"You don't say! I guess that's what's made his mother so low-spirited all day."
"I kinder think that are wife of hisen don't feel nun tu nice over it nuther, fur she 'pears ruther down in the mouth. I happened fur tu hear her a tellin him this morning, that fur tu drink moderate was genteel, but tu over drink was vulgar. It's my opinion he ain't got a fur-seein woman, or she wouldn't hev preached no sech doctrine as that are. You wouldn't have ketched the Honey a doin of it; she thinks it's all vulgar and wicked tu."
"I think it's a sin to pass it around at them parties, Philip."
"Sartin, Recta; young fellers will get a liking for it, and get ruined in that are way."
"I don't see what makes folks do it when they know it's such dangerous practice."
"'Tween you and me, it's the devil," said Daddy bluntly. "He has allers tempted good folks as well as bad with his pison. He manages somehow fur tu make 'em believe there ain't no harm in it. I should think nobody could help a knowin of it. I heered some women talkin on the steamer, and one of 'em said she knowed a lady what was in the habit of treating gentlemen friends to all sorts of fancy drinks, and she was a real nice lady, tu, and got lots of 'em to attend her church jest by them means. They said it was so popular to drink wine now-a-days, that the best of folks didn't think there was no harm in it."
"That was the common way of thinking when I was young. I remember very clear when the minister used to come here with the judge, and the judge was very apt to go off and have a spree after it. Miss Sherman mourned herself most to death, but when the minister came out strong on the side of temperance and preached and practised, and the judge had signed the pledge, we had different times, I tell you. Them decanters have stood empty on the side board ever since."
"I wish, they were smashed," said Daddy, emphatically.
"So do I," echoed Recta. "I'd like to sarve 'em as the heathen do their idols when they git converted to Christianity."
"Be you a Christian, Recta."