Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-09-15
Pity the Drunkard.

SAN
How difficult it is for the sober and virtu-
Gus citizen, Witnessing the conduct of the fall
len, debased inebriate, to avoid indulging a
feeling of contempt or disgust for him. How
loathsome and revolving is such a sight IF
he be quiet and unofending, lyingin the gut
ter, we pass him quickly, to avoid tine sight
of so disgusting an object. If he Be froliek-
some and clownish, while we laugh at his
folly, we leave him to indulge his pranks for
the merriment of the thoughtless crowd who
love such exhibitions of degradation more
than ourselves. But if he be vicious. iu-tem-
pered and dangerous in moments of i~ntoxica-
ton, we have no mercy for the miserable man.
whose brain is feyered by liquor and demen-
ted. Such a poor creature, should he %
home, raving mad, especially against those he
ought to love most, and beat his halfstarved
e wife and children, We at once CRY out. He
Q is not fit to live! away with him"
{ Such are the feelings ordinarily INDUCED
: towards the poor drunkard. He is reproach-
cd, abused and hated, while the geenteel IL
/ quor-dealer, who sold him the intoxicating
5 beverage is taken by the hand and recorniz-
re ed as good citizen and worthy man. Is
this right? Which Of these two persons
n, most deserve our scorn and contempt Here
e IS a noble, generous man. who began % touch
DC and to taste with his FRIENDS, the tempting
BEVERAGE He never, dreamed fey1Cldins q /.
ie- its control. The hard-hearted liquor seller ,
knew him to be a generous soul and a man
~ OF means. lie witnessed from day to day the
n growing attachment Of his unfortunate Gus
We toner to the intoxicating glass. lie saw that
'Gt his doom was scaled, yet be tempted and led
' ~ him on until the habit was formed and he be-
to came a slave 10 his appetite. Under the plea
ate Of making a living, he gradually secured the
ose property ofh deluded customer until he had
ia beggared his wife and children, and now as 4
Of nuisance he turns or kicks him off. a denen-
an ted sot. Enraged at such treatment the mis-
en cradle drunkard, deranged and frenzied,
hat staggers home and reeks hi svengeance on his
helpless wife and children. Community is
outraged at the conduct Of the poor, d~erangel
~drunkard, but our heartless Iiquor-seller. i
n as treated as a blancless man. What ccnsis
ling, tency! What a shocking estimate is this @
sons human responsibility 4!
The Now, the drunkard is criminal. we admit
look Before he was drawn into the maelstrom. h
debt must have seen the danger and should hay
high avoided it. But after he had gotten iuto il
z or circling folds, what could he do, when tt
/. 4 tempting bait was continually offered him
low a He never intended to 90 so far, but deludc
/ the and led on by appetite and encouraged by Il
the vender of the fatal poison, how could |
they escape? Poor infatuated soul, how much
o be human sympathy does he need. Perhaps
'efne- kind effort to save him might have wreste
with him from the vortex. But Stunned and co
Use an temned on the one hand, and deluded and c
}uain- joled on the other, he persisted, crying, "a
Miss man cared for my soul.'
stars Reader, have you a friend treadinc I
drunkard's path; follow him, CRY after hi
pray for him, speak kindly to him, pity hi
-" peradventure he maylheed YOU at last. If
80 vv fas only begun 10 tSve il, he is i'm tie IA
latters OF the monster. Strive to save him. If
have be down in the gutter, pull him out-if
be as degraded as the beast. still pity hi
draw him off by your sympathies and Xii
ana ness, perhaps you may save him at the 81
post enth hour.