Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-10-31
Hackneyed Excuses.

whose lot it has been to present the claim
If temperance work to the notice of ladie,
MT inclined to engage in it. Let me pre-
mise by saying that alcohol seems to be
rrnb and deaden the faculties of those
who use it, so that they have feeling o
nrotective tenderness towards it, and S,
Strangely infatuated are they that the,
wish to bring others under its domain too
Therefore the temperance work of the
country must be done by the women O
the country
Tlis is but fitting and natural. Cher
isbpd. garcsscd and guarded from oul
cradles. we have been more fortunate thar
men in not being tempted, and have rur
less chance of falling prey to intemper
gncp. Born and educated in this happy
country, where the honor, the safety anC
fbe happiness Of woman is the chief care
of man, gratitude and affection shoulC
make her willing to do all that lies in hel
nowcr against King Alcohol. For these
reasons it is particularly revolving to heal
a woman rcyie the temperance movement
II is also astonishing that every woman
does not engage in it, and that so many
are ready to say, 81 pray you have me
excused" (By the way, there are some
people who are ready to say this of any
and all kinds Ct wOrb)
IIomanS Sphcrc.-I am aware tha;
many people think that temperance work
and almost everything else is beyond the
pale of woman's sphere. Would that suf-
icring from the work of intemperance was
out Of womans sphere, then the real order
of things would be reversed. How many
people say, "It is none of my business
who drink and who sell rum" When
Jefferson Davis was elected president OF
the Southern Confederacy, in his speech
he said 1--WE seek nothing of the North
all we want is to be let alone" All they
wanted was to be let alone while they car
ried on their nefarious business. This is
inst what the rumseller wants, and when
| hear man or woman say "It is none OF
nv business who drinks or who SELLS"
think they have about as much temperance
principle as the copperheads had OF
patriotism. | want to see King Alcohol
detlroned and his mipions stormed out oil
their intrenchmcnts. | want to see day
of revolution when the legions of our be.
loved republic shall arise and annihilate
the foe that has established himself within
our vcrv gates.
Did any of you ever hear n woman say
II have no time for temperance work y!
This is the first excuse. Perhaps her do
nestle duties engross all her thought-lhC
need, of her family, the care of little ones
the clothing for herself and family tC
be planned and executed. But frequently
the plea of no time is given by The gay
s0cNi iuiy, whose butterfly existence leads
her from one pleasure to another until shC
becomes quite obivious TO IL world of sir
and wrrtchedness lying in outer darkness
just beyond the CLEAN of her own lace
,rapcd windows. No time for temperance
work No; she must 60 to balls and par
ties and she has deal of company. AnC
she never will have time for it. But wher
she sees him who is dear to her bringing
shame and ridicule upon his head by the
too free use of intoXiCants, She will have
time for secret notification and for teall
time for rebellion and humiliation.
Then there is the prudent aCOmals who
rseh early and spinneth with her hands
She lookelh well to all the ways of hel
household. Noatness and economy are
her clothing, and she rejoices in all hel
E,bors under the sun. She has no time fol
temperance work. The mammon of this
world has absorbed all her energies. But
when She sees her carefully reared sons
and daughters fascinated by gaicty and
the wine cup, she will have time for re-
grct. When she sees them scattering
abroad in Gebauchery the wealth that her
hands have gathered together in toll, she
will have time for lamentatiOn.
Then there is the th0ughttUl mother, who
rear, her children carefully, teaching them
by pccept and example VISIONS way.
tod bless her. But she usually has time
nr temperance work, for in her unuttera-
bic longing for the best good of her own
beloved, there is engendered in her kind
boson pity for others. When she thinks
If the sorrow and degradation brought
upon 50 many homes by the curse of alco-
Ooiic drinks, she is even willing to make
some personal sacrifice, to give some OF
her time, some of her talent, if by SO do
mg She Gun hel p to eradicate it out of the
Nnd
No time for temperance work, but plen-
lyut time for fancy work and for personal
adjoining. No time for temperance work,
DhpcntY Of lime for visiting and ban
quoting, for private ease and social adj
Mnccmont No time for temperance
work, for onr children must be clothed
with Us many miles and fashionable trap
pings as our neighbor's children are; We
can NUKE time for that.
Ny AHsJN'M s Business. Here is an eX-
eu'e prolific Of inactivity. No woman
%ishc, to cndauger her husband popular
ny by cnglgiog too actively in the Wal
against rum, Upon her husbands busi-
ness dopcns her ease, her luxury, her
!ood and laiUcnt; 50 she will smile indul-
gently upon the IumseIler, if he is rich,
amt Ignore him entirely if he is besotted.
She likes to see her children well dressed
aud herself well received. She likes to see
her husband accommodating wealth, so she
UAe' refuge IN her genteel conservatism,
Wl JIlinE- llut it is useless to try to change
r",,,, 'o ,','oi',u'' oroer OF lhlnSs, ana she
+, ''',o'g> ,I De',eli 3y thinking that she IS not
man NJ "','''', M. ,. h'l sie Is to blame; Every
Snn', i' -" ,''o'''n Is 10 olalhe WHO l'ys rum
Nla"S ~ Oh without u protest, have
seen gentlemen give their politest atten-
Non u Iadl who was presenting temper
Iw r'c .'' ~ ~ ms "oIce. nave "Iso ;, soel
IN INV, ,','u ,r,. ''' was not TO commit il'lnSe'l
III way wy ~ nv n,,o.
Uu,' s. 0't V,';, w.. IImpeIt'tee , feoPsg Nv @ o@T
%" ..n., " "'gi'' ,, oeIhS ihIerPfoVeu' means H
IN ny ' "'' n,u '',l.tinS fS RON IlG use o. NUN ,