Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1868-12-23
STOPS

ICoutrihuted BY g. T. Publishing Go1mittee,l
The train was running at full speed,
when the breakers we're whistled down
and the steam shut Of and the train
brought TO fill stop. The passengers,
anxious to ascertain the cause Of the e4ops
ping, thrust their heads eagerly out Of the
windows and doors only to see painted IA
plain letters upon largo board raised
upon post near the track, STOP
Railroad Crossing-400 feet
How fearfully important IS that little
word stop" painted up there on thas
board. What tales Of sorrow and OF voc
does it suggest. Four hundred feet bs.
yohd and death and destruction through
the terrible n autiiations and nangiings of
the railroad collision, await the husdreds
OF passengers on the train. But thas
little word stop, Up ever the track in big
black letters, warns the engineer that
there is danger just feur hundred feet be-
yond, and he hastily whistles down the
breakers and firmly grasps throttle vaiVe
and shuts off the steam and stops the train.
''Stcp" thus renders doubly safe the hun
dreds Of living, breathing, human beings
ho, if it were not for tnat Ii tie word,
might be lurled, without q moments
warning, from time into eternity.
Oh, that that little word, "stop," were
painted high up ia glittering letters ev-
erywhere within four hundred feet Of
danger. Oh, that It could be ruug in
clarion tones upon the ears Of the thou
sands who, regardless of the tales of sore
row and of woe it is telling, are fast has
ten:ng on to ruin.
If everywhere within four hundred
feet of the Intoxicating cup, Stop
could be sounded sharp and shriIl in the
ears OF the poor inebriate, what remorse
of conscience at high resolves brokeu
again and again would be spared him,
ana o, what untold burdens of misery,
coutumely aud disgrace. would be spared
to lis poor, sorrowing family.
"S1op," we cry to the Eabituai drink
els OF il t,xicating liquors about US,
whether they be moderate or excessive
drnkers Stop, if only long enough fully
to consider the fearful import Of this word
now to you. St p, before tasting ths
next bitter cup, and think whether this
indulgence will at all satisfy your appetite
for that which is destroying you aud re.
ducing your wife and children to misery
and Nant and clothing them in rags and
shame" Stop, and think if this indu!-
gence will not create keener relish and
more unsatistying demand for the nsxt
and the next burning cup. until you shall
have been driven beyond the warning
point and shall be Fastening to the cross
ing with such lightning speed that you
cannot stop IN tire to save yourself from
death and your family from degradation
worse than death Stop before you havs
reached y'ur tctaier haunts of vice and
patlon-stop and take thought to
your ways, and then turn back and re.
trace your steps until you find some more
favored place of resort where you csa. par
take Of true social enjoyment and not be
contaminated by the low. vulgar blcker-
ing aud bestial uproars of drunken, be-.
sott2d crowd. Stop, when invited to
take that within you which drivea reason
out Of you, and respond to the invitation
as did the Rseh 4bites of cid when COM
manded by the Prophet to drink wine:--
''We will drink no wins for Jon. dab
the son of Rsohab. 1oar father, comnaud~
ed US. saying, Ye shall drink no wine.
neither ye, nor your sons, forever"