The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-03-14
The Story Of Successful Campaign.

TwENTY-THREE LIQUOR STORES CLOSED IN
TWELVE DAYS-TALK WITH REFORMED
! RUMsELLER-A TOWN WHERE ALL THE
STORES ARE CLOSED AT NINE O'CLOCK IN
THE MORNING FOR PRAYER-A NIGHT
4 ATTACK ON SALOON.
Special Correspondent Of the N. Y. Tribune.
MOUNT VERNON, Ohio, Feb. 27th.-This
thrifty town may well claim the champion
ship for a remarkably successful fight
with the liquor dealers. When | visited it
less than two weeks ago, found twenty
eight places where liquor was sold. The
most prominent and influential men in the
place advised the women not to begin the
movement, believing that failure was GER
tain, and that failure in Mount Vernon
would greatly retard the progress of the
/ Temperance Reform in Northern Ohio,
where it was just being introduced. bio
Lewis came, however, and in two days
persuaded the women to make the trial.
! The men agreed to sustain the women,
thorough organization was effected i'll the
usual manner. The women then went on
! the streets, while the men showed their
! sincerity by closing their places of bust
ness, and repairing to the churches for
| prayer. The enemy took fright at once.
| The saloons considered most formidable
| first gave way; others followed in rapid
succession, and to-day find that out of
the % liquor stores here twelve days ago
only five have not surrendered.
A TALK WITH A REFORMED LIQUOR SELLER.
/ With some curiosity as to what the late
| liquor sellers thought of the movement
and its effects, went to billiard room
which, when | was here before, was the
most popular drinking place in the town,
being crowded every night with young
men who rank high in Mount Vernon soci-
ETY.. The proprietor, an Irishman, with
the physique of a trained prize fighter,
had told me that "the thing would never
work in Mount Vernon" and that "they'
| (meaning the ladies' chad better not try
it on now found him in more tran
quill state of mind as he stood dispensing
lemonade and soda to old topers, who have
now to be content with such mild substi-
tutes for the old fashioned toddies and
punches. GLOW do you feel after your
surrender - l asked. Never better
never so well-in my life was the prompt
reply. 81 don't know anything about
getting religion, but fellow who has just
been converted must feel something like
have felt for the last week. | actually en-
JOY going to church. Somehow CT other
everything looks brighter The best days
work ever did was hanging out the white
flag on my saoon.'' "But you will go
| into the old business again when this ex-
citement dies out ~ "Not if | know my
self Wouldn't be able to hold my head
up if did; couldn't look a lady straight
in the face. No, Sir, don't know what's
come over me, but whisky selling don
appear to me now as it used to. Besides
everybody seems to look on me SO different
now. The very men that used to drink at
my bar think more of me; and as to the
ladies-why, sir, some of the best ladies in
this town have been in my dining-room
with their husbands to dinner since l
closed out, and one Or two looked on the
other day at game of billiards. " Has
your business suffered by your stopping
the sale of luuor?' "Not a bit of it so
far; won't you have cigar or a glass of
lemonade? l can't offer you anything
stronger" I could hardly realize that
was talking to the man who few days
ago had, with angry tone and defiant eye,
wished the ladies to "try it on, y and who
over this same counter tried to induce me
to take something in the way Of cold
weather alcoholic drinks.
PRAYER MEETINGS DURING BUSINESS HOURS.
At the hotel found the landlord actual
to surrender, while his wife was putting on
her bonnet and shawl to attend the daily
prayer-meeting. A commercial traveller
was about leaving the hotel, with bundle
of samples under his arm, when the land
lord exclaimed, &C You need not go out at
this time a day, SIR. You won't find a
respectable store in town open now"
Why ." asked the astonished drummer,
who had just finished a nine o'clock break
fast. "Because it's prayer hour" was
the reply; "every day between 0 and 10
o'clock everybody goes to prayer meeting"
Surprised, myself, | went on the street
and found that the stores and shops were
indeed closed at this hour, when merchants
mechanics, and housekeepers, in country
towns are generally busiest. There must
be earnestness in the movement when the
pocket nerve, so hard to kill, is thus dead
ened.
From the hotel went to the Episcopal
church. Few places of amusement are
ever more crowded. Every seat was filled.
and thronged the vestibule. The inclo-
sure within the altar.rail was occupied by
clergymen, every denomination appearing
to be represented. The meeting, to use a
"run ITSELF" Nobody presided. A man
arose to speak; his message, was the story
of what had been accomplished in another
town. A woman said, "Let us pray"
and the congregation followed her with
devout air in an impassioned appeal to the
throne of grace. AS they arose from their
knees some one began to sing, and all
Joined in singing words with which all
had long been familiar, but which to them
seemed now to have new meaning:
Mine eyes have the glory of the coming of the
Lord:
He i tramang out the vintage whore the grapes of
His wrath stored
Our God is marching on.
Glory. glory. halleluiah God is marching on.
AN UNEXPECTED VICTORY.
One verse and the chorus were sung.
and Immediately another woman spoke
She begged that none might " ascribe the
glory of this good work to anybody but
the good Lord. 1t is His work; blessed be
His name, and he will carry it through.
Oh that He had put it into the hearts of
his people to begin this movement years