The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1870-03-09
Our Mode of DRINKING

The Courier-Journal discourseth learnedly about
wines, and touches off the American style Of drinking
and getting Vilanously drunk Unfortunately most of
the bloods think it domination vulgar not to get
drunk and in their hearts have very little respect for
the man who does not at times make beast of him
SELF We doubt if the writer of the article in question
be an exception to the rule, and although he depre-
Gates the American mode of guzzing whisky, evidently
thinks it demned fone," to get elegantly drunk on
Tokay, Burgundy, Assmanshauser, Sauterne or Hook.
STILL he gives utterance to some truths, as will be
shown by the appended extracts After asserting that
the very best temperance society which has been
organized in this country the Vinegrowers Associa
ton, be continues
In this country we need to learn hog to drink As
people we are ignorant on this beautiful neart
young bualoes; and we mix our business and our
VITALITY much mix our liquors, that is in the
beastest and most uncvilized fashion What wonder
that tormented by occasional visitatons from
the animal kingdom, and having reduced ourselves to
the level of the brute creation are forced to receive
upon very equal and intimate relation such guests
the monkey, the spider, and the snake? Bar-rooms,
and strapping bar-room counters; fancy drinks; i"
drinking between meals; vagabOndZlng about idle
corners lack of respect both for the liquor the COM
pany, and ourselves lack also of true geniaty which
GOWN anu taxes ltS Tune WIN dfaugnt ana
of cheese and cracker beside; drinking before break
fast; drinking on an empty stomach; drinking out of
season; drinking decocti0ns as strong and fiery as
mustard red pepper; drinking, in short, in thor
oughly coarse, vulgar, senSuOus, ungentemanly un-
christian manner is method of drinking and the
of debaucheres, drunkenness and deviltry.
We burn the lining of digestive organs, That
which drink does not instill itself kindly into
blood, but takes rude hold upon our nerves and in
flames and destroys them. In Europe it is understood
that the very quintessence of inebrous misery-the
condensation aud the curse of the wretChedest awak
ing-the abstract and brief chronicle of that head
aching and heart sickness which from the saddest
of all debauchesis experienced by the gentleman who
has had the misfortune to be overcome and cut down
in his tracks by Champagne. But Champagne is moth
ing tc Whisky; and the trouble with US is that do
not "coo off upon Seltzer but upon cocktails in the
mistaken idea that the hair of the dog good for his
bite" Most of our liquors, too, impure over
charged with alcohol. The habit of mixing them adds
the original imperfection and augments the stimua-
ton. So, all in all, it is no wonder that we are the
most graceorsaken and ungenia drinkers in the world
If you would teach a man temperance show him the
folly Of excess Genality is Indispensable to cviZa-
ton and religion. The American, feeling its need
has sought for in the wrong direction. Tell him he
must not seek it at all and he will REBEL but show him
the right way, put him in it, and he will float along
like gondoIa. He has been rowing YEARLY and
angry through the slough of strong drink, which is
the Slough of Despond-a sewer of bad passions, emp
tying its corruptons in the dismal Dead Sea. There
is river of life and light that flows through the hap
piest part of the world, and its banks bordered
with vineeaves, and its bosom is dotted with pretty
craft The who launches his boat upon that stream
will not have much to fear from the coming of the
tempests, albeit there points be weathered and
craggy promontores to be avoided, and narrows and
shadows to be got through and over, in all streams
But the current is broad and clear; the surface is
smooth the scenery is picturesque and varied. Need
say that ths is the Stream OF Wine-the natural
genius of convvial life and the sturdiest and r
resisble enemy to Alcohol-lght, simple, wholesome
juice of grape, which exists i'll greatest abundance
where there is least noXicaton and is unknown only
to those who given to the brutality of gno-
rance and the lust of merely sensuous guzzling?