Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1874-03-28
"TOO LATE ~
A Temperance story.

There was a sensation in Glenwild,
A temperance lecturer had been there.
He had spoken to the people on the evil
of intemperance, and God knows there
was need of it. He had spoken no.
bly, and well. He had spoken as one
who knew of what he was speaking. He
had been drunkard once, and friend
ly hand had been outstretched to help
him. 1t had seemed the hand of man.
but he knew that beneath the gl1ise of
earthly clay, it was really the hand of
God.
Before he went away he organized a
temperance society, whose only reuuisi-
ton for membership was a pledge to alb
stain from all intoxicating drinks. Such
thing was unheard of in Glenwild, and
therefore the fact that it created con-
siderable sensation among all classes Of
society is MOTTO be wondered at. There
were variety of opinions on the sub
ject. The habitual drinkers were terri
bly, offended. These habitllal drinkers
were what some people term "moder-
ate drinkers that wonderful class of
people who know just how much to
drink and when to stop.
"Why 1t looks as if we was SO fur
gone that nothin' but singin' the tenn
perance pledge could save us" declared
one OF those strong minded men in the
village barroom, to crowd of kindred
spirits. " For my part, know when T
have drank enough, an the man who
can't stop when he gets all that is good
fur him, amt much, in my opinion"
Which opinion was warmly seconded
by the "ancient worthless" congrepated
there.
The higher class of society in Glen
wild-and, like most other places, it had
some aristocratic people-held aloof.
They considered these temperance peo-
pie as something like fanatics. They
carried the thing too far. They were
too strict in their rules-too stringent
IN their prohibition of all kinds Of Ii.
qnor. How could the better class get
along without it's wine? Sure enough.
how could they? And then, the higher
class of society would have to stoop to
associate with persons of all classes if
they gave their sanction and support 10
institutions of this kind. And rather
than stoop, why, let men become drunk
ards If they would.
People who judged the matter from
social aud moral standpoint, unbias ed
by creed and caste and habit, gave the
newiy-formed society their support, and
fell IN with the temperance army.
dust look here, Mr.. Johnson" said
Mr.. Strong to a neighbor who was a
round or two above him on the social
ladder, and who had expressed his sur
prise to think that person who was
rising IN the world as Mr.. Strong was
should identify himself with a society
whose success was doubtful, no matter
how good its objects might be-"I
don't look at the matter in the light YOU
DO. L look at it in this way There is
too much liquor drank in Glenwild
Our young men are constantly having
temptations to drink thrown in their
way, and there is nothing to counter
balance the effect and influence of the
liquor trade. A society like ours can do
no1nJury, If 1T does no good conse-
quently, those who join it are not COM
promising themselves in any way.
Possibly, and / think altogether
probable, it may result in great deal
OF good We don't know, you see,
whether it will or not, and so long as
there is possibility of it's doing some.
thing to make men better, and none of
It's making them worse, it doesn't look
Just right for men who consider them
selves influential for good to condemn
the institution when they won't even
take the trouble to find out if there is
anything about it worthy of condemna-
ton, tell You what it is, Mr.. Johnson,
there's too much Lam better than-you
feeiing IN the world-too much fear OF
gettng below what we call our dignity,
though often what we consider our dig.
nlty is really our self conceit-too mucl
lndinerence to matters that o1ght to be
OF vital Importance. So long as they
don't affect us particularly, we don'i
care to have anything to do with them
Or about them. But let them come
home to us, and then we see what the
result will be. Your loa or mine ma,
take to drinking. Nothing is NOR,