Pint of Rye Found Under Old Saloon, April 17, 19245

Pint of Ancient Vintage Cause of Much Curiosity. . . Removal of One-Time Saloon Uncovers Hiding Place of Flask of Rye Ripe Age of 36 Years

Curios and treasure of great value unearthed in King Tut’s tomb sank down to the level of mere trinkets in the minds of hundreds of people here last Saturday when they beheld a pint flask of rich amber rye whiskey disentombed in the removal of the little one-room frame structure next to the Bank of Lillington. The pint was found resting snugly beneath one of the supporting pillars, down on the bosom of Mother Earth, securely cached away from the greedy lust of the morally stunted—and there is had remained for 36 years!

‘Twas an ordinary flask, and maybe ordinary liquor as it went in the days of the open saloon. A cork stopper, such as the druggist would now use to stop up a bottle of tonic, held the fluid within, and the alcoholic content kept the inner cork in remarkably good state. From without the ravages of time had somewhat frayed the upper edge of the bung. But not a drop of the stuff that Mr. Volstead has outlawed had oozed out.

Mr. Charlie Rich, dean of the Old Inhabitant League, vouches for the age of the pint. In 1888, he states, that little shack was put up for the purpose of retailing strong stimulants. That was in the day of saloons, and there were several in the little town of Lillington. Just how the little souvenir pint came to be hidden away underneath the supporting structure of the building is more than anyone can figure out. But it is the consensus of opinion of all who have viewed it that the liquor was placed there as a dedicatory emblem of the strong support expected from the business carried on within the emporium.

There are folks who say that liquor will not age in glass. That being true, this particular pint is not a day older than it was 36 years ago when it went into hiding. Be that as it may, however, the fact remains that the day of free trade in spiritous merchandise having based out and a new era ushered in, a full-fledged flask of the stuff looks mighty excellent in the eyes of those who have come to realize that “them days have gone forever.” For ‘twas only a little pint, but it attracted more attention than a carload would have drawn in the days of long ago.

Mr. Joel Layton, whose spring vigor has aroused the building fever, began excavation Saturday morning preparatory to erecting a business house next door to the Bank of Lillington. The little liquor shack, which has served various firms engaging in the pressing club and shoe repair business in latter days, stood right in the very path of 1924 progress and it didn’t take Mr. Layton but a short while to set the ancient structure back a length or so. The crowd of curious gazers who had gathered round about soon left the construction work to proceed while they mused upon the days when knighthood was in flower (purposely omitting the k).

Where’s the pint? Oh, it has been duly labeled “pizen” and put some place where it will not be so likely to be spilled and kill the earthworms.

From the front page of the Harnett County News, Lillington, N.C., April 17, 1924