Excuse for Drinking — 431
A lady made her husband a present of a silver drinking cup, with an angel at the bottom; and when she filled it for him he used to drink it to the bottom, and she asked him why he drank every drop. “Because, duckey,” he said, “I long to see the dear little angel.” Upon which she had the angel taken out, and had a devil engraved at the bottom; and he drank it off just the same, and she again asked him the reason. “Why,” replied he, “because I won’t leave the old devil a drop.”
The account comes to us of a young man who attends church regularly, and clasps his hands so tight during praying time that he can’t get them open when the contribution box comes round.