Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1867-07-13
The Men who getteth on q Spree.

Tho following from tho Rich
mond Examiner, may possibly have
some application in This latitude:
There is n class of men ofpcculiar
habits in every community, not
only in the populous city, but in
tho quiet and peaceable country
village, whose hearts are opened to
generous impulses, and whose
minds arc not unfrequcntly endow-
cd with genius, at whom the Phari-
see points the finger of scorn, and
for whose shortcomings and failings
society in general has but little sym
pathy.-We alludo to the habitual
spreer-the man who gotteth up
betimes in tho morning and cock
tailoth and repeateth the dose an
indefinite number of times, until
his brain whirleth, his legs refusoth
their Office, and he sinkcth down on
the soft side of the pavement,
helpless victim to tho wiles of Bour-
bon or ncedlc-gun whiskcy, as the
case may be- .tErka
NJ. Such mon often keep sober for
many weeks, and then, undcr the
influence of the times, fancicd mis-
fortune, or a well-filcd purse, think
they may venture to take one drink.
1t will dispel care, raise the spirits,
and set thom on their feet again.
The drink is taken, and this drink
begotteth another The spirits be
gin to rise, and warm feeling of
prosperity warns up tho heart.
The dovotec to John Barloycorn
has commenced his practice at the
bar in earnest. A party of jolly
fellows como in, and he treats and
is treated in return. His little pile
of currency becomes small by de-
grces and beautifully less" So
long as it lasts, he is generous, and
never lacks for "a friend" to join
him in drink. Finally, his legs
begin to get drunk, but his brain is
clear. He knows what he is about,
and will stop when ho has got G.
nough. Another drink, and an
other, till a search of the innermost
recesses of his pocket fails to bring
to light another dime.
He asks the bar-keepcr for credit.
ave don't do business in that way"
is the ready reply. By this time
he is pretty drunk all over; stag
gers out, and falling into some
friendly door way, sinks into the
arms Of natures sweet restorer,
balmy sleep. Ifhe happens to es-
chpo tho notice Of tho vagrant po-
liceman, he awakens at a late hour
of the night, minus hat and shoes,
which have been taken possession
of by some wayfarer whose necessi-
ties doubtless drove him to tho act.
-Hatless and shocless he goes to
his lodgings, and after a troubled
sleep wakes up with burning
thirst. He has no money, but must
have q drink, and gets it. In fact,
a man must manage, by shrewd en-
gineering, to get a drink when he
can't get anything else.
The experiment of the previous
day are repeated and kept up, per-
haps for a week, when the jolly
chap becomes sick, takes medicine,
secs the folly of his course, makes
marvellous resolutions, and swears
he viii never touch another drop.
And, generally speaking he never
does-until the next time. Upon
the least rising or sinking of the
mercury in the mental thermome-
ter, he is off again, showing that
fair promises, like piecrust, are
easily broken.
There are many young men, of
excellent business qualification, who
will doubtless recognize their own
daguerrotype in the picture we have
drawn. 1t is this class who onght
never to taste a drop. Your old
soakcr can take his regular drains
with noimmcdiatc practicable effect;
but it tells on him in time, and the
mau with the poker gets aiter him,
sooner or later. Bat the young
man who has, acquired the habit Of
sprecing can never drink without
getting drunk, whereby he loses the
confidence Of his employer, pluhges
bis family into the depths of woe,
and finally becomes an Outcast from
society, and the associate of bum
mers and vagabonds. And, having
brought him 10 this level, we close
our brief sermon on the man who
gets on spree.