River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-03-17
Written Tor TIE v z ..
SIGNING THE PLEDGE.

asked him to sign the pledge.
NO" said he. "Why should l sign
the pledge! If l could keep from
drinking by signing the pledge, l can
do it without, and like to he free.
l pride myself upon being a free man,
live in free country, and call my
self one of Freedom S Sons. So l
must decline to do as you wish, for
can not make myself voluntarily a
bond slave.
know that what You say of Intern
perance is true. it destroys health,
manhood and humanity. Itwastes mon
ey and creates a woful want; induces
poverty, disease. death; its bdleful in
fuence helps to fill our Asyluins, Pris-
ons. Hospitals and Poo! houses; and
am so convinced of the truth of all
this, that am fully resolved, never
again to partake of strong drink, but
| cannot sign the pledge. l have no
doubt it is good thing for those who
| are so weak minded that they cannot
withstand temptation, but not for me,
can drink or let it alone as please. ;"
Have you ever been drunk?" ask
ed, "Well, yes, suppose [ have, but
I only went in for the fun of it, and
drank little more than was good for
me, however it shall never happen
again, for | am hereafter an advocate
of Temperance. No more strong
drink for me.
"What do you call strong drink
said l, "Why anything stronger than
cider, sweet cider, or wine, was the
reply. II can see no harm in those,
and | really believe that there is just
as much harm in one extreme, as in
the other. and you defeat your own
ends by being so strict, and fail to
secure many who would gladly en-
brace Temperance, by insisting upon
Total bstinence."
Feeling that nothing would be gain
ctl O1 ing tliC lAibNA NAP" WIN
this self-sufficient person. left him
to await future developments, while
| went on IN search of some one to
whom a presentation of the truth
would be more beneficial. Some weeks
later met him again. This time he
was in the plight of a man who was
not troubled by the length of the road,
but by the width of it, and by his
ludicrous endeavors to reserve his
equilibrium, and "A dignified and sefi-
Gus gravity as he met me, knew
that he had not forgotten our previous
conversation, though memory must
have been very weak and indistinct on
this occasion.
"Ah," l exclaimed, lis this what
wine doesl Or is it Sweet Cider
that has brought you to this pass!
~ essur, yessur," lie hicoughed.
..Wine is good and cider is good. and
with comical grinaca,) they hoyh
(hic) love brandy.
The next day l was not surprised to
see him enter my door, nor yet when
he sat down at my little study table
and with trembling hand, appended
his lame to the little document that
CONVEX ted him into-what! \ bond
slave! No!-else the signer5 of the
Declaration of Independence We're
thus made slaves. They we're eman-
cfpating themselves from the rule Of a
hated tyrant. lie emancipated him.
self from the rule Of a stronger, more
terrible one, and by God 5 help became
a truly free man. Free from Intern
PEI ance. free from the vices that fol-
low in its train, and like the signers
OF the Decl ,ration of Independence
lie has proclaimed war upon his tyrant;
but it is war that is not to be closed
while the dread master has a subject
left under his control.
Earnest, helpful and devoted to the
cause in which he has enrolled him.
self. may he never Weary in we'll
doing, but go on in the path he has
chosen, never regretting that he
.sSigned the plet -"
AzepA T. THOMAS