The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-09-04
Wisdom from TiitOn.

What do men find al Mataran- at
Pfaff7s or at John Dufiy's that takes them
there? Look curiously in at the open
door many times in going by these favor
ite resorts, and one will see nothing that
seems very inviting-a black walnut
counter, colored glasses, and dark bot
ties, a sawdust floor and stout arm chairs,
walls wiz b fresco borders and theatrical
prints. The charm Is one that can't De
seen. putting aside the question OF hq-
nor. One thing, men have said when
asked to name what drew them there, is
the sociability of the place, its perfect
freedom and equality, for men are all on
a level round q bar. The entire frank
ness of expression l. allowed, and If
il runs into grossness sometimes, yet II
some lines brings ont the best OF men
the freedom does this, mind, not the llq-
uor. One meets good fellows there, who
are happiest and mos; natural away from
the constraints of society, just as women
are most amiable and confidential as
as they meet in each others rooms with
dressing gowns and hair brushes, after
they have escaped from company below
Did the ladies find it irksome TO be po
lite and enchanting? No, but the neg
Iiqe c,,nciave was none the less sweet.
One cannot tell which delights the most,
the effort of society and being at ones
hest. or the luxurious ease of ones cham
her. but we like them both. Such Is the
great charm of drinking saloons TO men
of social temperament. If this idea Is
wrong, they will be only too glad 10
gainsay it.
If soup and coffee are TO counteract
the craving for strong drink, they must
be the best of their kind, that Is, more
than trife better than Is commonly
served at family tables. If the coflee
house is to prove more attractive thaa
drinking saloons, it will have to be
vast improvement on present models
Decent, cheap eating houses OF any SORT
are a boon to the virtuous poor, in sum
mer, no less than winter, though 1t Is
impossible to see why they should be
called charities, when they pay ex-
penses and interest beside. 1t would be
| an Injustice not to have them, that Is
| all. But the coffee house that would
draw men away from the rum-shoP,
must have every charm that the latter
can boast, save one, snd make the place
Of that good with something better, not
in our ed Gated, refined sense, but better
| to the half raw stupid tastes OF the Tel
Iow-men and brothers that pious men
and happy women would fain see there.
There is a power in liquor so Penetra-
ting, so uplifting for brief time, that
il is hopeless to combat the desire for II
except by stimulating agencies that do
its work without its reaction. Food that
supplies the nerves directly viii do this,
sleep and bath and pleasant excitement
will do it, not alone, but taken together
Give men some place where they have
a right, the best right to be, where cor
dial cheer presides, where they may sing
Joke. dance, not with the restraint OF q
moral asylum upon them, but III the
freehold of spirits that make men laugh
and sing in the streets. 1t is not read
ing-rooms that men want, where they
are not allowed to speak above whis-
per, and the rustling Of a paper calls
down the librarians hasty warning, bul
conversation rooms, and singing halls
md wrestling matches, where the esprl
is enough to keep decent order withou
so much as a placard on the wall. Ever,
soul, whether wealthy or workingman
, has n right within limits to be happy il
} its own wav, and good people ought t.
beware how they pass upon those limits
Give the free, impressionabIe roistere
chance to be rollicking and free; give tn
? man his corner where he can snatch tn
+ rest and laugh at his joke. Give TIL
? world amusement of the most genuln
: sort. fun that is not at all instructing o
elevating, but fun pure and simple, tina
sends its potent shock through all tn
nerves, setting them to rights when ou
of sorts, clearing the head and freshen
ing the body and mind better than an
; elixir handed down from the fall. Civ
neople a chance at this, and at some
: thing like broad social fellowship, an
see whether the rum shop can stan
against such attractions. The churc
: should do this work, going out wit
+ hands filled with the good things of tn
, world to tempt men away from poiso
y and husks. The best woods, the be-
music, the drama, all the delights OF Sc
> ciety must be popularized, not demora
u lied, and put in reach of everybody tn
u end. The prohibitory policy does ne
, work, counteracting polish has not bee
Z tried Golden Age.