Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-01-06
For the CENTRE nENogRtr.
Swearing Of.


Before another number of the CENTRE
DEMOCRAT can see the light, the annual
swearing OFF, season will have come
and gone. We refer, Of course, to New
Years Day, the day on which all mod.
crate drinkers and not few old topers
make up their minds that for the future
they shall be independent of John Bar.
leycorn and prove by their acts that
they can stop drinking If they so desire.
The custom of swearing or may be
of ancient or modern origin, but Ger.
tain it is that it is now almost uniyer.
sal, and the man who does not make
some such resolution for the New Year
is popularity regarded as either a tee.
totaler or confirmed inebriate. There
are, of course, exceptions, but they only
prove the rule.
The average moderate dtinker'
thinks and always says he can stop If
he wants to, but New Year is about the
only time that he ever makes the at.
tempt, and it not unfrequently happens
that before the day is over he goes out
after his might cap convinced that
his resolution is a very foolish one, and
that his promise to himself Is better
broken than kept. In nine cases out
of ten, he does not realize that he has
been conquered, but iondly believes
that he is still master Of himself, and
merely yields to n desire for stimulaut
as he would yield to a desire for food.
But he is much mistaken. Even the
most moderate drinkers who have tried
"swearing off, all agree that, as a gene.
raj thing, the task is one OF almost
herculean proportions, and when they
succeed for day the chances are that
they will remain awake all night, and
get up in the morning in no condition
either to continue the battle or TO en-.
gage IN work or pleasure Of any kind.
With those who can hardly be classed
with moderate drinkers" for the rea.
son that they are not drinkers at all in
the popular sense, but merely young
men who occasionally rulp down some
alcoholic connection because they are
too cowardly to admit that they do. not
like it, the case is different. To them
swearing off, is not only boon, but a
good excuse, which at once relieves
them from the necessity OF accepting
an invitation, and gives them the ap.
.pearauce of Bowery boys manliuess
to which they seem to aspire. They
took their frat drink "a they smoked
their first cigar, in the vain hope that
observers would credit them with more
years and experience than they could
actually claim, while the fact is, that
these callow youths we're laughed at
from the first, and yiclimized ut every
opportunity.
For all such, New Years day is most
welcome, for it gives them a chance to
be themselves without descending be.
low their false idea Of manhood. When
asked to drink, they proudly reply,
ave sworn off, and innocently fancy
that they have made what they regard
rs point" by this declaration.
The men, who before led them on,
estimated them at their true value,
and, naturally expecting swearing
off," laughed in their sleeve at the i'm.
portance which their victims endeavor
TO attach to it. Some moderate drink.
ers do actually "swear off for good on
New Years day. but in nearly every
case they hsve the aid OF q physician
and without some such intelligent as
sistance it is almost impossible for the
average ,'moderate drinker" TO do more
than ssswear of and then boat his res
oIutionss
AS for the old topper nothing can save
him. Ho may, by sheer force OF will
keep sober for time, but expesiene'
has proved that complete reformation
in men, who have been drunkards fol
years, is next to impossible. They be