The women went next morning before Hank was out of bed; as soon as he came in and took his chair, they began with singing and prayer. Pretty soon Otis pretended to be asleep, and snored prodigiously; but they knew he was awfully wide awake. During the whole forenoon they sang, prayed, begged, plead, expostulated, and then sang and prayed again. About noon Otis noticed that they suddenly ceased, and he wondered what was to come next. He opened one eye a little, and saw they were pulling out their luncheons. He groaned in spirit, but comforted himself with the reflection, that he could sit as long as they could stand. Soon they began again with prayer, and after another hour they closed with a song, and saying: "Good afternoon, Mr. Otis; we will come again to-morrow morning," they left him. Hank had nothing to say, for he felt that soon he must give way. But the next morning he was up early, and ready to receive them. They began, and when they came to the part where they said, "we will support your family with our needles; we should be proud and happy to do so, if you will only close your place," he could stand it no longer, and springing to his feet, cried out: "There is one thing I want to know, and that is, how long is this infernal business going to last?" One of the earnest mothers replied: "What God has in reserve for us we can't say, but if He permits us to live, we shall come here every day till this place is closed. Mr. Otis, you think we are joking, that it is a foolish whim of ours; but, sir, we have entered into a solemn vow to struggle against this curse, which threatens to engulf our all, as long as God gives us the breath of life." "Ladies, how long will you give me to stop?" "You will have to take your own time." "Well, in ten days I will stop, and on my honor as a gentleman, I will never begin again, in this town!" "Oh, Mr. Otis," exclaimed one poor sufferer, "don't go on ten days; my poor Sam may become a drunkard in that time; stop now, and God will bless you." "Well, ladies, I will pour out my liquors to-morrow morning at nine o'clock, and that shall be the last of it." The next morning the whole village was there to see; the liquors were brought out with a great flourish, poured into the gutter, and they ran down into the stream below. Although that village was so situated as to be peculiarly exposed to the evils of intemperance, and although this happened many years ago, I believe that not one glass of strong drink has been sold within its precincts, from that day to this. Those brave women have ever stood ready to attack, with their own peculiar weapons, the enemy who would open a pitfall for their sons. Here and there, throughout the country, earnest mothers, wives, sisters and daughters have undertaken to exterminate the neighborhood grog-shops; and while men have constantly failed, these determined women have rarely failed to achieve a complete victory.