SURE EVIDENCE.

Evening Post, Volume L, Issue 36, 10 August 1895, Page 2 (Supplement)

SURE EVIDENCE.

A man once came home at two or three o'clock in the morning, and his wife, who was waiting for him and ready to jump on him, finally induced him to say he would sign the pledge. The man meant to keep his word, but he went into a saloon to see a. man, and when he went home at night he stopped at the gate and took out bis night key, thinking he was at the door. His wife saw him and took him into the house, nnd tried to get him to go to bed, but he had what you might call an oratorical "jag," uud she had a hard time over it. But finally, he went to bed and to sleep. When he woke up in the morning hs did not lccollect anything about the " jajf " of the ldght before. He put on a bold front and went downstairs. His wife met him as he cams down, andsaidtohim reproachfully : — " You promised not to drink any more." " And I am happy to inform you that I have kept my promise," said the man, with unblushing effrontery. "George," Baid his wife, "you were very drunk, for you tried to open the gate with your latchkey." " Oh, I think you are mistaken ; this is hyperbole." " And as you came into the parlour you stumbled and neatly fell over a flower in the oarpet on the floor." " This is not true." "And a fly was on the wall, the lost fly of the fall, and you said, pointing to it ; 'I guess X *wiU haDK my coat and hat on- that Lail over there. " You must have been dreaming." "Not at all, for here is a 20 dol. gold piece you gave me yourself to buy a new bonnet with." " I do remember part of that." "And you insisted on seeing your mother-in-law. You wouldn't go to bed before you saw the old lady, and when she came downstairs you put your arms round hei uud said: ' Mother-in-law, you shall nevei leave this house.' " "Did I do that?" "Yes, aU of it." " Then I must have been very drunk." No practical enforcement of the license system will ever sensibly mitigate the evils of intemperance. But let the law inflexibly forbid the sale of alcoholic beverages, and tvery youth ia thereby warned from the cradle that those beverages are harmful and dangerous, and that by drinking them he encourages the violation of the law. It would command the respect of antagonists. — HOBAOE CrBKELBY.