The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1869-08-13
LETS HAVE A DRINK. "
II tell you boys I really think
It's almost time to take Il drink
If you belong to Gideon's band"

A.
If you belong to Gideon's band
A correspondent thinks that half the blue
lightning which men put themselves outside
Of, is punished in obedience to the above re.
quest. lie thinks that half the time when
men get drunk against their common sense,
intention, or desire, it is because Of the
above request. He thinks this thing of
"let's have drink is worse than ny.
draulic pump to put whisky in a man and
drive brains out. He thinks nothing in the
world leads so much to the custom of
drinking between drinks" which he assures
rs will "beat the Oldest man. eventually
He confesses to having guzzled good deal
Of whisky in his time, but says thp' take
drink did it all, aud not Himself. lie
sends US the following illustration of how
the thing works with young man on
SINAI. salary, who occasionally "takes a
smile y
You feel in mood for glass. You 60
for it. Meet friend just as you are about
to enter q gin.miIl and you task him in
Enter, and he comes upon group of FIVE or
six of his friends, who have just entered
and are converting for moment. You are
introduced all around by your friend
Where are YOU now? With dollar in your
pocket and Eve or six fellows on your
| hands, {, ly one Of WHOM yon ever saw be.
fore, and morally bound by custom and i'm.
PEELED by false pride you ask them to join
you in social glass. You can't get out of
it they know you came in for liquor, and
as your friend introduced you and didn't in.
v,te, why, you must do the honors, and you
say you are glad to see them IAN Internal
| lie, by the way and ask them up. If you
are known at the bar, all right If not, you
have to borrow of your friend. How's that?
Perhaps some of the party might ask you
some other time, but the chances are that
| they wouldn't know you from baked ap.
pie. 4 most absurd, dead fraud, this task.
ing in connection with liquor. Do we ask,
coaI, prevail on acqusintances to 60 in and
have necktes, gloves or boots with lis
Come in and take a bottle of wine with
me?" men will say, and in you 60. Cs
tAey ever say, Come in and have a hat with
me?' Are you continually urged to eat
things2 DO they ask you to take pocket
knives, lead-pencils, hair.dye, tooth.powder,
paper collars, or umbrellas with them? No;
| this asking" business is confined to liquor.
1t is liquor hberalty, or custom, rather,
that e1tends itself to nc other article, if we
except oysters and cigars, but in these it is
| limited.
Take party of six Germans, who go in
for their lager. They sit down, and each
one drinks what he wants, and pays for what
he drinks. He isn't forced and bantered be-
cause he does not drink more. The same
with Englshmen, Freuchmen, and all other
people on the face of the globe, except
Americans You know how it would be
with six of the latter, did they go in for
lager. There would be thirtysix glasses
drank, or paid for, if not all drank, be,
cause each must task" the others. Humbug!
Folly
Imagine a case like this, did the asking"
business extend beyond the confines of il
quor. Two gentlemen walking up Illinois
street. One is attracted BY fine display
of bottles-no, boots, shoes, etc in Coss'
window "Bob, let's 60 in and Lave some
boots In they 90. take hold, Bob.
What's your fancy" "Thank you Tom,
but I'm not taking boots just now" "Oh,
get in. Take hold. One pair won't hurt
you. ono, excuse me, Tom take some
thing, Bob. Take home pair Of boots for |