Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-07-06
What a nother can Do.

The silent al ID insidious approach of the
haolE OF lntem9ean is characteristic so
extremely dangeous as to demand perpetu-
al vigilance. Ths IS especially true in re-
gard to all fanhas and individuals not sol.
emnl y pled ICED tctotal abstinence Notbinr
steals SO lnsensbly upon its votaries. as
. excess IN this ntalizing indulgence. Little
by little, the pec victim is tempted to in
crease the quantity of poison that is secret1z,
consuming his walls, while he remains too
often, wholly unanscious of the. dreadful
chasm that yaWB beneath his feet,
Henry! my Gear Henry''-said q fond
mother to her 30 Of eighteen, whose nale
cheeks and hasgnl eyes, once bloomino and
brilliant, but no1 hollow and dim. eavc bnt
too sad evidencef the formation Of bab;tS
1ttal to nis futile health and happiness
" hat IS the mtter with you? Yon are
not we'll kno you are not. These 1s+o
hours are destrcing you Tell me NV dosr
son, are the frieds with whom Won snond
SO much OF youtime, members Of the Cono
Of Temperance? ''40 ''0'''
A nush OF SHINE spread over the cheeks
Of the lngenuog youth, who. conscious oe
guilt, answeredimidly- mother No.
not that l knoFof. But why do YOU ask
me-" 8\ y" '0A
eo,s.REae,erga Because ss s.fss ,rss,is
1ats III II II associates are not tenn
perance - III E may indulge in drink
Deyona Il lrsltaF prudence, and may even
te'npt you fotollF their example"
=" Yes-' caor but they never get intox-
ic1ted. Nc 3 II ,sEdrink to excess"
$50, .Eot a4finkf Henry, no doubt But
why drink . III, Except when thirsty and
then, why n qehch your thirst with wa
ter? eItS mt ehough, that people who
drink wine, 4 handy, do not get tipsy. L
have sometinf thought that it is easier to
reform the DIT kard than the tippJor. Why?
Because those Who are 0la0ays drinking, and
yet never get funk, are more certain to un-
dermlne their aerVous system, and fall VIC
tins to diseas and death, than those who
are positive i1cbriatcS. 1t is because they
think themselves sober, when they are not,
and appear lr3ensible Of their excess, for the
reason that hey can say they neDor get
drunk! De1tna upon it, Henry, this sober
habit Of drlniing, is the most dangerous OF
all. If you 3ato fallen into it, my dear son,
you cannot 10 soan commence reform" .
''Wen n5ther-I really believe there is
much trulh n what you have said. We all
Of us drink, and perhaps too often"
Nov, ,slrt. dear Henry, youc candor has
relieved me ,f a weight on my heart that !
cannot dccrloe to ycu. | knew you would
not deceive your mother. No one should
ever drink, but when he is thirsty and then
he should dtink water, or some innocent bev-
erage that Queaches thirst, which wine and
brandy do not. You, Henry, have too much
good sense 10 1nakeit necessary that should
explain ca the folly, wickedness and degrad
ation Of tip2lapg. Reflection will enable yor
. to see your own danger and give you resolu
tien to skun the precipice that yawns at your
very feet. see there is a new Society form
cd in our neghborhood, and from what
have read oft in the spirit Of the Age
1very much approve Of it, and think it vii
do great good. [ mean the Sons of TEN
perancc." Promise me, Henry, that you vii
become member, and [ shall no longe
hayelny sleep disturbed by the horrid dream
that often haant me. You have not forgot
ten the unhappy fate ofyour father 2" Her
the eyes ofthe anxious mother overho6 e
| with tears, for her heart was now full, an
| she could no longer restrain her feelings.
Il have not forgotten, dear mother
| have not forgotten it''-cried Henry, as b
attempted TO Keep the tears from filing hi
! eyes. g yo! have not forgotten it, and
viii join the Sons Of Temperance at tne
next meeting. | feel, that my honor ON
! pledqe5 Twill be safe. No man will dar
! ask me to violate nag kO,lOr You has
| saved me, my dear mother-you have save
your only son. now see the dangers thi
beset me"
| God bless you, my dear son; you. hay
/. made me happy; and God will bless ar
prosper you, depend on it.
DRY you tears mother | will drink !