Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1860-01-27
From the New York Evening Post.
A Little Unsteady.

Little Unsteady.
What volumes these words speak 10 those
Who know their true meaning "A little
unsteady" which means (being interpretrfD
now and then taking wine or strong d,iuk
to the roint of being overcome, raying, stu
pid drunk.
Nv hat IS the matter with Frank Il?
! The last time heard of him he was doing
well IN college; li' teachers spoke well Of
him. Now he i ut home again"
! "Oh, he is a little unsteady. He began
with VINE and supper parties, and then his
Jaded stomach craved more stimulus. This
appetite he has indulsed, has grown worse
and worse, broken the hearts of his old pa
rents, and become-'a little unsteady"
There is our friend James M. he mar.
ried, with the brightest prospects. Why
does the wife of year look so pale and
anxious? Because he is "a little unsteady"
With all his pleasant ties at home he will
seek pleasure abroad, because he can there
satisfy the cravings (allay, should have
said) OF depraved appetite. SO he gees
abroad for excitement and his wife grows
pale at home, and his friends mourn, because
he is "a little unsteady"
Bridget is out of place. She is only
cook, and you 90 by reference to inquire
her character. She is an excellent cook.
tidy, neat, reliable. bR she Is "a little un-
steady" 1t is only now and then that she
is overcome, but now and then the charge
is but too true. Exhausted and wearied
with her never-endng work she takes Just
drop. Perhaps the appetite was stimulated
by the odor of cooking, or by portions left
in bottles that had been used upstairs. Her
master and mistress and their friends seem
10 have an easy, happy time in life. and yet
they need the support of a social glass.
Why should not she have it in her tolls p
only, if she happens to be overcome, her
work is not done, her fault is discovered
and she loses her place, because she
drinks
Many woman in high station lies in bed
from sck-headache, and no one dares to
say the same of her, not even to hint that
she is ga little unsteady" It. would not
sound we'll John is coachman, an ex-
celent man, is master of his business, faith
ful as the sun, but he has lost his place.
W hat is the matter? Nothing, except that
he is ga little unsteady" His master has
command of the luxuries of life, but works
hard, and when .jaded with the business of
the day, glass Of wine revives him; or il
friend dimes with him, they take social
glass-always in moderation, nothing more.
They have little temptation.
John knows this. BY the sparkling ras-
light he sees the shining table. the crystal,
the silver, the decan:ers. Poor feilowl
he has no silver, no crystal, no decanters.
not even table to which he can invite q
friend. But with the social principle strong
within him, he invites James into the cor
ner grocery, and they take social glass,
just for good fellowship--only one. II
seems innocent, but the poisonous and fiery
liquor mounts TO the brain and sets the
blood on fire, and they perhaps call for
another to appease the burning thirst
Overcome by this, (and the poisons now in
use make ten fold havoc with the nerves)
he falls into the wild vortex of drunken
ness, neelects his work, drives INTO another
vehicle, and so his sin is discovered. He il
dismissed because he has not self-control,
poor man and cannot resist temptation. His
wife is miserable, lis children suffer, and
all because lie is " a little unsteady"
Visit yonder abode of poverty and mis-
cry; worn and weary woman, hungry.
pining children. my good woman, arc
you a widow? Have you nothing 10 de-
pend upon?" "Oh, no. I'm not widow.
but he is little unsteady. Sometimes
he gets work. and there isn't kinder or
better man when he is sober, but The drink
makes him wildD
You look around on the hopeless desolo-
iaion and murmur, !" SO this is the consc-
quence Of being little unsteady"
Terrible railroad collision. Loss Of
life. No one to blame" The engineer
went with the wreck Of his train. and when
you venture to inquire carefully you will
hear that he was most competent engin-
eer, a faithful. devoted servant of the COM
pany, bm he was little unsteady"
Another ship gone on the rocks Just as
she should have been entering the harbor;
a new fast vessel that seemed almost proof
against the elements There she lies
broken wreck ard all hscause those who
her proved :" a little unsteady"
So il is with merchant, apprentices, clerk.
with workman. laborer, iradcsman Temp
tations multiply; lures are held out Mt ev-
ery corner. displayed on every table
8 Come and learn to be " "a little unsteady
Alas. that the beginning should be made |
Shonld there be the least token of resist
,nee, the sures; of all weapons Is really to
heck it--a sneer.
Ii j. said drinking does more mischief
han formerly; wines are adultrrated. liq-
iors are poisoned, and he fiery ingredients
leisroy lhe brain and burn up the very
powers Of life. They propose inpbriate
,sylums- Il is we'll; bat il Is like building
/ wall TO protect a spot five feet square
when The fiery stream Of lava is spreading
,vcr acres. Is there any hep when the
,nly practicable proposal is met with a
'neer and when il Is thing Of course that
tome must be :" a little unsieady?
ERNEST,