The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1882-05-18
Letter From Boston.
BOSTON EAST WIND. THE GRAND OPERA FESTI-
VAL. IN THE PUBLIC GARDENS. A TEMPER
ANCE LECTURE UNDER AN ELM. THE EXPERT
ENCES OF MODERATE DRINKER.
Correspondence of the Journal.

d. FESTI-
VAL. IN THE PUBLIC GARDENS. TEMPER
ANCE LECTURE UNDER AN ELM. THE EXPERT
ENCES OF A MODERATE DRINKER.
Correspondence of the Journal
BOSTON, May Is, 1882. Rain and east wind. East
wind and rain. And when the sky is blue the same
wind is blowing-a benefit to throat and lung doc
tors but abomination of desoaton for speakers and
singers. Almost all of Maurice Grau's French
Opera Troupe were disabled in coming here from
the sunny cline of Cuba, and some of the princ-
pals engaged for the Grand Opera Festival last
week, were unable to appear. Nevertheless. we had
a rich treat of good music well sung. Gerster,
Hauk Darlington, Campann Lazzarini, Adams,
Sweet and Comfy were some of the artists. The
chorus was excellent and the orchestra superb: al
though after all, Grand Opera in such barn as
Mechanics Hall, is, as some expressed it re.
garding the Patti opera, ''Like drinking Chateau
Iquem out of tin clipper in MILL | Judge
you have had east wind also; at least something
swept away two thirds of my last letter, and it was
on that same poor victim that was at work one
morning, when the doctor came into the room and
handing to my coat and hat said, Come, broth
er, for rarity the sun shines, the raw east wind
hides in his foggy but occasionally ventures
forth. Let us away to the Public Gardens and
stimulate our weary brains with glimpse of YER
dant mead and nowery lea, while the tunefui Eng
fish sparrows MARBLE their sweet melodies to the
budding shrubs" How could resist such an invi-
tation? Pleasure before duty always, so went
1t was pleasant too. We sat under a big elm whose
twigs were glad with the olive tnts of spring life
Children were playing on every side-one, with
crinkled hair the color of pine shavings flowing
from under red Turkish tasseled fcz. was shovel
ing sand in little cart; thin, white faced con
sumptiye, mufled with dingy white scarf, sat near
us trying to absorb little sunshine. The many
colored tulips nodding their gorgeous heads the
blue and white hyacnhs, and the boid-face,l. star
ing panses rejoiced at the coming summer. We
looked at the fat city horses hauling loads of newly
turned sods and earth, and the >tolid AIiesan Ia
borerS welding the pick and spade. We heard the
tnhling street car bells and the laughter of young
people rowing on the shining waters of the pond.
Harvard student went by, lla hat tight trowstrs,
short coat, elbows well out from his sides, and
swinging dainty cane. After him plodded along
tall, thin man, with rusty beaver and shiny black
suit carrying the legal green bag, and he bowed to
the doctor, who returned his salutation. There,
young man., the doctor said when he had passed,
"look at him and be warned. knew him when
he was at college rich talented, handsome, every
thing bright before him, and see him nov; poor,
miserable shy eter, making a scanty living by The
meanest work. full of liquor al the time, wife d.
vorccd children don't recognize him, acquantances
shun him for fear of being asked for money, all
brought about by rum. Rum. sir can't under
stand it. Why can't man take 4 glass of beer
liquor when he wants il and then stop; That is
true temperance. That is what do. don't make
a beast OF myself, yet drink when feel like it.
-" Just here man suddenly appeared before
us, muddy and broken shoes a pair OF faded, patch
ed ami ragged panaoons, coat tied together with
pieces of rOpe-yarn in lieu of buttons, an apology
for hat surmounting SCARED, dirty, unshavcn
face. Tramp written all over him. He opened
a cavernous mouth and spoke
''Gcnlcmcn, 'scuse me fer interruptin This con
versation, but were Jest deibcratin' Wvthcr er
no ter strike yer for quarter an heard from the
further side the tree wat he said regarlin' mod
crate drnkn Now I'm goin' ter strike Yer fcra
half instead uN quarter, bat III give yer the
moneys worth. Eve alters thought as how Ia be
agreeable ter give lectcr. Now is my chance an
I will proceed to ketch ALLOW me ter r,r,luce
the lecturer. Genemcn have the honor tel pre-
sent yer the celebrated speaker, James stevens,
Il person who is well acquainted with the board uv
our best ock-ups from Maine ter California. them.
Gen'lemen, | amt agoin ter give Yer all that rot
about the pleasure honor, ct cetera, ~ spcakn ter
YER but III git directly ter the subject, Moderate
Drinkin' am moderate drinker The man is
saws ! ever drunk is a liar don't hear no
mulmurs, no response, So III perceed just cast
yer eye these boots, this hat, these pants, This
coat. Don't Try fer to look at the Westcoat on shirt,
for yer won't see EN-. Wy: Cause they haint
there. DO | wear this style cr suit fer fun, and 60
without them other articles mentioned cause
want ter: should say not. How come this way
III tell yer. Moderate drinkin'! was picked up
of the streets by kind hearted old buck and giy
work ter do | want no souch wen was a Kill,
an | saw had chance. Also was grateful ter
the old man Wot did it, an Just bumped my self ut
work picked up various things here an there,
an KEEP on til had pretty responsible position
in the old gents Office He used ter take drop
now an then, wen he felt like it an did /. but,
is | mentioned in the precedin part ny this dis
course. never got drunk Wal, wen Twas about 70
the boss died. the business broke up, an did |.
/ KEEP a irwin fer job but wasn't satisfied with
anything smaller nor had aforc, an couldn't git
it. | found out that wen got blue, witch was often,
a glass Ell liquor would kind en- tighten me up bit,
an'-wal. | lightened; but yer never me drunk.
BY an by got snap NY work, but twas big Sight
harder an less pay, an got inter Il way q 2r"wiu
an being sulky all the time an dissatisfied WenI
got a little too much 50, would take a snift-r Of
drink, an then Things would look better for II
while. But was too ugly at my work an presently
got the grand bounce Then | was out o work
another, an longer spell; my money gin out, and
my clothes got shabby. Then caught onter another
job poorcren the last, an held that spell, but
want pleasant to customers the bosses an |
| | Vas 1IFlN II
! used to think ef it want fer glass er somethn
stimuatn once in a while, shonld get desperate.
KEEP on-a job occasionally, but nothn regler, an
eff | tried ter brace up an do my work better wen
the hardest part it came, I'd git Il drink, an If
ter that was down, didn't care whether work wa
done good er not That's the way it went. All ny
a sudden it came onter me that couldn't leave of
drinkin'. didn't believe it at first an sot my
ugly stuhbOrnness at work an said wouldn't
drink. But, Lord bless yer, might as well have
tried ter stop breathin, an wen | had it well set
tied that l couldn't leave of, gave up the whole
thing an here am. I've been in jail more times
than yer have got fingers and toes between yer.
Been run in for thievin', tghtn, trampn, an most
every thing but drinkin'; never fer that. No sir,
was never drunk-lm Moderate Drnker, but
mind yer I've got ter drink on die Of course its
all right when yer have money, friends an al
that, drink, but just yer keep it up till bad luck
hits YER an Yer need all yer strength to lit back,
then yerl find how the devils own poison in yer
vitals, an ties yer down and holds yer of, 50 yer
can't hit. III take that half dollar now an close
the meetin'."
The doctor handed him coin without word,
and with ii low bow the Moderate Drinker walked
Of looked at the doctor and said, '.Well." He