The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1880-08-18
z W1LL / B6. zlKE rod PAPA u,


z
u occasions less regret tosee man quafdne
bis poisonous drink IN the gilded saloon than
| It does to hear him speak and see him act az
ter he has staggered within the sacred. Prs
cincts of his home. 1t Is here that he greets'
bis wife and little ones here he is most nobis
or most brutal here that the good or evil
germs Of his influence are planted, and II is id
this soil that they take deepest root, and live
to bless or to curse, according to the fruit
borne in after generations, - 80 5
| II the man Is unkind, his wife and children.
suffer and that suffering is perpetuated,
| throughout their liyessf If he is kind, and
still the generous-hearted husband aud faith
! or, they bccome familiar with his condition
and learn TO tolerate and excuse IL. Then the
boy, esteeming i less an evil than, It is, may
follow IN the footsteps Of the parcnt--follow
more rapidly than if each day was filed with
drunkard's blows and curses. In either
case, the influence Of such a man is degrad-
ing ; and 1t is Q degradation that knows no
limitation, 1t may cease when he reforms !:
1t is more likely to reach into, the future and
prove source Of new misery. s 50 j. q
~ 10 only the speech Of . little child that
calls forth these words, and yet, when repeat@-
| ed to the reporter. it sounded very like an
argument against intemperance. Nay, it was
more than an argument, it was a Junction of
the present With the future--connectio forced,
and imperative. The story is quickly told.
A gentleman of this city, who for years has
been more or less under the influence Of lia-
| uor, and whose red nose and bloated figure
stamped him as an inebriate. had gone homo,
70 his wife and children in his usual condition.,
lie was not unkind in act or words. It was
his delight to play at games with his little
ones and to entertain them with wonderful
stories. On this occasion the family were
gathered together in the sitting room, and the
usual games having been played, little FRED
die, lad about six years Of age, had climbed
upon his fathers knee, and was asking him all
sorts of boyish questions. He talked as a.
child wil--of what he'wouid do when he was
big man ~ asked If he would be like papa
then; and finally after long and serious
look into his fathers face, with every shades
of childish curiosity in voice and glance, putt
to him this bewildering querie
Papa, when grow up to be man, win
my nose be red like yours, and my face alb
swelledq" All, why should that swollen face
grow redder than twas wont to be- Why
should his arms SO quickly draw that boy to-.
his breastY And why should tears ncw anH
voice tremble as he replied Ia words and tome
that made mothers heart glad
No, Freddie please God. you won't be-
like me when you get to be man and
neither will~your father, my boy, for from
this hour he will lead a sober life.' Z. sfs
g Be like him! I" He had not thought OF
that before, and the bare possibility staggered
him. All the love in his fathers heart cried
out against such fate. That boy | His
pride going about with bloated face and
poisoned breath No, no ! he Was not pre-
pared for that Never before had he seen
his own looks SO clearly they were reflected
in the boys, the boy grows to manhood and
honor, affection and reason came to the res
cue. The child had preached sermon mo-
orator could deliver and innocence and ig-
norance had accomplished what learning and
logic had aimed at in vain. Those cords
"soent home. - Cedar Rapids Republican.