The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1872-01-06
Bsinging Is IIoIne.

of the pleasaniest. Under the pres
sure of the e Maine Law" so called,
the sale of Intoxicating beverages lat
been for time almost entirely sup
pressed in that section. At length,
however, society relaxed from it
Vigilance. as Though for q rest, and
bottle and Jugs were once more re-
plenislled, though as yet with great
caution and circumspection. In time,
however. the enemy became more
bold, and ouf tavern keeper Of Birch
dale opened his bar. So long as he
had kept his decanters hidden from the
weak ones of the town, and had sold
only to travellers, the people had not
openly demonstrated; hut when he
came to throw the evil open, and
v9nd the TIPPING beverage over Tie
bur to all callers, the better class OF
the villagers were alarmed; and
measures We're taken fer calling 4
meeting of the citizens for the pur-
pose of restraining this violation OF
ihe public veal. The committee who
had the matter in hand called upon
Elisha Task.
Mr.. I's,sk was an entcrprising,
frugal and Industrious man, with a
young and interesting family growing
up about him; and it was the infiu-
ence of such men that the committee
desired to fecare.
~ don't know" said Trsk, shak-
ing his head, when the matter had
been presented to him.
Mr.. Wlioopcr do.en't interfere
with me-"
Whooper was the tavern keeper.
Butt said the committee man,
she is interfering with the good of
our community"
"Tlen let the law take him in
hand" was Trask's rcjoinder.
. think replied the committees
spokesman. - HAT our town should he
a law unto itself in such matters.
This is a question involving our deep
est moral and social interests and if
we are true TO ourselves we ran settle
il without trouble. All we require is
the emphatic expression of our people
against it,"
:" But" suggested Trask, Suppose
you present the expression Of the peo-
pie to Mr.. Whopper, and he still con-
tinues to sell, what them"
"i'heil." said the visitor. " if we
have the majority Of the citizens to
back us. We will stop him by force"
Elisha I'rask shook his head again.
lie couldn't see the use Of pushing
such athing. lie believed temperance
was good thing. and he went in for
it; hut he llida't believe in using any
hash measures. Mr.. Whopper was
an old reYident-he had kept the tav-
crn good many ycars--and he, for
one. did not care to NEEDLE with him.
I'VE know" replied the commit
tee, "that it is not pleasant to inter
ftre in the affairs of our neiglbors ;
but we must remember that the com
mon veal has claims upon us. There
is danger to or Young men in Wh0p-
per's bar. For their sake let us shut
il up"
"I.et those who are in danger look
TO the business, replied Trask. "For
my part, tell you fllnkly. | am not
inclined to NEEDLE with that which
does not concern me. If You have
such a strong desire to protect the
public, why don't you pitch in? As
for me. believe if every man would
look out fer himself, ard take care of
his own affairs, the public at large
would be pretty well cared for. The
fact Is, would do to others just as |
would have others do to me. don't
want other people to interfere with my
business, unless | interfere with theirs.
Mr.. Whopper has never troubled
me.
That is hardly safe philosophy
forapplication tothe affairs ofSociety,"
said the committeeman, seriously.
Mr.. Trask, being weary ofargument.
took refuge in offence, and hmde the
e1,nnittee to 60 about their business.
He wanted nothing to do with the
matter any way. He would look out
for himself, and would advise others
TO do the same.
There were other men in Birchdale
like Mr.. Tlask. They acknowledged
that ,;ppling shop was an evil. but
they did not care TO NEEDLE with it
while It did not interfere with them
personally. They were content TO
imagine that what did not come home
to their own doors did not concern
them.
Aud so the people were not aroused
and Mr.. Whopper's bar remained
open. do not mean th9t he kept a
public bar, just as he might have done
had he been licensed so to do; but he
kept liquor for sale by the glass; and
though the little back room where his
decanteH stood were generally kept
locked, yet the tender of a tclcent bit
by any respectfully behaved individual
was a sufficient Open, sesame.
Time passed on. In the midst of
stirring events five years rolled quick
ly away and the boy of twelve had
grown to be a youth of seventeen.
Such a son had Elisha Trask--a son by
whom he set great store. The boy
was wayward and imptlsive, but he
was frank and truthful and generous
and he was furthermore above the
average in intellectual capacity.
Elisha was aware Of his sons weak
ness, and he strove hard to give him
moral strength. More thin once the
youth hal returned from public
entertainments with an unnatural and
unhealthful flow of spirit in his blood.
Mr.. 1'rask was filled with alarm. He
would rather die than see his son dis
graced.
: Gilbert, he said to his boy, on
one of these occasions. ~ think |
would rather see you brought home
dead, than to see you brought home
drunk ~