Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-11-02
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The Class Of Story TelIers.

uOSauSo ucoh IL my uuty W DAY some
attention to the statutes Of Connecticut,
which requires teachers to teach temper
ance as we'll as good manners and morals,
and the rudiments of knowledge The
stories seem to me to illustrate important
principles. would like to have the class
repeat them in an easy conversational
tone. No. may commence.
SCHOLAR No. 1.-The story is told by
Mr.. Delevan to show the responsibility Of
parents. He says: II was we'll acquqint
ed with a gentleman in the city of New
York many years since, of high position in
the church and social standing in the com.
munity. He had six sons; all but one be-
came drunkards and died drunkards; that
one was discharged from responsible public
trust in consequence of his habits. This
brought him to his senses. He reformed
and appealed to me to help to procure
his restoration. inquired of him the
cause of this desolation in his family.
Oh said he, : it was the habit of my
father to give his sons after certain age
small quantity of alcoholic bitters before
breakfast to give them an appetite, and on
Sunday to invite each TO drink wine to the
health of father and mother"
TEACHER.-Such a story carries its own
moral. We are ready now for No. 2.
No. 2.-My story is tod by Rev. E. S,
Lacy, an able minister in California. He
looked with favor upon the introduction of
wine into the state, thinking it would
diminish intemperance. But what he saw
in Switzerland led him 10 change his
views. He writes: ~ have just spent six
months in country place OF Switzerland,
where the people do nothing but work in
their vineyards; where wine is cheap and
far more the beverage of the laborng
class than water; where none think ol
making dinner without bottle of wine
where all the scenery about is of the most
elevating and ennobling character Here
more intoxication was obvious than in any
other place it was ever my lot to live in
The common people passing to and fro
with loads Of hay or wood, or TO and from
their markets, would become intoxicated
before reaching home; the wine shops or
cafes along the roads at all hours were
frequented and at almost any time of the
day might be found full of men.
"On holidays and festal occasions you
might suppose all the male population
drunk, so great are the numbers in this
deranged and beastly condition. On Sun
day afternoon young men 90 shouting
along the street. Intelligent German,
informed me that this is the great social
evil of their country, place were wine, il
not very cheap, is never adulterated, and
where great quantities of it are drank"
TEACHER-So far as l have noticed
were homemade wine abounds, no direct
attempt is made for temperance. The evi
goes on unchecked, and often all the son
in family are ruined. No. may now
rehearse.
No 3.-My story is told by Rev Harvey
Newcomb to illustrate the perils of tip
ping young men. He says: "TherC
we're in one of large cities, fifty youne
men, clerks in stores. who used to frequen
particular place in social way will
the wine bottle as a companion of thei,
social cheer. One evening one of then
after retiring, began TO reflect upon tn
consequences of the course he was pursu
ing. He came to the conclusion that if ht
went on ii would be his ruin. He resolve,
that be never would 90 again. The mex
evening he found himself on the way t
the same place, but as he came to the
COtu6t vi u bkltSb WItCu JuIHtu bOWdlN
the place, he thought of his resolution
He hesitated moment, and then said
to himself. Right u6out facen He re-
turned and was never seen there again
That man is now one of the most wealthy
respected and useful men in the country
while forty of those who continued theil
resort to the public house became intem.
perate, and believe, have all gone down
to the drunkard's grave.
TEACHER" Right about face " is s
good motto to use whenever we find our-
selves beginning to 90 wrong. We are
ready for the next story, No. 5.
No. 5.-My story is yarn of fine old
sea captain, showing that II little is toe
much Said he. "When people say, Il
don't hurt anybody to drink if they don
drink too much they don't know wha
they are talking about. There is no such
thing as drinking spirits without drinking
too much. When l used to sail to India
and got into the trade winds, l used to pu
all the sail on my ship which she couc
possibly bear. But l noticed curion'
fact. Every morning, about II o'clock,
used to 60 down into nv cabin, and TAXI
a good horn of brandy. Before going
down, would cast my eye over the ship
see that every sail was full. and every
rope taut. She was under all the sail she
could safely carry. On coming up out o
the cabin, having taken my brandy, il
always seemed as if the ship was sailing
too slow, and the winds had fallen. Their
l would cry, Up there, lads. and shake
out that reef" For about thirty minutes
my poor ship would stagger under the
new press of sail By that time, when my
brandy began to subside, found she wa.
under too heavy a pressure. the winds
| seemed to blow harder. and again woulC
shout, up there, lads, and clew up tha
reefr So found it day after day. and
WAS utterly unable to account for the lul
in the wind just about that hour. But one
day was unwell. and omitted my brandy
and overheard my cook. black Caesar. say
Captain drink no brandy to-day; guess
no shake out reef Then I understood
all. From that time I dropped my brandy
and there was no change in the sails Of
my ship. drank moderately, and yet il
was too much; and II would not have beer
strange il had lost my ship in conse
quence. tell you boys, there is no suct
thing as drinking without drinking sec
much"
TEACHER. instances of the warp
ing OF the judgment by single glass are
by no means rare. Alcohol is brair
poison. 1t rushes to the brain. Then the
man is little too snnguine and confident
and wakes up too late to repair his loss OF
mistake. But we have one more story.
No. e--My story is by the lamented
Professor Goodrich. He says: II had a
widows son committed to my care. He
was heir to a great estate. He went
through the different stages Of education
and finally left college, with good mora
character and bright prospects. But dur
ing the course of bis education. he had
heard the sentiment advanced, which
then supposed correct, that the use o.
wines was not only admissible, but rea
auxiliary to the cause of temperance.
After he had left college for a few years
he continued to be respectful to me. A
length he became reserved. One night he
rushed unceremoniously into my room,
and his appearance told the dreadful
secret. He said he came to talk with me
He had been told during his senior veal
that it Uas safe to drink wine, and by tina
idea he had been ruined. asked If his
mother knew this. He said no, he haC
| 10 f.1a~ ha. 7 oo1ro,