The daily gazette., 1881-02-24
From the OXFORD Press.
HOW ABNER ALISON BECAME
A DRUNKARD.
BIZ "CINQUnFOIL.n

revenge. Don't lot that startle Won.
my dear reader, and prevent you from
reading it. This spirit of vengeance
was awakened in tnis wise: A mascu-
line friend of mine sent me a popular
RELIGIOUS magazine not long since, con.
tanning a story which he had careful.
~ marked, lest it should escape nv
observation. 1t was entitled "How
stephen Manly Became Drunkard. -
and the cause Of this catastropbe. AZ
set forth in the story, was his wiie's
bad cooking and housekeeping.
Now l propose to show in this trus
story which l am writing, that Abpe
Alison himself had mere to do with his
becoming an inebriate, than his moth.
Or or his sister or any of his female re-
latiOns.
If any one except my hero had
aught to do with his downfall, it was
his father, who built a tavern on one
corner of his farm, when Abner was a
baby, AID his male neighbors who
signed petition to the Legislature
praying that hon orable body TO grant
to Mr.. Alison the right to sell intoxi-
eating drinks in said tavern. There
was not q woman within ten miles of
the Golden Gate" as the new house
was called, but raised a dissenting
voice against the openining of this
tavern, just on the outskirts OF our
Village, whore whisky had never been
sold before. But the opinions of we
men were held in scorn and derision
III that day, by these masculine wise
acres. They and they alone knew
what influences were good to throw
around their boys.
As for the mother Of Abner, she pro.
tested against 1t with prayers and tears
and groans, and declared to her hus.
band at first that she would not live on
money made by such means. He only
laughed tauntingly aud told her to do |
on less then, aud he would put the pro-
ceeds from the tavern In his pocket. |
The poor woman knew not where else |
TO go or what else TO do, so she patient
ly drudged on, until death ended her
anguish the anguish which came to her
as she watched her only son go down to
deepest degradation in the wild vortex
Of dissipation.
II you bad stosd on the opposite side
Of the street on a summer evening. and
the merry boys and girls come
-roopiDg on, OF the neat frame school
house, and you had been asked to name
he one most likely TO die a drunken
outcast, do not think you would have
Jared to name Abner Alison. His frank,
Ingenious face, lit with merry blue ewes,
aud lrame1 In curling dark brown hair,
would have no doubt arrested your ad-
ri NJ IT. A.. l.. |
he sunshine of his mothers heart,
dow her pulse was wont TO quicken joy
ully when she heard him come whist
ing or singing home from school. As
lie grew Older hsw careful he was TO
ave her every step which he possibly
ould. He was so strong aud active and |
laAdy. And then what fattering &C. .
cunts she would hear every now and ,
hen OF his progress at school, In the
illage and little later on at the acad-
my, in neighboring town, at which /
the farmers son Of that day {
sually finished his education. Nor ,
vas there more regular and attentive /
cholar to be found In the Sabbath
chool. :
In short, when Abner Alison was :
wenty-one he was the idol Of our vii q
age Han isome, with that robust d
ymmetry and large, we'll proportloned 4
evelopment, Sc seldom seen among the \
Dung men of the present day. Frank, /,
pen, fun-loving, generous, industrious, =
Iarm hearted and affectiouate; old and
Dung, educated aud ignorant sought
is society. Life lay all before him +
ever dawned,the day of existence upon i.
mortal man with brighter or more dat a
'ring prospects. /
Abner Alison's father did not sell the a
Ihiskey himself, in fact the "9olden a,
ate" was rented and occupied BY q !.
cry respectable (?) old German, a man y
ho kept himself very much TO himself r,
nd seldom went anywhere except TO n
lurch, where he occupied front pew; r,
,r whiskey seller could be church o.
lember in those benighted days. Iu- q,
eed 1t was no UNUSUAL thing for the
linister to be seen coming out Of the y
Golden Gate" on Wednesday evenings.
[e had of course merely stopped in TO N
lquire after the health Of the family, on G
is way to church TO conduct the weekly !.
rayer meeting. v
Weinberg was the name OF the keeper O
T the "Golden Gate" HIS wife had a y
ieee, who come TO reside with them =
hen she was seventeen. On her !,
lshteenth birthday, her German uncle
ave tete in her honor, adop ing her
Or his daughter and rechristening her p
.atrina Vonbefg. The boisterous cere- i
lonics closed with grand ball. 1t was !
II tn It fatal night that young Alison I
rst entered the aGOlden Gate" Oh, 3
Ital gate it proved TO him, opening up =
he dark road TO moral aud spiritual
cath.
Often have listened with dim eyes