Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-04-08
THE TEMPERANCE CRUSADE.

Ell Perkins and His UucIe Con-
slider Among the Praying Sisters
of the West.
KANSAS CITY, Mo, March a My
Uncle Consider just came in from the
East-from Illinois and Indiana. left
the silver-haired old man a moment ago
down in the Young Mems Christian As
sociation rooms, where he was polishing
his German,silyer glasses with his red
bandanna and talking to some clergy
man about temperance.
When l asked the old man why he
fingered so long on his way through
Ohio and Indiana, he said:
Waal, Eli, it wuth sorter this way
wanted to KUN, but them thar temp
rance wimmin which ar trav'lin round
among the saloons, they got hold NV me
an I've been crusadin around with
EN-. They wanted me to help EN-
stablsh temp'rance barroons for reli-
gious people an"
"Where-a-bouts, Uncle? | inter
rupted.
"Why, over in Springfield, where Abe
Liakum's monument is. Thar these
wimmin war a processin around in a
great crowd. As they KUN by the depo'
| asked one of the pretty gals whar the
soin society waz. Whear you all cru
sadin to2' sez |.
"'Crusadin' to- sez she, Why, we
amt a crusadin anywhere; eve are a
visitin' saloons-lcker saloons We are
organized to put down whisky. Won't
you jine in, old manY
| told 'er wud Sez / Young wo
man, that S me zackly. I'm jes reddy to
cruise round with pretty, gallus lookin'
gals any time, and, as fur visitin' sa-
looms, I'm jes tome thar, too. I've Wis.
tied dog-on many saloons in my day,
and when it comes to putin down
whisky, young woman. sez l, / s'pose |
kin put down more whiakY-an' hard
cider, an JamakY rum than -
No, mol old man, we want you to
pray in the saloons-pray for the rum
sellers -
"'All right sez l, that's me agin.
I've preyed round all the rumsellers and
into all the saloons in New York, from
Harry Hills to Jerry Thomas for
years an it's jes nothin' but boys play
TO pray round these little country sa-
looms.
"'But who's to furnish the money,
young womanY sez l.
money! old man? Why, this is a
labor of love, sez she, a corring up-a
priceless privilege without money and
without price" an
"'All right sez |. I'm jes suited
now. Preyin' round saloons and put.
tin down whisky without money and
without price jes suits me- Ia-c-k-l y
so? Put me down a life-member.
"And you say it's all free and don't
cost a clint, young woman sez |, hesi-
tatin' like.
"'No, sir, old man. Virtue is its only
reward. Go, and crusade, and humani-
ty will thank you for doin' it-posterity
will heap benedictions upon you-the
great reformers for centuries to come
will riseup an CALL you blessed and -
Nuf sed, young woman, sez l, and
then / jes handed my perlice to the
stage-man and jined in. preyed round
Sc rumsellers and into $50 saloons
putin down whisky and beer and rum
an merlasses in ev'ry one, till lost all
count Of myself or anybody else until
the station house keeper told me about
it the next moFnin'
An now, Eli, said Uncle Consider,
looking over his glasses very mournfully,
eff them thar erusadin' wimmen KUN
round saloons and 'stablish temp rance
bar-rooms you jes don't GO Now, you
mind me. Don't you 60 round singin'
ION Jordan's stormy bank stand"
but you jes stay at home and sing
i want TO be an angel with General
Butler an Zack Chandler an me"
ELI PERKINS.