Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-06-01
7 ~ T1ETTET'73E7Is
WOman's Influence.

When our mother Eve plucked the
fruit of the tree and gave it to Adam
and told him to eat thereof, and for So
doing was driven forth from lovely
Eden. with the curse of God resting
upon her. she must have felt the deep
est humiliation and repented in bitter
ness and tears. But have often won
dered if she would not have suffered
still keener remorse and anguish for
her act of disobedience, if the veil of
futurity could have been lifted, and she
could have gaZed down the thousands
of years that have interviewed between
then and now, and could view the mod
ern Ewes, not only offering to, but urg
ing upon the young men of to-day, the
forbidden fruit. not the apple, nor even
the Juice of it, but that which is strong
er, and brings in its train as great
curse as was pronounced upon our first
parents. 1t is that which destroys the
brightest intellect, blights the noblest
ambitions and overthrowS in one mo-
ment, all the hopes of a father, the
prayers of mother, and the earnest de-
sires of a sister, that their son and
brother may be kept from temptation.
This crime of putting the glass to our
neighbours lips" is not alone prevalent
among the lower grades of society, but
we find it i'm the most aristOcratic cir
Giles, where we expect to see only re-
finement and true nobility. and OH
young ladies, in whatever station in
life, pause one moment before you raise
the trimming goblet, and to whom it
is you are about to proifer it, for perhaps
it may be one who has taken a sacred
vow that he will never again touch the
maddening fluid. and has resisted the
opportunities of his companions for
long months, but is ashamed TO have
you think him so ungallant as to re-
fuse it when offered by fairer hands
Or it may be one who, upon leaving a
mothers protecting love, and all the
surrounding influence, to battle with
the world made a promise to that moth |
er that he would abstain from all intox-
icating drink; but as he looks iGtoyour
pleading eyes and beholds the sparkling
wine lifted to his lips by such fair hands, !
the voice of conscience and mothers
tender love is alike forgotten, and he
waivers but moment between the right /
and wrong, and accepts the wrong
Now | did not intend to write "a tenn
perance lecture when | began; my aim
is to show how great an influence we
exert over the hearts and minds of men
for good or evil, and the power that
lies within us to make their nature
either "dwarfed or God-like, :" for while
bottom Of all the mischief that is per
petrated, it is because her influence is |
so great. and if all were known, she has |
been the instigator of many noble plans
and ambitions in man, which would
have otherwise failed. How necessary
then that we always use our influence
for good and not only cease to be the
tempters but strive to eradicate evil,
and while we may he kind and gracious
and hospitable, we should be firm and
earnest and not lack the moral courage
to tell the young men with whom we
associate how we abhor not only intern
perance, but all the prevailing vices of
the present day, and let them under
hot ~icI ion
ship that we expect the same purity o
morals and unblemished character in
them that they look for in us. You
will doubtless be laughed at and called
odd for these sentiments; but in their
heart of hearts they will respect you
for them, and in after years will look
back and say: Il was the better for
having known her." Remember that
mans estimate of all womankind is
formed from the few with whom he
associates, and if we show the purer
side of our natures and always let our
actions be like perfec; music unto no
BILE Words then will nothing shake his
faith in woman.
So long as society, and particularly
young ladies uphold and encourage the
dissolute and fast" young man just SO
long will the smouldering fires of scan
dial and disgrace ever and anon burst
forth; but if we seek to elevate and en-
noble mankink by precept and example,
then and then only shall we succeed in
bringing 1.-The statelier Eden back to
man."
OLD FAsHIoNE GIRL.
NJ EI.so-. ....t n.Ll..L