LIKE AN ADDER.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 1515, 15 January 1886, Page 3

LIKE AN ADDER.

A lIOMELT HOMILY. ' Yes,' paid D. K., ' wine is a m kor and etruiio; drink is raging ai Hud Maine as bail a* ever it was, ami nil who are deceived thereby are the ones who voted tor St. John last fa I !.' I remember an instance well when strong drink mocked to the entire satisfaction of myself'. Then; was an old fellow who used to work around the paternal residence. He was a suit ot Jack-of-all-trades, but his chief duty whs to mix mush tor, and otherwise encourage the latest energies of our thoroughbred Jersey ami Ilambletunian stock. His pet hobby and delight was whisky. It was his favourite penchant with sugar. Vou might empty the Heidelberg tun, it it were tidied with water, down Jim's throat and it would not compose him to the extent that two tablespooufuls of ' Scotch' wouid. It' 1 mistake nut, 'Scotch' is the correct geographical term.

' One nay,' continued D. K , ' I came into the house in the middle ot the atternoon. Jt was a beautiful July day, and all the folks had gone out cailmg or shopping, and had lett old Jim m charge. 1 paused a moment in the hall to examine a cast of thai celebrated piece of sculpture, liillN)e defying a cyclone, by Michael Augelo McManus, when a clinking ot glass atiracted my attention. The dining, room door was aj.tr about an inch, and I looked in. it was James, lie brought a cup out of the closet and put in a generous allowance ot sugar. I'neu he went to the kitcheu and got Home hot water. 1 determined to see the outcome of the affair and kept silent. Preeeutly he returned with cue cup and went to the closet ana brougm forth a black buttle. His eyes glistened with a satisfaction and Jo) that is seldom accorded us mortals. He had evidently struck a soft snap, if 1 may be allowed ;> Swiss idiom. Jim held the utck ot the buttle over ttie cup till the latter was tilled, wuen he put it back in the cupboard. 1 refer to the bottle, not the cup. Then, with a smne of fiendish gloe, he raised to his lips the cup which cheers and lava )ou up against a lamp-post during the wee sma' hours. However, he had only swallowed une mouthful of the decoction when the above look of f.g. left h'.s face. He roiled Ins up so tar he could see his brain and some of the gray matter, and then emitted a yell ike an Apache Ji.dian stung to the quick by a harsh word. Scarcely knowing his actions, ho grasped the water pitcher and emptied a quart down his bronchial tube. Tins set mm a coughing, and he turned purple in the face. Fearing an inquest, 1 ran to him and pounded his back tor some seconds It must have been five minutes before I had his life fuilv saved. Carefully examining the mix ture m the cup, 1 saw the cause of the trouble. 1 had been suffering seveiely from a lame back, and made a mixture of alcuhol and red peppers. Jim's nose had deceived him iuto trying it as an internal remedy. It is s.tfe to say that our friend Jim afterwards con-

tiued his debaucheries to other places than the lair of an invalid. We really should not look upon the red pepper when it moveth itself aright, for at last it Btingeth like four dollars a day at a hotel, and biteth like a country cousin at dinner.' Ho saying, D. K. went away, and left tho company to their surging thoughts.