Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1875-12-24
TheOld Story.

The Old Story.
1t is of young man, n member OF
the editorial corps of city peper, who
year or two ago, set out one bright
winters morning with friend, to make
New Years calls. 1t was his first
glimpse of fashionable, or indeed, any
gay, social life. John had hitherto had
no time for play. First errand boy, then
reporter, critic, night-editor F.; many
young men have push and vim enough
to run that course before twenty-five,
but few carry into it the steady integri-
ty, and hard practical sense which set
this Irish-Scotchman, John, apart |
from his companions, and won their
respect. Outside of the Office few peo-
pie knew him. Occasionally you would
see him in his dress suit (of long-go
cut and fashion, up in the second tier
at grand concert, with an old gray
haired man beside him. The father and
son enjoyed the treat as boys would their
Christmas outings. In his grave, silent
way, John comprehended and cared for
music; his father only cared to be with
John. The old fellow read his paper
from end to end every day he read, in
fact, nothing else. Journalism in Amer
ica to him, meant John.
In society the young man was not
likely to be dazzled or tempted by in
{ fuence which drag mere hot-blooded,
brilliant young fellows astray. He was
of slow, COOL enduring habit of body
and mind had dry wit keen yet
, tender humor when you knew how to
tap the vein /; an indomitable Scotch
pride he meant some day to be hus-
band and father, and there was no man
/ likely to be more deeply loved as both
, When he went out to make New Years
r calls, therefore, the young girls felt nc
( scruples in urging wine upon him, moi
Q any offence when he refused it. 1t twoulC
f have been against nature to have such {
a man value the pleasure given by liquor
S 1t was an old lady who succeeded il
d making him drink, friend of his moth
# era well-bred delicate woman as an,
D. of those who keep open houses on Ney
a Years, to whom drunken man is sim
to ply an object of disgust. The drink wa
h nothing but glass of rare old sherry.
Is But there was one fact which she no
3, John knew-that the taste for liquo
u was hereditary in his blood, as scroful
is might be in that of another man. A
tie cohol was simply a physical poison
r. his stomach and brain, and acted phys
of cally on both, weakening first the nerve
ii. which influence the will.
1t. The story is soon told. The man wei
)c- steadily downtown though loathir
,et ing the liquor, not tempted by the ell
i, ton it produces, but drinking to salts
mt the intolerable craving and, in order
he drink, thrusting aside the arguments
of astonished friends, his old fathers feeb
Inc hold on him, every chance he had
use this world, or the next. One night la
est in the fall, he was arrested in sor
her wretched haunt, on a false charge
rem theft and in the morning thrust into t
icb prison-van to be carried to the city ia
led When the "BIack Maria stopped
on the gate, body was dragged out cove
cen ed with rags, and with gush in t
ent throat which men did not care to 10
her upon. "It is not the face of beggal
H.. they said, covering it over.
cen The first mention which his old fath
,all saw of him in print, was that he had
zed died.
e it Why do we break in on the graciol
etc genial sunshine of the New Year, vi
av. such tale as this2 Because there is /
last a house where liquor is offered to-day
d which its beginning and sequel may /
and again be true. Eight out of every
rds- American men, physicians assert,
ills, predisposed by hereditary influence,
O it the effect of climate, overwOrk, neut
of affections, and the mad haste of tn
ari- lives, to alcoholic poisoning, disease
and fatal as consumption. Yet on eve
be- side, fair women, friendly, pure WON
-iat- Christian women, have met them
that past New Years days, holding out
'hey cup of death with entreaties that wol
Ie is not be denied. In the future holida
dest must this be repeated ? i Hearth q
wing Home.
799.
dge, A pretty and sensible young lady
ears marked in the presence of seven b;