The Tipton advertiser., 1877-05-10
REAL LIFE.
A Temperance Tale.
BY THE ArruoR OF "HELEN's BARIgs,.
From the Christian Union
CHAPTER XVII.

lhe nre which destroyed the Mis-
sissippi Valley Woolen Mills did su Oh
damage in the ranks ofthe temperance
reiormers that fora few months Crupp
Tomplc, and several others had fre.
| quent canse to feel lonesome, while
poor Father BaguSs fell back upon
the church for that comfort which,
just after his first effort with Tappel-
mine, and before the fire, he had fire.
auently found in the society of his
selfapproving brother stockholders.
The mill was rebuilt, only few of the
owners of stock refusing to be assessed
for their proportion of the losses: the
mill made very prosperous winter.
and interested persons were not ayerse
to talking about it but after Deacon
Jones speech was noised abroad, the
mill was no longer semi-holy topic
of conversation, which was allowable
even on the church steps on Sundays.
Some of the men whose eyes had been
| opened toward themselves, on the oc-
casion of the fire, We're honest enough
to confess to themselves, and to bring
forth fruits meet for repentance but
the majority took refuge either in
open orsecret sophistry, with the COM
forting impression that they blinded
Others as etfectually as they did them
selves. The mass of the people, how
eyer-those who neither subscribe to
temperance funds, nor mill stock, nor
anything else, still looked OH, and
were plethorc of encouragement and
criticism. When appealed to for help,
their logic was simply bewildering,
and almost as depraved As the same
defensive and offensive weapon is in
politics. Toniple was the man to do
such work, said some, for he was the
rich man OF the village; and rich men
are only Gods stewards; others sug-
ge>ted Captain craylna, who had
money; and who should be willing to
spend considerable of it as a thank-of-
fering for his own providential deliv-
erance from the thraldom of drink.
The irreligious thought that all such
work should be done by the church. if
churches were good for anything but
To shout in; while the religious felt
that the irreligious, among whom could
he found nearly every drinker in the
village, should cxpend whatever mon
~ was needed for the physical refor-
nation of their kind Where none of
these excuses seemed available, or
wherever two or three conservatives
of different views met together, there
was always Crupp to fall back upon;
each man could grasp his own pocket
book with Il tender tenacity, and de-
clare to a sympathetic audience that
the man who had coined his money
out of widows tears and orphans
groans, sholld by rights take care of
all the drunkarls i'm the country, even
until he was 80 reduced in means as
TO be dependent upon public charity
for his own support.
Thus matter. stood when "A wear had
elapsed since the memorable temper
ance meeting, and ParSou Wedge
we'll suggested that an anniversary
service Woald be an ordinary and de-
cent testimonial Of respect to Provi-
dence for his special mercies during
the year. To the parsons surprise,
CruPp who though he had during the
winter surprised every one 10y joining
par-on Wedgewell's church, in spite
OF very severe course of questioning
by the Examining Committee-was
still a man of action and a contemner
of mere words -Crupp not only failed
10 oppose such meeting, but volun-
teerei himself to write for Major Ben
Bailey, the gifted orator who had all
dressed the earlier meeting, and to
pay the orators expenses. Such offers
were rarely made, even by the Barton
reiorlncrs, SO by unanimous consent
trupp wrote to the great lecturer, it
being admitted by Tomple, Wedge
well, Baguss, and Jones, that Crupp's
iiea OF informing the Major what had
been done during the year was good
oae, and that it would enable the ora
tor To modify his address with special
reference to existing circumstances.
Bat Squire Tomplc and the parson
were considerably astonished to see
Crupp dash into the Sluire's store one
day, exhibiting an unusual degree of
excitement, "a he unfolded letter
ana remarked,
"lle won't come. Just listen to what
he says" And while the two other
reformers stood as if they saw the
sky falling and did not despair of catch
ing II i'll their oyes and mouths Crupp
read
In reply to Mr.. Crupp's favor of
the -th, Major Bailey can only say,
that while he should be glad to again
meet the people AMONG whom so great
an amaup; of good has been accom-
n!ishet within the year, he cannot see
that he can render any service. Ma
jur Bailey's efforts are confined solely
to The awakening of an interest Ia
temperance; the conditi.n Of affairs
which Mr.. Crupp reports as existing
in Barton, however, indicates degree
of interest which cannot be heighten-
ed by any effort which tho writer
could put forth. What seems desirable
II. !salten Is such an informing of the
general populace upon what has been
accomplished, upon the manner in
which the work has been done, and
and the comparatively small number
of persons who have actively partici-
prted in it, as shall convince the i'm.
habitants that they did not fulfill their
whole duty toward temperance when
a year ago they applauded the utter
ances of the writer Of these liaes.
Briefly, Major Bailey feols that If he
attended, he could contribute only
such efforts as, under the circumstan-
ces, would be entirely out of place"
Astonishing" exclaimed Parson
Wedgewell, with the eye of man
who areania.'
Threw away the job" said Tomple,