Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-11-11
Harry's Anti-SOclety.

| Mrs Goodwin S eyes one afternoon
as she crossed Sixth avenue aud turn
ed into Fourteenth street OH her way
toward home. Could it be ?" She
hastily brushed aside her veil. Yes
there was her own boy, Harry, walk
ing along the street with James VIII,
Hams, each putting cigar! Both
boys were young bright and intellig gent
looking. Mrs. Goodwin stood a
moment in blank astonishment - her
boy smoking, And what other bad
habits might he not contracted, all
unknown 70 her? Harry passed on
without seeing her, but she fancied he
looked pale and i'll.
The mother went home with bur-
dened heart She had trusted her
son believed that he had been frank and
conhding towards her. Was this his
first cigar? Had he been tempted to taste
of the Intoxicating cup also? Mrs
Goodwin was judicious mother; she
watched Harry anxiously that eve
ming, but said nothing about what
she had seen in the afternoon. She
was earnestly considering how she
could best accomplish the object she
had in view.
Wednesday afternoon Harry re-
turned from School earlier than usual.
AS he entered the library where his
mother was sitting she greeted him
with smile, saying:
''I was hoping you would get home
early, Harry. | was going out, and
wanted company.
Harry made some vague reply,
which attracted Mrs. Goodwin's s at
tention She saw his face was serious
and troubled. Harry turned to
his writing table, and soon commenced
writing Anxiously his mother
watched his grave face. At length
she rose, and went softly toward him,
She laid her hand gently on his
shoulder
Harry -
The boy looked up and met his
mother's loving glance.
What is the trouble, Harry?'
Il am forming an Anti Society" 2"
said he, with an impeutosity that would
have amused his mother, had she not
known instlnctiveIy that it resulted from
deep, suppressed feeling,
Anti means against. What are
you against =
"Mother, [ am against smoking,
swearing and drinking.
A rush of JOY came to the mothers
heart She leaned over and pressed
her lips upon the boys open brow,
and silently thanked God that he was
saved. Then she sat down beside
HIM.
''Now tell me all about it, Harry. %
"W ell, mother, of course [ know
that smoking and drinking and swear
ing are bad habits but ever SO many
real nice boys in our school do these
things, aud they are always asking me
to take cigar or something, and
! laugh at me because [ don't t.-Yester-
! day | did smoke a cigar-and sick
enough it made me, too--and at recess
+, James W illiams gave us boys some
kind of wine or spirits he brought
to school in a bottle, and we all talked
as [ know is wrong. But, mother,
isn't it dreadful? James was found
drunk in grog-shop last evening
Our teacher told us about it just
before school closed. And [ want to
sign pledge to help me to keep from
drinking and smoking. See, mother,
this is my Constitution.
And Harry read aloud: "Whereas,
drinking intoxicating liquor does not
do any good, and leads to drunken
ness; and whereas, to swear is sin
against God; and whereas to chew
and smoke are useless and filthy
practices therefore, in order the
more etfectually to keep free from
these vices, | do praying for the
divine blessing and help, form myself
this Society is to te called the
Anti Tociety and bind myself
to observe strictly the pledges contains
cd in the following articles;
81 [ will not drink anything that
intoXicates.
I'll. | will not take the name of
the Lord in vain; nor make use of
vain or profane language.
I'LL. I will not use tobacco in any
form.
"(Signedl. HARRY GOODWIN. :"
'.An excellent pledge, my son.
said Mrs Goodwin, ''only vou should
have a hundred names signed to it
instead of yours only And they
talked over the matter together.
The next day at recess, Harry
collected the boys of his class together.
and said
Il mold in my hand the Constitu-
tion of new society, called the Anti
Society. My name is already down.
Shall read it? All who are in favor,