Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1873-10-20
WHAT ARE you GOING TO DO
ABOUT IT?

uor drinking has come to such pass
in our place that the citizen who has
the welfare of our town at heart-not to
say that of humanity-can no longer
hold an equivocal position. We would
not intimate that this village is a sim
ner above all others in this regard it
is not. On the contrary we believe it
is as free from the vice and crime of
liquor drinking and selling as any other
place Of its size in New England. But
our town can show shocking record of
bright hopes blasted, strong intellects
ruined and abundant wealth squandered,
all attributable directly to liquor drink
ing.
Most of our readers are already famil-
lar with the history of the past week in
our place; how husband and father,
after going home intoxicated many
nights, finally on Friday evening. seized
an ak. and with terrible imprecations,
demolished the Misunderstanding
mirrors, sofa. chairs, and even cooking
stove-while his affrighted wife fed
for her life to nelgbor's, taking with
her the only other occupant of the house,
an invalid daughter, who had been for
many weeks i'll of fever. 1t does not
help the case to know that this family
is intelligent and cultivated, and that
in fleeing from the demon who should
be, and who had sworn to be. their pro-
tector, one life at least was put in jeop.
ardy.
If this was the only case that had oc-
CURED in our town for the last twenty
years. 1t should be enough to cause
every man to set his face and exert his
influence against this Demon Intemper
ance. But this is only one of many.
We know of another instance scarcely
less dreadful: of hard working man
and kind husband and father. Uhen
sober, but when in liquor very demon.
When intoxicated he too is "fell de-
stroyer," and anything that belongs to
his wife he takes especial delight in de-
molishing He tears up her clothing,
chops her sewing machine to pieces with
an ak. and the food which his hard earn.
ings had bought when sober, he takes
out into the yard and tramples in the
dirt. When their last child was born
this father was away on one of his peri
odieal drunken orgies, and the neigh
bors found the wife and mother in Gle
plorable condition.
This is sample of what liquor drink
ing is doing here and not only here
but all over our land.
We might add other cases which mus
be in every ones mind-of active an,
competent business men ; of intelligen
! and promising professional men-wh
: have squandered their substance, dc
, stroyed their intellect, and ruined bot
, body and soul with liquor. We Nigh
add that trio of boys under sixteer
: led by a son of a prominent citizel
!, were found on one side of the ground
n during our late fair, intent over bottl
of whiskey.
: But enough of this. The questio
: which We have put at the head of this a
9 Gle must come directly home to the mine
i and consciences of many persons. Ever
g man has duty in this matter. Sha
the accursed traffic in Intoxicating drinl
i be tolerated. and the long train of evi
? and crimes which it brings thus be e
! couraged, or shall there be such sent
/ ment infused through the community
shall sustain the officers of the law
their efforts to put an end to all th
horrid business ?-S JohnSbaay ca
DOMAIN
l. The UPRISING AGAINST EARLY RIsIN