The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1860-12-04
A STORY or THE WINE CUP.
NY CLARA AaUsrA.

HalIi,ton, at fashionable party whore wine
flowed frecl ly--'young msu put DOWN that
glass! There is death ~ it.
Harry Gordon dropped ,hr crystal g,M t
upon ,he table, started b, the abrupt excla.
, maliou Of the Judgr, and the ruby win tl,w
ed in bught stream ovr the Persian ca'
pet.
Sir, what mean vou? he cried, his face
flushed aud his eye brilliant with excitement.
Il mean, said the Judge camy Grawng
up his noble figure to its full height, Il mean
to Gissountenance, always, in every place, at
every time, and in every available manner,
The use Of intoxicating drinks. My young
friend, you were about to place to your lips
an internal noison You we've doing it gaily
tboughtlessly, careessly. Would you, il you
stood at the very gate Of deaths dominion
would YOU dare, in tho face Of God aud his
angels, quaf the draught which but mo-
ment ago, sparked IN yonler shattered glass +?
would your
The young mans brow grew paler-he
shrauk before the solemn penetration Of the
gaze fixed upon him, and his voice was slight
| Iy unsteady as he poke the single word
! IIowp 2
l ON huhu ~ HIj Illcuu7, stltl tlle OulSt W
the gay company that had been smittcn To
silence by the hidden meaning of bis words
'and you too, Harry Gordon. | have little
story to relate you, which will possess double
interest when tell you what | know to bc
strictly true in every particular.
Thirty five wears age, there re
sided in the township Of Milan a happy fsmi
ly. Thers was a father mother aud three
chldrcu-two boys and girl. The father,
whom | choose to call John Wood, was law.
yer Of high Iepute, man of powerful intel
iect and superior education, His wife was n
beautiful woman, richly gifted by Nature as
well as Art, and well worthy to be the COM
panion Of her husband. SAID they were
happy family--it was true. Peace sat all
day with folded wings by their hearth-stone,
aud happiness was content to abide there con.
tinually.
John Wood stool very high in the cstima.
tion of bis townsmen; and, bythc-by, his
name was heralded abroad for nomination as
Senator from the Milan District He receiv.
ed the support Of his party, and the election
resulted in his elevation to that important Of
fee. 1t would have been difficult for him to
have been otherwise than pleased with til
testimonial of esteem; and his hitherto quiet
house was thrown open for the reception of
political friends. II was fashionable then, as
in some circles Of the present day, for every
table to be freely supplied with wiue--partic-
uiarly if there was company; and it required
a great deal Of moral courage 10 break in up
on the usage. OF course the successful can
didate could not refuse to ''treat" his friends;
and so intoxicating liquors became an every
day luxury upon the dinner table Of John
Wood. AT first he did not sanction this--he
only suffered it--but habit accustoms US TO al!
things, and in time he grew 10 think that
meal very insipid which lacked the crownng
charm of wine.
Having discharged his duties at the Cap
ltal 10 the satisfaction Of his party, he was TO-
elected for tho ensuing term, His talents fit :
ted him for the highest rank in society, and ,
at the gay capital no party was deemed COM
plete without the presence of tho witty and .
accomplished Senator from the Milan District.
lie drank the highly favored champagne |
which was offered him: first, because it wo'd /
rot do to seem "odd," afterwards from pure
love Of it. Wine became necessary to bis ex-
stence, luxurious living had vtiated his tastes
and eneryated both mind and body, and to
prevent reaction and consequent remorse, he
andeavored to cure the disease with the very
cause which had engendered it. How many
others have done the same, until tie Golgjv-
en- intellect has set in blackness and the light
Of life been quenchcd in the eternal night Of
a druukarl's grave
Joha Wood, at tho expiration his term
Of oii,o". came home TO his family a confirm.
ed inyIrlate. Promise after prJmis he had
male to leave forever the tempting poison,
but appetite always triumphed. Tho ser.
peut was too strong for the ssed Of the wo.
man. Friends cntreated hm--temperance
votaries did all in their power to save him
but they produced, at best but a momcntary
feeling Of seli-reproach in the breast Of the
man.
"But John Wood was temporarily stayed
in his downward course by a terrible liscove-
~ which made even his bosottel soul shrink
with horror! His wife--hs beautiful and ac-
wife-hai yielded to the tempta-
ton q the spoiior, and following the example
u her husband, she was fast becoming that
thing Of which no one could speak without
female druukard!
For time John Wood retreated in alright
from the yawning abyss of intomperance
which had opened at his feet; he Stunned the
tavern, aud ahstained from tie daily glass;
his footsteps left the slippery places and took
hold upon tho alamantinc path OF truth
but, alas it was only for timel No geatlo
home Influence to keep him in the light Of the
Temperance Star, but ouly a creature to add
her temptations her example, to the strength
10 tho Wine Demon! lie conld but lily re-
sist the tacination and so they drank togeth.
cr and together they were intoxicated. Their
youngest chiId-wss quieted by her mother
with wine; and one day when the frettulness
Of the babe had tried the mothers patience
beyond It's limits, she poured down the infant
girls throat large quantity Of brandy Ma.
ry was thrown into commissions from which
nothing could save her, and in three hours
the hapless little being was taken home to
heaven!
"The two boys Arthur and William, stood
aloof from tho accursed bane Of their parents
at last, William, tie youngest, got
into the habit of tasting occasionally, out Of
curiosity, he said, when troubled by the ex-
of his brother. BY the mercy Of
ID A al. Ill o |