Holly Springs gazette., 1842-11-11
THE DRUNKARD.S BIBLE.


"aIr President" sad short. stout man,
with good-humored countenance, and a flo
rid complexion. rising as the last speaker
took his seat,-"I have been a tavern-keep-
err
At this announcement there was a move
ment through the whole room and an ex-
preston oil increased interest
Yes Mr.. President" be went on. 81 have
been a tavern-keeper, and many glass have
| sold to you and the Secretary there. and 10
dozens of others that | see here''-e lancing
around upon the company.
"That' fact" broke in the President
"many gin-toddy and brandy-punch have |
taken at your bar. But times are changed
now, and we have begun to carry the war
right into the enemy's camp. And our war
has not been unsuccessful, tor we have taken
prisoner one Of the Ium sellers brayeSt gen
eralsl But 60 on friend W, let US
have your experience
"As to my experience, Mr.. President" ]"
the ex-tavern-keeper resumed, "ln rum-sell-
ing and rum-drinlling-fo ! have done a
good deal of both in my day-that would be
rather too long story 20 tell tonight, and
one that | had much rather forget than re-
late. L. makes me tremble and sick at heart,
whenever l look back on the evil [ have
done | therefore usually look ahead with
the hope of doing some good to my fellow
men.
But there is one incident that | will re-
late For the last five years hard work
ing mechanic, with a wife and several small
children, came regularly, almost every night,
to my tavern and spent the evening in the
\ 4 4
and many a dollar of his hard earnings went
into my Till. At last be became a perfect
sot-wolking scarcely one fourth Of his
time, and spending all be earned IN liquor
His poor wife had TO take IN washing to
support herself and children, while he spent
his lime, and the little he could earn, al my
bar. But his appetite for liquor was SO
strong, that his weeks earnings were usual
ly all gone by Tuesday or "Wednesday, and
then had to chalk up a score against him,
10 be paid off when Saturday night came.
The score gradually increased, until 1t
amounted to three or four dollars. over his
regular Saturday nights pay, when refu-
sed to sell him any more liquor until ii was
settled. On the day after had refused to
sell him, be came in with a neat mourning
breast-pin, enclosing some hair--no doubt. L
thought-ofa deceased relative-This he
offered in payment of what he owed. ac-
cepted it, for the pin | saw at once was
worth double the amount of nay bill [ did
not think, or indeed care about the question,
whether he was the owner or not; wanted
my own and in my selfish eagerness TO get
my own hesitated not TO take little more
than my own.
II laid the breast-pin away. and all things
went on smoothly for while. But he grad
ually got behind again, and again ! cut off
the supply of liquor. This time be brought
me pair of brass andirons, and pair of
brass candlestcks took them and wiped
offthe score against him. At last he brought
a la rge family bible. and / took that too
no doubt, | could sell il for some
thing.
.On the Sunday afterwards. having no.
thing to do--for used to shut up my bar
on Sunday, thinking it was not respectable
to sell liquor on that day--I opened this
poor drunkards family Billie, scarcely
thinking of what | was doing. The FIRST
place that turned to was the family record
There It was stated that on certain day he
had been married to Emily - [ had
known Emily when was young man ve-
ry we'll, and had once though. seriously of
offering myself TO her in marriage. | re-
her happy young face, and sud-
1enlv seemed to hear he tone of her merry
laughter.
Poor creaiurel'' | sighed inveluntarily
as thought Of her present condition crossed
my mind and then with no pleasant feel
inos turned over the next leaf. There was
he record of the birth of four children, The
last had been made recently, and was IN the
mothers hand
Il never had such strange feeling as
now came over me. felt that had no bu-
siness with this book But | tried 10 stife
nv feelings, and turned over several leaves
quickly. | suffercd-my eyes to rest upon
IN open page; these words arrested my at |
entIon:
a.Wine is mocker. strong drink is ra-
,ing;; whose is deceived thereby is mol |
yise.
This was just the subject that under the
ceilings | then had, wished 10 avoid, and SO