received the discipline of the
post in this town. The person obtained by the High Sheriff to
inflict the punishment, from sympathetick feeling for his
brother culprits, was very tender in dealing out his strokes,
and not adding weight to them, although repeatedly ordered; the
Sheriff, to his honour, took the whip from his hand, by an
application of it to his shoulders drove him from the stage,
and with the assistance of his Deputies inflicted the
punishment of the law on all the culprits. The citizens who
were assembled, complimented the Sheriff with three cheers for
the manly, determined manner in which he executed his duty.

-------------------------

In the "Boston Courier," September, 1825, is an account of the
conviction of a common drunkard at the age of 103! It seems hardly
possible that such a case could have occurred, and in New England,
too. This item is copied from the "Salem Observer." If it is true, it
can hardly be said that the man shortened his days by the use of
liquor. They had, however, good, pure rum in those days.

POLICE COURT. Donald McDonald, a Scotchman reported to be _one
hundred and three years of age_, was brought before the court
yesterday charged with being a common drunkard, of which he had
been convicted once before. Donald stated that he had been in
various battles of the Revolution, had sailed with Paul Jones,
and was at the taking of Quebec. He was found guilty and
sentenced to the House of Correction for three months.

-------------------------

Donald M'Donald, the Scotchman, who has numbered upwards of 110
years, was sent to the House of Industry on Saturday of last
week, in a state of intoxication. He had been suffered to go at
large but four days previous, and during two of them was seen
about our streets a drunken brawler.--_Boston Patriot_, 1829.

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NEW ENGLAND IN 1686.

John Dunton, writing from Boston in 1686 to his friends in England,
quotes some of the Province laws then in force. He says:--

For being drunk they either Whip or impose a Fine of Five
shillings; And yet, notwithstanding this Law, there are several
of them so addicted to it that they begin to doubt whether it be
a Sin or no, and seldom go to Bed without Muddy Brains.

For Cursing and Swearing they bore through the Tongue with a hot
I