Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-02-29
@rpinaI 4apets.
For the Spirit of the Age.
THE STYLUS PAPERS.
BY STYLUS.
PAPER ii.
IIyL,, nnoo N Io,, Dy.inE2
WIN Does a Nan Drink!

In our last paper we asked the question,
"When does a man drink" and we find that
he drinks all the time for anything that
turns up. Now we propose the question,
Why? Every man almost, who turns his
direction to the subject of Temperance, will
fail to answer this. In fact, the drunkard
is a paradox-a greater wonder to some
men than the Egyptian monument, Mr..
Pckwick found at the little inn at Gotham.
Some Of the guzzling species seem to US
an euigmatical sphynx.
A soldier in the ranks of King Alcohol
knows no more about himself than does a
humble bee of the North Pole. When he
marches to battle he don't know who is to
be his enemy, when or where the fight is
to take place, or anything about his arms,
until the deusiye fancies are very unro-
mantically dispelled by the discovery that
bis enemy was "Law and Justice" and that
he had been marching to the "calaboose."
The old King is very wise in the selec-
ton of his soldiers; but at the same time
he is very strict in his requirements-does
not pay anything and treats his men very
shabbily when they are taken prisoners.
Now the question is, why does man
join the army 7 But wait moment, dear
reader, we haven't promised to answer the
question. II instead of that one, "Why
does NOT man drinkg" was asked, any
poor fellow with three graiss " common
sense could answer it. We'll, we propose
to answer this question by facts. We are
very much like Mr.. Gradgrind, and echo
the sentiment-"Stick to facts, sir !"
One man, then, drinks to make fool OF
himself Too much "chain lightning" as
it is well known, accompishes this admira-
bly,. A man knows this, and goes to work
and imbibes enough to make himself the
desired individual. lie does that wilfully,
because he was in his senses before and
knew that it would make him foolish. He
we went off and performed the act-got
drunk and laughed at. Ergo, that man
drank to make himself fool.
Another drinks to ruin his reputation
and credit He knows well enough thai
il he gets drunk no one is going to have
anything to do with him. No fool or half
witted can be trusted how, then, can {
no.witted fellow be trustedl This maj
sees glass of whiskey on his left and
long line Of creditors, (and money enough
to pay them all and he is invited to tax
his choice. He takes the whiskey, and tn
credit goes to sweeten it-and his aim
accomplished.
And thus one man wants to kill fon
and loving wife so be needn't be hun
for tin other words, breaks her hear
Another wants to go about the street dt
pendent on the charities of the world al
other to sbiver in dirty hovel on the sui
urbs and starve or freeze to death anothC
to bring his sons and daughters to ruin :
and ALL, poor, infatuated men, want
damn their souls forever in endless tormen
Some more benevolent men undertak
to say that Intemperance is disease
Well, if it is, nobody wants a remedy.
is very pleasant disease; you couldn
call it disease at all, because it's very e.
sy life to lead, being a drunkard with n
ChiTig- ----y4o, being fed by the municipal al
thorities or the Parish Church. But v
can't be made TO think that it is speci
Of sickness; when man gets drunk
does it wilully. He sees the liquor and
doesn't come to him, but he rushes to
Others say that 1t is temptation whi'
none can withstand. Perhaps this is
more plausible reason than all the rest,
But it is not temptation which NONE CT
withstand, for men have done it and W
continue to do so until there are none
all. Then, poor drunkard, if you consid
it a temptation, have moral courage enou
to cast your shackles from you. That
the remedy, and seize it.
There is another remedy, though. I
Sons Of Temperance, situated upon the +
basis Of "Love, Purity and Fidelity" be-
on you to become one of their circle
They seek to enlarge it until it shall e
brace the whole world--your plea will
be disregarded, but you will be welcom
Come, then, thou poor, tattered, sicker
drunkard, come, for honest men seek
make you honest, and respectable me
bers of society seek to raise you to the
ty position which they occupy.
Don't eyDeci 70 be called a GOOD fell