Mexico weekly ledger., 1877-07-12
A TEMPERANCE LECTURE.
BY TON COLLINS.

drank glass of liquor-that paid
for myself.
Liquor, ladies and gentlemen, is
the curse of the human family. will
relate an incident to prove my words.
Ten years ago / knew young man,
just entering life, with the blush of
youth upon his cheek, and a paper of
chewing tobacco in his pocket.
He came to New York-on gravel
train-and became head clerk in
candy warehouse. Unfortunately he
got in with fast set, drank lager,
told the bar-keeper to keep the slate
in his head, and he would he around
in the morning and kick it out, and
SO on.
And now, friends, where is he?
In Congress, sirs, in Congress, his
name loaded with infamy, when he
might have been sober and indus
trious street sweeper.
ALI, nv hearers, if you only knew
how sad strong drink makes a family
you would never take little sugar i'm
yours.
This reminds me of a pathetic tale
which have told all over the cOun-
try-where l havetold it.
One night a little boy came to me
little boy with a shinny-stick in one
hand and sour apple in the other.
"Well, my little man. said /,
"what 10 you want!''
He rubbed the dirt from his hand
and with his eye, and said he, hoarse-
ly:
"The old goats full again.
WHAT exclaimed |.
eyes" sobbed he; the darned old
fools ashy as a ram by this time.
Thinks his shoe-strings are snakes,
and sees free circus every time he
opens his eyes!''
my budding president, "said Ii
hardly understand you"
Then yer must have tin ears" re-
piled he, tinly trying to conceal his
emotion. ''Dad-pop my father is
drunk once more, and mother sent
me around to tell you to tell the first
.cop' what collared him to run him
around home, and she'll sober him.
Just YOU bet she will. She's sent the
twins to bed, and she's been practic-
in with the poker and two fiat irons
tor the last hour
There, my hearers, behold the af-
Fiction which one misguided man
caused. Why did he stay out under
the influence of liquor? Why didn't
he go home and tell his loving wife
that it was paralytic styokc or II fit
of despair!
Again l say, beware Divine. Beer
is cheaper; you can get whole
schooner for five cents and II chrome
of the Brooklyn bridge thrown in.
Somebody says: Look not upon
the foamy glass" l never do; |
always drink mine before there is
chance for any foam.
Wonld you belive it, dear listeners,
scoffers say that this temperance lee
turc of mine does no good.
1T is lie: will prove it.
Look ut this picture. You see Il
good man. the father of couple of
families. beastly drunk! In fact, i'll
such a state of oh-he-jOyful that he is
ordering Il peaceful pump TO stop at
broadway and Fulton Ferry, and let
him out of the car.
That man came to hear Inc dis
course.
What WITS the rcsnlt.
Before, hc used to he tight twice Il
week now Inc gets gloriously billing
every blessed night of his life.
All. 1 am proud Of the success
which has attended me thus far.
The other night dissipated young
man, with a red nose and blOodshot
ewes. came TO me, grasped me warmly
by the hand, and said:
..If | had not heard you speak, sir,
/ would havs signed the pledge to-
night. God bless you; what'll you
take:'
| said soda water.
Soda water with wink and two
straws.
Yet another example:
Last week I met Il melancholy man
who had just buried his mother-in-
law.
Said he: II can never smile
again"
took him by the arm, led him to
a neiehboring beer-garden, talked
temperance to him, and in four
minutes he had smiled six times. Ten
cents u smile, two fingers.
Thus the good work goes on. l
know man who, through my efforts
has joined ninety mine societies-and
left them again.
And now he is straining for his
hundro dth join!
When you go home tonight 1
know what you will do, fellow-mcn.
You will dive into you closet, gather
Il dozen bottles, open the window,
throw them blindly out, and yirtuous-
ly exclaim:
THANK Heaven! am free at last
Never again shall taste Il drop Of
alcohol"
Three hours afterward, brothers,
you will be grouping around the back
yard in your night-shirt. searching
for those same bottles, and talking
crossed-eyed every time the clothes
line catches you under the nose.
Beloved auditors, | have been there
myself.
But | must close.
Life is short, and the time is
feeting!' says Longfellow, and l
agree with him, besides, l have got to
see u man.
Ladies and gentlemen, ta, tn. 7
will see you later.
TIE MORMON STRENGTH.