The Samaritan, And Total Abstinence Advocate

A NEW ARGUMENT FOR THE USE OF
CIDER.

We called, one day last week, at a store in a neighboring village, to solicit subscriptions for the "Samaritan." While in conversation with several persons who happened to be present, upon the present aspect of the temperance enterprise, an aged Farmer, the owner of a fine, thrifty orchard, dropped in. Upon learning the subject of discourse, the old gentleman broke out in a strain well calculated to evince hatred to our cause- " What !" said he, " do you go against the use of cider. We ought not to disgrace our forefathers so much as that. They set out our orchards for us; and we ought to make use of cider out of respect to them." This is the latest argument for cider drinking that we have heard of. We presume therefore, that it is a new one. A mighty independent old gentleman this, as the sequel will shew.

A few days after the above conversation, the old man loaded up his team with sweet corn, and some other marketable articles, and started for this city. He had not proceeded far, however, before he began to exercise his " right," as he termed it, " to drink wherever and whenever he pleased." He stopped at a rum shop near the shore. Whether he drank or not we cannot say. One thing we do know, that he stopped, having a perfect right to stop and drink if he pleased. He attempted, on leaving to exercise another right which he supposed himself to possess ; that was to follow the shore, instead of coming back upon the high road. Very soon, however, horse, waggon, and driver were precipitated into a creek. The horse and his rider were floundering and scrambling for their lives. But for timely assistance he would have lost, not only two or three bushels of sweet corn, but, his life. Query, did the old gentleman fall into the creek out of respect to his ancestors, or to preserve his independence ?

T.