The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1869-06-11

they are withdrawn from the field
like wounded soldiers; and they
feed the appetite at home, till diseas.
es, generated or rendered malignan,
by their habits, cut them oft; and
their old "friends," who used to dine
with them, decently bury them, per.
haps drinking at tho funeral, some.
what as soldiers fire volley over the
grave of a deceased comrade. Hun.
dreds and thousands are thus "dyine
at the top" every year.
THE DRAwISG-RooM
is the grand rendezvous OF the cul-
tivated OF both sexes. Here music
charms, smiles fascinate, conversation
beeuiles, taste arranges all agreeable
things, and good feeling appreciates
the effort. All seek TO please and
most are pleased. Here, too, in very
many cases--and why not in all p
the family Bible is opened, and
thanks are given for blessings re
ccived, and kneeling friends CON-
mend one another's families to the
Lords kindly keeping. In basket
of flowers Cleopatra had the asp
conveyed to her which-yOu may
have seen her in the pTints-she
held TO her bosom, that she might
not survive her overthrow. And
what pity that, upon the refined
enjOyments OF such Il scene, where
all is fitted 10 soften, soOthe, and
make more plastic the yielding na
ture of man, the curtain should fall
in the shape of wines for ladies and
gentlemen. For Sat the last il
bitch like serpent and stinseth
like an adder" But it is pait OF Tie
system. The occasional cigar trains
the smoker; the glass Of WING snow
and then" trains the drunkard.
Alas ! the training often begins
early, as early as the
sCHOOI-ROoM.
The young man can be named who
has sold his horse, and not returned
TO hls home while tic money brought
drink. lie had followed TO the grave
companion who was never drank,
hut constantly drinking. Both had
been the friends OF one who .'was
the only son of his mother, and she
was a widow" whose estates are now
in strangers hands. All three art
dead and gone ia the early prime -
AT the school for gentlemen's sons,
where they were educated, drink was
brought in hy the favor ot Il tipping
usher. IL was doubtless thought
generous to buy it, aud manly to
swallow it, and the poisonous waters
were all the sweeter because stolen.
Boys froiics," you may say, but
the comedy is turned TO horrid trag
edy when the mothers are wringing
their hands over the heirs to their
houses, besotted, ruined, dead
How sad it is that the medical
student should so often feel obliged
to drink Traditions of the thing
float down from generation TO gener-
alton Of students, till young man
gradually concludes that he must do
it or pass for "muff.' No wonder
that a taste thus early acquired, and
habitually INDUCED, should become
a tyrant, and the
CONSULTING ROOM
be profaned-for there is no common
honor about the physicians place
by drink. The busy brain, the bro
ken rest, the weary watch, the over
strained faculties--these form the
excuse and palliation The unguard
ed hours, the gossipping servants,
the unsteady hand, the mistrusting
patient, the envious rival, the ambi-
tious junior hoping to rise on the ru-
in OF the practltioner-these are the
means of disclosing the mischief
which the mischief maker tOndly be
lieves unknown. The diminished
business, the forgotten engagement,
the mismanaged case, the ungracious
manner, the bitter vexation, the vain
struggle to keep up appearances, the
sore disgrace, the poverty, the self
loa:hing and remorse-these are the
bitter fruits, if mercilul death do
not avert the closing misery.
No wonder the medical profession
contributes its quota to the slain,
when that profession which alone is
higher than the medical, has not been
exempt.
THE vEsTRY ROOM
has often its cupboard, and a glass is
often rendered, at least, to a preach
er, ere the words OF the blessing have
passed from his lips. | suppose it
is often tsken-even before preach
ing, sometimes, have heard. Hos
pitabIe and respectable hearers will
repeat the civility in their own dwell
lings, and when the miserable "Rev-
erend' drunkard is SO lost to self
respect that he may be seen at the
bar of the public-house drinking,
they are shocked and ashamed Of
him; and If his church be faithful
enough to deliver congregation
from his worthless ministrations and
corrupting example, they feel them
selveavery good in condemning his
sin and rejoicing over his removal.
THE siCK-RooM.
What. drink hare?" Yes, sir:
the doctor ordered my mistress at
least three glasses OF wine in the day,
and bottle of porter to her din
ner.;' '.Indeed." 'Yes, sir; and
if she feels weak-like, / am TO give
her MORE "And does she feel
weak 2" "Oh, yes, sir, often; she
does be very nervous, and it keeps
her up like So says the valuable
nurse-and Obeys "orders," nothing
10th. Just so; excited, stimulated,
stupefied; and the last breath that
murmurs, "God have mercy On me-"
is foul with the fumes of drink-that
easy, grateful prescription which
soothes pain, and if it precludes
every purer spiritual feeling-if the
smell OF drink destroys the fine
aroma of Christian faith and hope
and ioy, it is ordering som ething,
and it saves trouble. Oh! pity the
feeble women with their little chill
dren that have been cured into Sc
cret drunkenness. Oh! pity the re-
claimed drunkard, that by the "doc-
tors orders" has resumed little
stimulant, and now, like the tiger
that has tasted blood, nothing will
withhold it from him. Oh! pity the