East of Eden

p. 49

“Liza [Hamilton] hated alcoholic liquors with an iron zeal . . . ‘Would you go to the House of God with liquor on your breath? You would not!’ she said. When Liza was about seventy her elimination slowed up and her doctor told her to take a tablespoon of port wine for medicine. She forced down the first spoonful, making a crooked face, but it was not so bad. And from that moment she never drew a completely sober breath. She always took the wine in a tablespoon, it was always medicine, but after a time she was doing over a quart a day and she was a much more relaxed and happy woman.”