Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1874-03-28


ciety like ours, knowing, as 1 was careful
to, that there were no elements of evil
in it? There he is sure of being out of
Would | have been doing right if / had
said, You had better keep away from
it, my boy, for fear you'll lower your
self in social point of view?' Should
| make his pride, which l consider a
wrong kind of pride, viewed in this
sense, paramount to his moral good :?
No, sir. gave my consent for my boy
to join, willingly, and joined it myself,
thus showing him that had faith in it
and wasn't afraid of trying to do good,
even if the result might not be anything
great and famous. I don't believe it
takes away anything from our standing
to 60 to work hand in hand with our
poorer fellowmen for possible good.
The evil we are working against is plain
to be seen. 1t may knock at your door
or mine next. I'm plain-spoken man,
Mr.. johnson, and say frankly that 1
don't think you're doing just right when
you try to discourage others from join
ing our society by telling them its sue
cess is doubtful. You will acknowledge
that the temperance principle, carried
out, is good one. We are trying to
carry it out. We ought never to dis
courage anything that has good OBJ
ject in view. Help it on and speak
good word for it. Success won't be
doubtful then. There is nothing dark,
nothing secret about our society. 1t is
a place where all classes of people may
meet upon common level for
social and moral Improvement. I hope
you'll see the matter in a more favora-
BILE light and let your son join our soci-
ETY., and join it yourself"
| " l don't think shall" answered Mr..
Johnson. And he did not. He had a
son, young man of fine abilities, Just
from school. He, in common with many
of the best young men in Glenwild, de-
| sired to join the temperance society.
But MIR. johnson was opposed to his
doing this.
Some of the poorest class of society
have become MEMBERS" he said.
"Could you feel free to associate with
! them ?" ...-rs
"They may educate themselves to a
higher standard by associating with
those of higher social grade" was the
young mans reply. 81 think I have
nothing to fear in that direction. 1
know many young men of our best soci-
ETY. who have joined the organization,
and they tell me that there one is sure
| of getting good intellectual and moral
! culture. They have found that, instead
of having tendency to lower the posi-
tion of any one, it elevates, and teaches
lessons of the highest good. May l
Join it?
"Not with my consent, answered his
father
Very well, answered the young
man, stung by the cold, Indifferent way
his father assumed in giving his refusal.
And there the matter dropped between
them.
The society prospered But the
llquor-shops were not shut up They
will live for all time, I fear. They are
90 tenacious of life that nothing can
quite destroy them. They come nearer
being illustrations of the old fable of
the Phoenix than anything else | know
of. Shut them up by law, and straight
way some highly respectable person in
Legislative power procures a key to open
them again. They are the pets. the
darlings, of our ruling power. What
would a pure political system like ours
do without them? 1t couldn't exist.
They must be encouraged. " is true
that death to body and soul comes out
OF them, but there's influence and power
in them for the man who wants it bad
enough to obtain it through their agen-
cy. And men must have position and
influence III men and women and chill
dren are ruined by the very thing that
gives them the power they covet.
Beautiful, isn't it? 1t is political
economy illustrated for you.
"They say Will johnson is getting to
be frequent visitor at the Saloons"
it so %
Yes" was the reply, she drinks
terribly. He wanted to join our socie.
ty, when it was started, but his father
opposed his doing SO. He got in the
habit of visiting billiard saloons and
drinking now and then, and thus was
brought in contact with the worst class
OF society. He has gone down hill very
him last week and urged him to join
our society. No use now.' he said.
"A year ago l wanted to. 1t would
nave saved me JneH. NOW III 3 700 late.
I'm too far gone. My appetite for
liquor has become perfectly irresistible.
haven't power of will enough left to
keep from drinking now. I'm ruined,
and l know it. Father told me, not
long ago, that he was willing for me to
join the society now, but l told him
that it was too lete to help me-"
There was drunken carousal one
| night at a saloon in Glenwild, and the
next day death was in their midst. And
when, in the cold, gray winter after
noon, grave was made upon the hill,
and the son he loved so we'll was laid
away in it from the ills of life forever,
MIR. johnson wept hot tears of remorse-
full regret. If he could have seen into
the future ! If he could have known
what might be! But, in his false pride
and his prejudice and deadly apathy, he
had stood aloof from what might have
saved his boy from disgraceful death,
and the result was there at his feet
a drunkard's Craze