamma’s f ilace and care for papa and ittle sisters—that papa was a hopeless drunkard, and that she would soon be the only bread winner. You will in the bolt e of tears, see howjwe your garden, and under your apple tree! Indeed, he was laid on your floor. It is marked with your victim’s blood. Af ter some kind colored friends helped me to shroud him, and while sitting up with his precious remains that night, 1 tried to wash out the stain of blood, thinking I could not bear to look at it and walk over u. But it turns out that it is ur ftoor, on which he who gave you his vast property, his manhood, his family, his very soul, found a cooling board. You will find it all, sir in the bottle of tears. You order me to vacate. I obey. When you read this I will be On my way; down the road east. I take that route, only because it leads me away from you and your den of destruction. I don’t know where I, with my three girls, will spend the night But Jone ; thing f I promise you. Whatever there is in a widow’s wail, or an orphan’s cry, if there really be a God, we will meet you at his judment bar—there to tell, and the truth to say, as to how you came by this home, which we now leave. You will find it all, sir, in the bottle of tears. But' s P ent l hat night Mary and I one back to the path of sobriety from which you for gain, had led him. The next morning, he came and stood uneasily upon his feet looked from bloated eyes upon us, .stooped and kissed me and baby, and vowed he would never dnnk again. J believed him. The peach came back,to my cheek; a girlish lustre kimfled in my eye;a wife’s and mother's pride began to lay plans for life and home—but they were soon dashed and broken for before I was up from that bed, he came home drunk again. My sun went out in sudden, irretrievable midnight; my heavens, if heavens they could be called, became starless, I grew old; my'heart jpetrified. sir, you will find it all and moch more, in the bottle of I need not tell you of in praying and planning; how little Mary took her seat at dawn in the doorway, and watched for her papa’s return; how, with the rising of the sun he came’ staggering up the once flower-bordered, now weed infested, road, how Mary ran down, threw her arms about hei father and said—O my papa! Our mamma came near to death last night. She said I would have to care for you and little sister, too. O my sweet papa, you wont drink any more, will you? With an oath, which might become a demon, he raised his strong arm, and slapped the child—a blow that sent her bleeding and weeping, while he came on to curse and beat me. But you can read it all, sir in the bottle of tears, the only thing I had in my own name and right, to leave you, as a reminder qf what these pos sessions have cost. Oply three roomings ago four of your obedient hench men bore my precious husband homej to me, at break of day and laid him dead cn the floor, and hurried back, I suppose, to the gambling table, over which your victim had just I found some s to dig the t I thought was and we uud him down, uuder his favorite apple tree. I thought to put flowers there in the in the summer and •hells in winter, and teach my girls of how noble he was before he fell into your dutches. But it seems 1 buried him in been shot, friendly n grave—in w my garden, ft There is always the tempta tion for unscrupulous manu facturers of Woolens and Clothing to substitute a cotton “graft” for “all wool.” The makers of the Clothes we sell are the most reputable in the business, and use the utmost care to produce on’y such garments as are sure to give the best of satisfaction. Materials thoroughly tested, tailoring by expert workmen, and every garment carefully examined before leaving the tailor shops. We’d be pleased to have you see the new styles and test the excellent fitting Fall Suits now ready. 61NTSIMB & YISANKA, S, E. Cor.“King and Hasell sts Charleston, S. C HItm, eczema, itch or salt rheum sets jrouciazj, Can’t bear the touco of your clothing. Doan • Ointment cures the most obstinate coses. Why suffer. All druggists sell it. Fifteen Years. j| 220 Students Orangeburg Collegiate Institute, ORANGBURQ, S. C Have you a son or daugh ter whom you know you ought to send oft to school this ses sion, but haven’t quite decided the matter yet? Let us send you our catalogue. Rates are very reasonable. Write \is today. Season opens Sept. 17, 1906 Address Pres. W. S. Peterssa, ORANGEBURG. S. C. C. E. DURANT? Cottagevllle, S. C. Civil Engineer and Land Surveyor—Authorized by Clemson College. Subject to engagements any where at any time. Call or write. 1 Pall and Winter •e 1 I Thursday and Friday, October 8 and 9. «* All the new and latest styles of hats and dress goods will be sho\»rn. You are cordially invited to come to the opening. Remember the date—Thursday and Friday. Oct. S and 9. I MRS. W. A. BLACK I THE LADIES STORE. 1 Let Kodol Digest What You Eat Then You Can Eat What You Like. You oeee could eat anything you wanted, and your stomach would digest it.. But now there’s some things which your stomach won’t digest. Your stomach absolutely refuses to aooom- asodate you when you set certain food—so you hare been forced by your stomach to eat food which vou de tested, and pass up those delicacies that you would hare really enjoyed. There is now a way to eat any thing you like, 1 if you will let Kodol digest it. Kodol will do this, too. It won't talk back or command, but will go right ahead with its work and digest all the food you eat. Kodol wilt let you eat an▼ thing you like. ‘ will do exactly what your does, when your stomadh is Kodol stomach does, wtten r well and strong, and more, when It Is tired or out of order. Kodol is composed of exactly the seme juices am found in a healthy stomach, and therefore will do the same work as the stomach, when It is well and strong—the only difference is, Kodol never gets tired—and Kodol la the ml v digest ant today, that wig digest all food and do it as com pletely , as a strong, healthy stomach. Get a !>ottle now and hare it ready to help :• our stomach at times when you need an assistant. Kodol la ah the nearest drug store. Our Guarnatec mMf. 0MtMM of tkaSKUFMW. JxSfeas a be wfl] reread veer ssooef without aaae- _ to bet'dao la a Kodol is prepared at the labora- £ DeWitt A Co. .Chicago, torieaof E.! / For sale by^Walterboro Drug Company. At Hyrne’s Store Another lot of Seasonable dry goods, Just in. 1 Hives. von ereey. Cen'l ‘hear the the meet ofcrttealo AUdMlfllenilit. Why (K WOlltS MEATEST SEWING MACNIIE K3HT RUNNING Kennedy’s laxative Cough Syrai COVTAOTS SORT AKD TAB Relieves Colds hf ■>«« want either a Vlbratta* Shuttle. Rotary Mottle or a Single Thrwul fCJujm Aruc-A] Sewing Machine write to Children Like I Nr BMUOR-VCM OMHI In hMtfNb—tanMl John M. Klein, Druggist. ni siw saw skwiss ■ acnui mmpaiv Mudec Mctiiec* an made to n't *eraHte«« of but tbe Xew H—O U to w&u Our suanetr uenr ruat out. NOffiD (ME HENRY NELSON SNIDER. A. UTT.I n LL •0 VRAM* e Patents pinuDENT. Nine Departments; Library 1 Librarian; Gymnasium under cc K itent Director; Athletic Groun ext Session begins Sept. 16. I Catalogue address J. A. GAMEWELL, Sec*] Spartanburg, S. PAT ENT n M m LASNOW