The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-12-14
Tricks Upon Travellers.
rom The Philadelphia Ledgcr.

From tho Philadelphia Ledger.
The latest device for rObbing fellow
passenger in q railway cur is said to be the
presentation of q druggcd cigNf, the smok.
Ing ofwhich makes tile victim Stupid or
drowsy, and facilitates the riflng Of his
pockets. This may be truth, or it may
be suspicion; or it may be that some ncO'
;phyte in the cloud compelling business
Inns simply found travelling companion,
who affected stronger tobacco than him'
sell. It Is not worth while to go through
tho world suspcCting everybody, but 1t Is
MS well to be on your guard and suspect
yollFsclE Watch that your hAbits OF IN
1ulgencc'dO not lead you to crafty incli'
nation a ut cYerybodys invitation. II
Is not strangers who play. the worst
"tricks upon travellers" Nor nre., all In
vitations 10 Indulge" made with malice
prepense. They are simply the result Of
careless compliance with customs, which
are more hOnOred in the breach than in
the observance, lie who has sense
enough to determine his own proper
course, nerve enough to decline TO be
drawn from it, and selfrOSscssion, frank
ness and politcness enough to decline
without giving offence, need never fear
dragged Cigars nor druggeG pOtatlons.
The "drug" in most cases Is myth; or il
il exist ut all, is in tho stupidity OF the
person who fancies il. A man who has
already smoked his own pockets clean
needs no ''drug1 in the cigar extra; and
the man who cannot drink without stu
pidity needs no "drug" in his potation IL
make him scnseless.
Suspcct-that Is TO say, watch yourself
and you will shave less need to watch
others. The very weakest style Of man
IS one WHO cannot decline any invitation,
of whatever sort, when he knows that
compliance will put him to inconveniehce,
to say no worse. Most men could get
along very well ifthey were let alone. II
Is ones own fault If he is not let alone;
for he has simply TO decline to be interior.
ed with. Why anybody should be afraid
to assert his own right rs to what he shall
eat or what he shall drink-eSpeCially Hs
10 what he shall drink lis one Of the ques'
tons which ought not to be hard TO an.
swer. 1t is simply want Of sGlE.asSer.
ton which weakcns the moral btaminain
every transaction. 1t reduces man 10 the
condition, quantity but strongly called
"do.less." Produce d man who cannot
refuse to take a "drink" which he does
not desire. and you will see one who has
not moral energy enough 70, follow hts
ownjntntions IN anything else.F AS to
the man, Young Of old, who Sh6leS that to
indulge is surelto cause him sickness or
pain, and who yet cannot or will not deny
himseli-the case If that man Is next 70
helpless, and almost unworthy Of pity,
He can only rise above tho condition Of
being abieGt by a determined and resolutc
assertion ,ol himsGlE.5 he must act the
paradox of one who governs his appetite
by conlessing that he cannot govern his
depraved appetitcs. There is n strong
word in our language which has lost its
original adjudication. 9 We say, for in
stance, that It is mortvying Il one cannot
indulge in u social glass" The old
moralists used mONVy in Q better sense
They would urge him To- 'gF0?fVI," that
Is 10 kiR, that inclination, by abstinence
which he cannot. control BY temperance,
Let him do this, and he will be no more
subject to "tricksupon travellers" either
on the railway, or on the city pavement.
Il