Found in Grandpa’s Closet
Grandpa had his personal closet in the bedroom/family room.
It was between the fireplace and the front door, small and not very deep, with
a wood button to keep it closed. He kept his personal things there: farm
records, keepsakes, deed, and old love letters from grandma, his jacket and
everyday hat.
This bottle was found on the top shelf, high up in a back
corner. It evidently had been there, neglected, for a long time since what
liquid that was left in it had mostly evaporated, leaving a small amount of
thick dark residue.
Grandpa was a teetotaler, abstaining from all alcohol for
its own sake; that was part of the church covenant. But of course, medications
were not part of the total ban, and if a medicine, designated “FOR MAN OR
BEAST”, and as useful “INTERNALLY” or “EXTERNALLY” just happened to have more
alcohol than most whisky you get in the ABC store today, then that was of no
direct concern to a person needing relief from a “spell of the miseries”.
I imagine that very little of the medication was actually
ever used “EXTERNALLY” and that only in the must unusual circumstances was
there a need to waste a drop easing the suffering of any “BEAST”.