Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-11-18
AlisfRllauRuug.
Keeping Tavern Down Below

ASSPAAb LdAVAn OOWu n6IOWs
on, SQUIRE BALL AND us TON
In the town of Kingston, and state of
-, there was a tavern-keeper by the
name Of Ball. He was an easy, we'll TODD
sort of man, who had a great longing to be
rich. lie had not always been a publican;
when he started in life he was n farmer and
he still kept his farm and raised most of
the matters from it which he wanted for
family use. AS this farming brought him
IN very little ready money, he took it into
his head to try some other way of adding
to his income.
lie lived on the Corners, near the meet
ing house, and while the store, and the
blacksmith shop, and the post office, and a
dozen other establishments were right there,
they had no tavern. MIR. Ball was tempted
to hang out Il sign, and add to the alluring
words, Entertainment for man and beast"
which was common on a tavern sign in
that part Of the country, signifying that So
Der people and drunkards could both be en-
tertained there.
lie thought there was 40 harm in selling
rum, especially as he was member If the
NANANh ~ hNHb q l(lDlC III Ills OAR, anu
UrTCn talked to his customers of the bless
eduess Of religion, and the value of the
hope Of heaven which he had indulr-
cd in ever since he was a boy. 1t was
Squire Balls custom, (for he was a justice
Of TIE peace, and therefore called the
Squire by every body,) it was his custom,
/ say, 20 close his bar-room at ten o'clock
every night, unless the run of business at
the bar made it e~xpedient to dispense with
the custom but on ordinary occasions he
was wont to shut up at ten, and when all
were gone, be would take his Bible, and
read u chapter, aud then he would kneel
down and pray with so loud a voice that he
could be heard by the neighbors for a con-
siderable distance around so that he was
cure they knew he was a praying man. lie
got a name for this, and as it was known
that he prayed in the bar.room, where he
sold his rum, it was reasonable to infer that
the squire was q very conscientious man in
business. Certainly, he would not pray in
his bar-room, and so loud too unless he
feared God, and meant to keep his com
mandments.
One night there was quite an ARRAY il
the squire's bav-room. Some of his Gus
toners were more than usually excited.
Two nf them were 80 drunk that he pu
them out Of the house, and when the
sought to return he drove them off with hi
horse whip. And those who were not quit
so drunk, were even the most turbulent
They finally proceeded from loud words t
fighting, and one Of them was beaten S
badly that they were obliged to carry hir
home helpless and bleeding.
1t was nearly midnight before the ROOF
was clear, and the landlord had more thiri
for liquor than forthe Bible or prayer, whe
the house was still. He would have gor
off to bed as soon as he had locked up, b
the force Of habit is as strong sometimes
good as evil, and be could not be easy
heart if he should neglect his chapter an
his prayer. So he took down the book, ar
opening it at random, he read the chapt
which contains these words, "No drunkal
shall inherit the kingdom of God" Tn,
seemed to glisteR as he read them, tho
words did. What did they mean
He had begun to think over the drum
ards whom be had known, and who b
died. lie called up their names; he beg
to grow confused in his memory, and
help himself on in the work he had und,
taken, be took down the book of DR.. a
Or, in which he had for years kept a RI
ming account with his ~neighbors. Tht
were many who had once stood in his b
and now they were in eternity. They
died drunkards. And the Bible told b
they had not gone to heaven-they m
be in hell. He looked over the list, 6
asked himself was this man a drunkal
And this man? And Mr.. Ball would
to r~ecollect how tky looked the last ii
they were in his bar; and one after anot
they would come back TO his memory,
soon a whole group of them was Their
horrid group dead drunkards for he
seen them all dead.
And Low, when they rose to his '
they seemed to come from the grave
from hell ; they laughed 6ercely and 81
terribly, and reared as if they were be
let loose They wanted something to DR.