How a Drunkard feels--an Incident.
‘--A graduate of one of the
Universities of
Great Britain came to me, shaking and trembling. --He said he had "come to me as he would go to a physician." I said, "You must stop drinking." "I can't." "You will die. " "I am afraid I shall, if I give it up; I can't." My wife and two gentlemen were present.
I said, "What good does the drink do you?" "No good." "Why do you drink?" "I must have it." Thinking that, being an educated man, he might give me some ideas.
I asked him: "Will you tell me how you felt before you began to drink, and afterwards?" I shall never forget!
He stood up and said: "All I can say is, I must have it." "Why?" "I feel as if there were insects in my veins!
Oh! it is horrible, horrible!
I touch my coat, I touch my hands, and I jump!
Oh! I shall go mad — mad — mad!
If I could not get it without having a sound tooth torn out of my jaw. bring the instrument and wrench it cut; I must have the drink, you see — so I get it. And then I stand still, that I may not disturb its effect.
That's what I want — I want relief; and I feel it. Quick, quick, now, it sends the blood through my veins; the insects are gone, and I begin to perspire.
Yes, I am better, better!--It's what I want — it's coming — it's coming — it has come to me — relief — like a flash of summer lightning and it has gone, and I get another. ""Then," I said, "you will die." "I am afraid I shall, can you save me!" "Not unless you stop drinking." "I can't die; I haven't offered a prayer to God for sixteen years." " You must give it up." "I can't."-- I said, "God will help you." "No he won't." "I will," said I, "my wife and I will take care of you for four days, if you will, I have just four days to spare for you." We took him, though we could get no promise from him.--We nursed him night and day. The third afternoon he sat with me, his hand in mine, and I spoke to him of God and
Christ and eternity.
He said, "I am a man of some common sense, I believe; and am very well aware that I can never be happy in another world." He then went out and cut his throat from ear to ear. Oh, my friends, shall we not try to save our fellow-men from such a fate?--’
From a Speech of John B. Gough. 
