MR. GURNEY SPEAKS HIS MIND--DEATHS OF DR. DALTON AND AUNT DEBIE.
The antis were wild with joy because of their complete triumph;
and certainly, looking at the result from their standpoint, they
had cause to rejoice, for their victory was far-reaching in its
results. It strengthened the opponents of temperance throughout
our fair Dominion--yes, beyond its bounds--while it certainly had
a depressing effect upon its staunch supporters, for they were
well aware the failure would not be attributed to its true source
--that is, the bitter opposition it had met with from its
unprincipled opponents, the lethargy of many of its pretended
friends, and from other causes which we have already mentioned in
this book. But it would be published "from Dan to Beersheba" that
it had received a fair trial and, after being "weighed in the
balance and found wanting," had been spurned from the county with
contumely by the intelligent electors.
"I told you it would never succeed," said Bottlesby to Mr. Gurney,
just after the repealers had gained their victory. "The fact is,
Mr. Gurney, while every one respects you personally, because they
know you are an honorable and upright citizen, having the best
interests of the public at heart, they think you are a little off
on this matter of total prohibition. I tell you such a law will
never be successful, because people will not stand to have their
private rights invaded in such a manner. No man has a right to
dictate to me what I shall eat or drink; and it is because the
intelligent electors have thus thought, this tyrannical bill has
failed."
Mr. Gurney thoroughly despised the speaker, because he knew he was
a low, cunning knave, and a thorough-paced hypocrite. He was also
aware of the part Bottlesby had taken in opposition to the bill;
that he was one of the chief concoctors of the hellish scheme
which had for the time being proved so successful, and that in
giving the reason he did for its defeat he was simply lying. Mr.
Gurney thought, therefore, he would take advantage, of this
opportunity to "give him a bit of his mind," and lead him to
understand he was not ignorant of the means employed by the rum
party to accomplish their purpose.
"It would probably have been better, Sheriff," he said, "not to
have entered into any discussion in regard to the matter; but as
you have thought fit to do so, and have advanced what you say is
your opinion as to the cause of the failure of this bill, you must
not feel aggrieved if I plainly give you mine. And as I have
listened with patience until you were through, kindly do not
interrupt me. Now, I do not believe, as you say you do"--and Mr.
Gurney laid particular stress upon the _you say_--"that the
Act was a failure because men would not have their private rights
interfered with--though I know there are many who are so selfish
as to be willing to allow thousands to perish rather than practice
a little self-denial; but that is not the reason of its failure.
It failed, sir, because there was a vile conspiracy against it;
and what made the conspiracy successful was, that among the
leading conspirators were officers of the law--the very men
without whose active co-operation it was impossible for it to be
successful. Allow me to illustrate what I mean by an anecdote: A
few years ago there was a gang of desperadoes, who operated in one
of the south-western states. They robbed every one with perfect
impunity for several years, all attempts to capture them proving
abortive, for they seemed, in some mysterious manner, to get
notice of any move made in that direction. But, strange to relate,
the people in that section did not cry for the repeal of the law
against stealing; on the contrary, they determined to vigorously
use the means placed at their disposal until those who had
violated its precepts had received the punishment they merited. At
last one of the desperadoes, having been taken ill and expecting
to die, revealed the secret of their successful evadence of the
law. It was because there were some in league with the outlaws who
were officers of the state, who, being in a position to know,
would warn them when any attempt was to be made to capture them.
Now, sir, this is a case in point; for I have no doubt there has
been a huge conspiracy to defeat the Dunkin Act in this county,
and among the conspirators there have been many whom, forsooth, we
must look upon as the guardians of the law."
"Why, sir," broke in Bottlesby, "there have been among those who
opposed the Act ministers of the gospel, and numerous others,
whose characters are above reproach.
"I admit there have been, and these, no doubt, conscientiously
oppose all coercive measures, but in my opinion, such are
comparatively few in number. The opponents of the Act are
principally those interested in the liquor business, whose craft
is in danger; the great body of their poor, miserable victims,
comprising among their number the vilest elements of society:
designing politicians, who pander to the liquor vote; and the
great mass of the indifferent, who will throw their influence upon
which ever side they are led to believe their interest lies. The
liquor party have appealed to their selfishness; and because this
class is not as rule intelligent, by employing such orators as
Dodger, and by a lavish expenditure of money, they have succeeded
for the present in getting their support--but, I warn you, it is
only for the present. The masses are becoming more enlightened.
With enlightenment there will be broader views of duty--of what
they hold to fellowmen and what to God. They will then be able to
place the proper value upon the shallow sophistries of the paid
demagogues, whose mission is to mislead them.
"I ask you to mention to me one appeal that was made to anything
high or holy by Dodger or either of his confreres the other day.
You cannot do so, because they only appealed to the passions,
prejudices, and selfishness of those whom they were addressing.
You have gained the victory now, and we view it with sorrow,
though not with despair; for we will, by the help of God, pass the
Scott Act in this county, which is, I understand, a more mature
piece of legislation than the Dunkin Act. Its framers, having been
active participants in several temperance campaigns where the
latter has been on trial, have embodied in the new bill what they
have learned by experience and observation; even not failing to
learn something from the rabid and unfair criticisms of their
opponents. We, who have wrought and toiled to drive the liquor
curse out of the country, lose nothing in a pecuniary sense by
your victory--we had a higher purpose in view than our own gain.
It is the poor, miserable inebriates, and their wives and
children, who will suffer; and when the news of your victory was
flashed over our Dominion, it caused sorrow to visit the hearts of
thousands of the purest and best, while a fiendish howl of
exultation went up from every low groggery and brothel that the
tidings reached."
Bottlesby stood like one stunned, as these words of indignation
and scorn flowed from the lips of Mr. Gurney. He made no attempt
to reply, but grew angry as he realized that the latter was well
aware of the active part he had taken in the plots of the rum
party; finally, cursing him as an old fanatic, he walked rapidly
away.
About the time the conversation which we have related occurred,
Dr. Dalton had an interview with Mary Fulton, who had once been
his betrothed bride. She had been visiting some of her friends in
Bayton, and Dalton called to see her, but so absolutely was he the
slave of his appetite as to be under the influence of liquor when
he did so. He begged her to reconsider what he considered her
cruel decision, and to receive him on the same terms as of old;
but she kindly though firmly refused to accede to his request.
With tears in her eyes she told him she loved him yet, and should
never love another; "but," she added, "I cannot place the
slightest reliance upon your word, you have broken it so often;
nor will I ever marry one who is so addicted to drink, as it
would, in the end, involve us both in bitterest misery."
He left her that night in a state of desperation, and she was the
last person who saw him alive. For a short time his absence was
not commented upon, as he frequently absented himself for lengthy
periods from his boarding-place; but as weeks passed away and
there were no tidings of him, the anxiety of his friends became
intense, and advertisments were inserted in the leading papers
asking him to reply, if alive. Receiving no response, a reward was
offered for any information regarding him; but this also proved
futile, and a year passed before they had any idea of his fate.
One day a boy who was gathering wood on the beach, which separated
the bay from the lake, when going into a thick grove of cedar
bushes which grew luxuriantly there, was stricken with horror to
see a ghastly human skull grinning at him. He immediately ran to
Bayton to tell what he had found, and he looked almost half-dead
with fright at his discovery.
Those who went back with him searched and found in the skull the
mark of a pistol ball, and buried in the sand, 'neath the skeleton
fingers, was found a Smith & Wesson revolver. In the side pocket
of his coat his wallet was discovered, with its contents
untouched, and among numerous other articles was a letter
addressed to Charles Dalton.
Thus perished, at the early age of twenty-six, one who possessed a
bright intellect and noble nature, but who had, after being the
source of inexpressible sorrow to his friends, been brought to an
untimely and dishonored grave through the drink curse.
Mary Fulton now dresses in deep mourning, and still remains
faithful to her vow never to marry. She says her heart lies buried
in the grave with Charles Dalton, and her pale, sad face seals the
testimony of her lips.
When Aunt Debie was informed of the doctor's death she said--"Did
I not tell thee, Phoebe, two years ago, when I dreamt of them
plucking the ears of corn, that Dr. Dalton would die before long?
Thee sees it has come troo, and I've never known it to fail. I
wonder if James Gurney would laugh now?"
As the old lady spoke it would be difficult to conjecture which
was the predominant sentiment of her mind--sorrow, because of the
untimely death of Dr. Dalton; or a certain feeling of triumph,
because her predictions had proven correct.
Aunt Debie always claimed credit for her prophetic powers if any
person happened to die of whom she had dreamt; and if they did
not, she asked her auditors just to wait and time would vindicate
her. Of course the old lady was correct in that, for, if they
waited for a sufficient length of time all would die."
"Thee told it as straight as could be," said Phoebe. "I was sartin
it would come troo, for I never knew thee to fail. But what a
blessing it was that his mother died before this terrible deed was
committed." Genuine tears shone in the eyes of Phoebe as she thus
spoke.
"Yes," said Aunt Debie, "God is sometimes like Jacob when he
blessed Joseph's children with crossed hands. We say, at some
visitation of His providence, that seems hard to us, 'Not so,
father;' but He knows where He is placing His hands. It was in
mercy that He took Rebecca that she might not have to bear still
greater sorrows. She is better where she is, and I shall soon be
with her; then these eyes shall no longer be sightless, but shall
be brighter than in youth. O! I long to be where I shall see the
King in His beauty, and the glory and loveliness of the Father's
home; where, these deaf ears being unsealed, I shall hear the
rapturous music of those who surround the throne and swell the
rapturous songs of the redeemed."
Aunt Debie's wish has since been granted, and she has gone to meet
the friends of her youth in the land where they will part no more.