The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-05-30
Philadelphia Times.l
A Temperance Lecture.
Not in the Usual Vein-Thoughts of a
Man of the World.

Howard" in the Philadelphia Times, says?
Men are not prone to heed lessons, are theys
If we were, there wouldn't be so many fellow,
trying to drink themselves into eternity. 1
found in the death notices day before yesterday
the names of three men, each of whom was
dear to me. One of them used to live in Bos-
ton, then in Washington, of late in New York.
He died in a lunatic asylum.
Why?
Rum.
By rum mean strong drink. We use rum
as generic term for all liquors This friend
was Al when he died. He was an inventor
pusher, driving, energetic man of business,
and he had two Inventions each of which
would have made him a very rich man.
went to his hotel one day about six months
ago to look at one of his schemes. I won't tell
you what, because you'd recognize the man.
was in his room, with Two others, perhaps two
hours. In tbat time he ordered two ''small
bottles fveA ndy and sodas, one ginger ale
and a Vermouth cocktail. In addition he had
private bottle of whiskey from which he now
and then took a drink. We all had an oc-
casional pull, but the above list was his por-
ton. l remarked it and asked him if he WASH t
afraid it would give him headache, for this
was early in the day, from IL to 1. He laughed
and said he never had headach In his life.
Down at Cony Island when others drank beer
he had champagne. He was never drunk,
hardly ever fuddled, but all of sudden, about
two months ago, something gave way, crack,
bang, and his never-aching head was gone. He
was crazy as loon. With difficulty he was
taken to an asylum where he degenerated into
hopeless idiot, sank quickly, and was buried
yesterday
Exceptional case?
Well, yes, in that he had superb constitu.
ton, bright, quick wit, and head that never
ached. Also in that he died lunatic But
it is not exceptional in the habit of continuous
drink, Very few people stop to think of it.
Go into popular restaurant It's "Hallol
what'l you take?' all the time. For the fun
of the thing, L stood in the Astor house rotunda
at noon to-day and counted the number of
times was asked to drink in less than half an
hour. Among my would-be hosts were several
newspaper men, two state senator's a first rate
actor, an alderman, and two proprietors and
the manager of the house, an insurance agent.
my brother and couple of boys from the post
office. Did accept? guess not. Fortunately
have a head that aches-frequently Exper-
fence has taught me that violation of nature
law ensures speedy punishment. Achei Well,
from the back OF my head to the crown of my
skull and all along my bumps of benevolence /
ache with perfect aching. L can stand a
moderate quantum of dissipation, but long ago
came to the conclusion that was ordained to
virtue and temperance No, l didn't accept,
but it struck my thoughtful bump very hard.
looked at the multitude of young and middle
aged men thronging IN to lunch. Nearly every
one had drink, many had two, and number
had several. There was no confusion, no rude
ness, no drunkenness, nothing to strike the eye
Of the casual looker-on, but tell you the way
the fiery stuff was gurgled down was caution
to the copper bottomed stomachs which had to
take it and digest it. Please don't regard M
as a moralist. It's none of my funeral. Every
fellow mas right to do what he pleases with
his own stomach. I can't drink because i;
makes my head ache My friend could drink
l., IT, :aI n
lunatic asylum and I am telling alb out it
That's where 1 come in-see? Now, you know
these drinkers are not the fellows who beat
their wives or starvo their children. They are
the respectable chaps, the workers Of their day
and generation. All right. Go it. Count on
me for an obituary,