The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-06-03

| And do nothing thougntie>Siy.
| Two boys were going down a crowd
ed village street. 1t was on the fourth,
that glorious anniversary Os our ma
tion's Independence. Flags were wav-
! ing, bells were ringing, and cannons
We're echoing their thunder-tones from
earth to sky.
George Allen was spending the day
with his cousin Lee, who resided In the
village. He was all unused To stirring
scenes, and so he entered into the spirit
of the, occasion with careless freedom
and thoughtlassness. Perhaps i ought
not to have said that he entered into
| the spirit of the occasion, but rather in
to the same spirit of reckless pleasure
| which seemed to actuate most Of the
young men and boys on the street
where they were, Drinking and gam
bling saloons were close together there;
and the hot, sickening smell of whisky
or rum swept into their faces Us. they
passed half-drunkeii men.
George Allen was, as have said, but
little used to such scenes. He had seen
drunken men before, but never 50 many
Mt one time under the influences of
liauor. He ought to have been dis
g,isted, and turned away from the
shameful sight, but he was just suffi-
GENTLY thonghtless. and beside himself,
with sort Of crazy don't-care feeling,
that he could laugh at every drunken
speech, and ridicule the poor, pitiful
victims of the cup.
They passed q saloon where liquor
was sold; it was kept i'm shining glass
decanters In the wide windows, where
men would see it and be lured ON TO
their own destruction by its sparkle
and glitter.
"Let,s go in and have drink, like
the rest of folks,u said Georges cousin,
stopping and looking back.
sf I don't care; I'd just as lief as not"
answered George, with a reckless air.
Just in fun, you know"
Just in fun! All me! he had never
taken a glass of Intoxicating liquor i'm
his life, and now, just ~ t,as, was going
to take his first step in the downward
way of drunkenness. L wonder IL he
thought of what that first glass might
lead to? Think not, or he would have
hesitated longt time before taking II.
But they went into the saloon and
called for glass of liquor, each. The
saloon-keeper was very polite, and the
saloon was very tastefully decorated
with pictures and fresh flowers, and
George thought what he had heard Of
such places was far from the truth, for
this seemed very nice indeed He did
not think the path of sin and wicked
ness can be made a pleasant path to
look upon, with thOrns hidden from
sight by flowers of brightest hue.-
They drank the fiery draught set be-
fore them. 1t was not verypieasant to
their taste, yet there was something
about it that fascinated them. just SO
q serpent charms its victims, and holds
him spell-bound till too late!
"How did you like it?' asked
Georges cousin, as they left the saloon.
"First rate" answed George, "and
mean to have some more, too. don't
believe there's any harm i'm taking q
drink now and then.n
All! but now and then" gets to be
" "very often,n after a little. Every
chance is improved to crafty the terri
BILE thirst after the habit gets thoroughly
formed, and it does not take long to
form the habit of intemperance.
Do you want to know what that end
was?
Well, Twill tell you! Last Summer
was i'm that same village. As i was
sitting at the window of the hotel Iar-
lor, saw some men coming up the
street, carrying an insensible person on
a broken door. On inquiry / learned
that the mans name was George AL
len; he had been drinking and got into
q drunken quarrel, and was so terribly
beaten and bruised that he had to be
carried from the saloon in an insensible
condition. Only Just of age, and so far
down i'm the path to destruction! l
sighed when thought of it; and the
next day 1 was told that he was dead.
His injuries were more severe than was
supposed at first, and he had gone out
INTO the Eternal World i'm drunken
sleep! .4l
Just in fun! o boys and girls, be
careful Think of what the conse-
luences may be before you act.-Wes-
ern Rural.