New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-02-08
ABOGT THE REFORMED DRUNKARDS or
OUR TOWN And ELSEWHERE.

Inc assertion Is often made that the Temperance
Reformation has done nothing for confirmed drunk
ards 1t is said that their habits are as fixed and IN
chanGeabe the spots Of the leopard or the skin of
the Ethiopian That many drunkards apparently re-
formed have gone back TO their old courses il trus
lamertaby true but if the facts in "our town" are
just rule by which to judge the less the enemies Of
Temperance say Of these cases the more honorable
will 1t be for them. Our hquor-seers and iouor.
drinkers have done to our reformed drusksrds mat
what the slavecatchers do to escaped slaves. thew
seek to kidnap them and bind the chains on them
again. We had Of this kind not long ago which
was as exciting could be selected from slavecaoh-
ing annals. We had young mechanic of such extra
ordinary skill in bis business to furnish him with
great run Of customers, who knew that what he did
was well and promptly done. His work was widely
noted in our region, but he had one infrmty inherited
from drunken father and greatly aggravated by his
own indulgence. He always averred that he was
born with the appetite for strong drink and his aver.
ment was fact In childhood his father had learned
him to drink and the rude circle in which he moved
was drinking-school. As apprentice he was re-
strained but not reformed, and before he was % years
old he confirmed drunkard. He became at
tached to young woman Of excellent character and
industrious and economical habits bu. his habit was
uI IIhuperCDie ODJtClOn - ner eyes. lie abandoned
his cups for her sake, opened shop, began
thriving business his own account In this
he was honest, and as he put to interest 500
after another of his earnings he became more strongly
resolved never to drink again. Meantime, his
reformation seemed thorough, that the young
woman consented to be his wife. All went on hap.
PLY for years but during this time his old drink
ing companions tempting him to join them, but
and he had long resisted the temptation that he
supposed himself safe He elected to an Office of
some importance and this led him to the taverns The
destroyer his track, and suddenly it was ru-
mored that A. u. having his sprees again. The
red eyes and sorrowfu looks Of his wife showed that
it was true. He had been tempted to taste a little,
and his old appetite revived into uncomfortable en-
erey The lquorsellers and their pimps sppauded
their victims emancipation from petticoat govern
ment' and pIestcrsft. An influential friend induced
him to abandon his cups more. and everything
again seemed right. His customers returned, his
wife smiled again, and he was happy. seem even
to see his delighted face and to hear his manly
voice, az he was listening to lecture certain
occasion, from that admirable man, DIR. Jewett. And
yet the very next day he entrapped into tavern
and became drunk. He went down with fearful ra.
pdity, but saved his property by deciding it to friend
in trust for his family. This DONE he gave himself
up with frantic and desperate eagernes.. Everybody
expected he would die but by means he has
been led to abandon drink once more, and is again
making money at his trade. But the soul-catchers
hover about him. and it will be no surprising thing if
he falls again.
What is true of him is in many respects true of
scores of other reformed drunk0rds in our town the
last twenty-five years They have been subjected to
running fire every time they venured in the street.
so that they had no chance to try whether no they
could master their diseased appetite for rum.
Occasionally find of such iron resolution
pass through the ordeal safely. Aud it is very
interesting to look at these and notice the effects
of temperance their circumstances. There is
G. D., who desperate drunkard twenty years
ago. lie was al excellent workman, aud when sober
good provident head Of his family but the greater
part of the time he drunk. He had the delirium
tremens several times. Once the poor fellow came to
the Doctors distracted with hideOus sensations, scared
bv phantoms and yet with enough of reason left to
know what would allay his miseries. 1t was in the
middle of the night and be begged for opium. AS
for property, be had none and his family in very
wretched state. At last he signed the pledge, and
no temptation as vet has shaken his resolution. lie
looks even now ike q drunkard, 80 neffaceable are
Since he signed the pledge he has purchased farm,
is out Of debt and has money at interest. His family
an interesting one-has enjoyed good common
school education belong TO religious society and are
greatly respected.
There is +. +. also, who, a few years ago, was
abandoned as hopeless, but noble Temperance man
got hold of his feelings, and kndled his hopes He
signed the pledge, and has broken it, SO much
D., drink oven cider A new animation now no5sesSed
him. and he became head workman in large manu-
factory, in the business of which he had been thor
oughly trained and he lives III his own house, and
has considerable property besides.
c. II. is a reformed drunkard, and although once
desperate case, holds to the integrity of his pledge
with death-grip Fifteen years have suficed to put
him in possession of good farm, which he has paid
for by his own labor.
l. X. is very interesting case. His father was
Revolutionary officer, and commanded troop of light
horse which had great local notoriey in its day
account of its efficiency. For some months Washing
ton was this mans guest. lie honOred after the
war with some honorable civil appointments and was
considered one Of the higher classes His son, H.,
was the most joviel and social fellow alive, full of
ecdote quick at reparee, could sing song, and loved
good cheer" He was the tavorite IN every dashng
spree among the blades of town, whose exploits were
known for long way in every direction He lived IN
the days when pure apple jack could be had, and all
sorts of pure liquor, and though drunkard at TWEEN
tv-,ne he was brilliant, viyacious companion at
foily His stories irresistible as he told them,
and his laugh was hearty that fun to hear it.
He married young lady every way his superior ex-
cept in social position and his family withdrew from
him. He went West, and soon gathered knot a
iollv fellows about him there. He was poor as a