 | Life and sayings of Mrs. Partington and others
of the family |  |
MRS. PARTINGTON AND THE MAINE
LIQUOR BILL.
Mrs. Partington was in the gallery of the House of
Representatives when the Maine liquor law was under
discussion. The member from Cranberry Centre was
very attentive to the old dame, and replied to her questions
concerning the Maine liquor law, and spoke of the
various provisions of the bill. “Provisions?” said the
kind old dame, tapping her box gently, “I never heerd
there was any provisions mentioned in the bill; though
I dare say there is, for Paul used to say that give old
Mr. Tipple a pint of rum, it would be vittals and drink
and house-rent for a week; and I b'lieve it was so, for,
only give him rum enough, he 'd never ask for bread.
I remember, too,” continued the old lady, raising her
voice, as she saw Mr. Batkins about to interrupt her, —
“they used always to put rum and tobacco into their
provision bills, in old times, when they went a fishing,
and I s'pose this putting provisions into the liquor bill is
'bout the same thing.” She looked at Mr. Batkins, and
smiled, as she saw him looking smilingly at her, and they
both smiled at each other.
“The provisions meant, mem,” said the member,
impressively, “are provisions of law.”
“Ah!” replied the old lady, musingly, as she took
the third pinch, and handed the box to Mr. Batkins,
“yes, yes, I 've heerd of folks bein' bread to the law
But” — Here the speaker's mallet attracted
her attention, and she listened to the reading of part of
the liquor bill, watching carefully for the items. “Is
that the liquor bill?” asked she, in an incredulous tone,
of her friend, the member; “is that it?” He assured
her that it was. “Well,” continued she, as she rose to
go, “I must say that I never see a bill made out in that
way afore.”
Mr. Batkins handed her out, and she remarked to
Mr. Verigreen, whom she met on the stairs, that she had
come to hear the liquor bill, and they were reading a
new chapter, that she 'd never read, in the book of
Acts.
| Life and sayings of Mrs. Partington and others
of the family | |