Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-07-04
Living Pictures

Intemperance is one Of the worst evils that
ever cursed a nation All other vices, taken
in the abstract, are nought to compare With IL
Let a sturdy mechanic whose family subsistb BY
his daily labor, take to tipping and spending
twenty or thirty cents each day At ths Grocery,
and the future course Of that man may be
easily predicted. His habit will SO grow up
on him that he viii take home abottle Of liquor
each night, frequently 10 the place Of prosis-
ions for his family. By-and-by, be becomes .
habitual drunksrd, and in few years the
green grass grows upon his gravel
Those in higher life are generally more
moderate in their drinking. They dripk pa-
rer liquor, imbibe first from habit then from
sociability, and when you see them slipping
through stores and unfrequented alleys 10 get
in At the back door. You may know that they
are getting TO love liquer too well 10 be trus-
ted with It in the dark. They generally take
enormous drinks Of the pure brandy or fine
whiskey, andcount the hours, the slow moving
hours, with anxiety that must elapse between
drinks. They must then hatch up an excuse
for going into the grocery, as In village
man is watched closely in all his movements
Have you seen Ralph Longworth Y says Bob
Short 81 have not" answered BY Islander
ssI exuect he is at McDauieI's grocery. and
shall no there to see hi;H, be promised to pay
me some money this morning and ! must
have it.~ So, in goes Bob, in quest Of Ralph,
who has not been in the village for several
days. Bob is very happy in iinding The coast
clear, and takes two drinks and makes his
exit at the back door, as be hears the voice
Of his uncle calling to him from the front
street.
Another class Of young men who are too
prudent to 90 into groceries in the day time.
q - fo N. af.f n, the forE of
Longbottle's law Office. Now, Longbottleis one
of the cleverest fellows in town. He Is the
only son of q wealthy father and practises law
merely for past time. But the way be loves
good Monongahela and 0tard, IS no body's
business but black Johns who brings in the
willow covered demiiohn, flled with the over
ioyful. every time Mr.. Lcnghottle serds out
his order to Dick Turner'S grocery. an the
Young bucks about town know how to gain ac-
cess to his Office by side door, and when they
are fairly assembled Bill Handy is stationed at
the door to be sort Of tiler for them, with
the promise of the leavings Of the feast At
ter the two first two or three drinks the boys
all get merry and Bill Handy, IN washing
out the glasses has managed to get drunk
before bus time, and actually THINKS he IS ss
good as any man in the house, and refuses 70
wait upon them any longer. By-and-by, the
| fiddle is brought cut and Longbottle dis
courses some Of the sweet music, which the
brandy has mellowed into 'hnked sweetness
long drawn out, and all the boys feet are
set in motion. Whether they all slept with
/ Longworth, or not we have often seen SIX q
them leaving his Office in the morning, not
| forgetting Bill Handy, who was bard to move
from bis place by the door, long alter the
| bells had rung for breakfast.
Drinking becomes so fashionable IN some
small towns, that the most respectable OF the
citizens are not ashamed OF imbibing, when
ever it is convenient. Aiembersof the Church
sturdy farmers, physicians, lawyers and mer
chants, will often walk in and arrange them
selves along the counter and cali Quito uncis
Dick Turner to give them some Of the bes
LIQUOR in the house. 0fcourse. Uncle Dics
obeys in double quick time, and IN order te
keep the crowd in his Grocery, he has beer
known to treat to several bottles OF cnam
payne Uncle Dick, after getting the goot
townsmen nearly drunk, wcald often bring
out some rattle, and upon more occasions
that one, Joe Ligion, a member OF Bethe
Church, took chance and won the 'prize.
What Church do you belong to. Joel' sai'
Blankbook, as he planked up another doila
to fill the pot / belong to Bethel, bat
bows. don't tell upon me- for Gods sake.
would not have brother Dennis to know j
for fifty dollars These are only few o
the many scenes one may witness every day
in the year in a village They become s.
frequent that they cease to be wondered at
| Some of our readers will recognize the scenes
as they are not unnatural nor oyerwroo shts