The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1882-08-05
NIYRA's MEANDE1sINGs.
Our Fair Correspondent sermonizes on the
Evils of Intelnperance-The Yellow Jack
Scare-The National Board Of He:.lth-A
Dull Metropolis.
NEu 0pI Fans Inly % 1890


Scare-The National Board Of He.lth-A
Dull Metropolis.
/ NEW ORLEANS, July 23, 1882.
MY DEAR AUNT CHAT:
As take up my pen this morning with
the avowed intention of commenting up
on the light current topics of the past
week, my thoughts inyolnntarily dwell
in sadness and regret upon the crushing
sorrow of young friend whose husband
is afflicted with a disease worse than con-
sumption, or even epilepsy-the disease
of drunkenness. My heart goes out to
her i'll tenderest sympathy, that one so
young, trusting and loving, to whom life
would be naturally expected to present
only bright pictures, should be chained
to grief which seems altogether hope
less. And so from her turn to the SIM
| liar lot of many others who are patiently,
| lovingly, despairingly bearing a burden
| which seems SO much greater than their
strength, that we wonder how they can
drag on from day t" day even a weary,
| lifeless existence. Yet the fortitude and
powers of endurance displayed in such
circumstances by many weak, delicately-
organized women seem impossible, till we
realize the force and uplifting influence
Of love and duty.
| Sometime ago our attention was called
to the Temperance Lesson Book" pre-
pared by an Observation-Disclosures
think, by name-recently adopted as
text book in the New York public schools.
This little book has been highly COM
mended, and will in all likelihood be as
generally used III the United States as in
England. Certainly the more thoroughly
the young are instructed concerning this
dominating evil of onr times, the better
it will be for them and the world.
The lallucinatiou that attributes to
| alcoholic drink a certain virtue which 1t
never possessed is as general and obsti-
nate as it is false. After all the influence
of the pulpit and press, after all the
warning examples Of drunkenness and
consequent destruction, after the testi-
! mony of science and experience, there
fingers in the average mind an impress
sion that there is something good in
alcohol even for the healthy man. Boys
and young men do not shun the wine cuI
as a poisoner of blood and thought, ant
the most dangerous drug they can han
die; bnt they have an idea that the TEN
perance man is fogy, and opposed to ;
free, social life, whose practices ART
ascetic and whose warnings are to be
laughed at and disregarded.
Surely this evil Of ia.lemperance :wonld
not be widespread, if the-children in cur
schools were made thoroughly intelligent
on the subject of alcohol and taught its
effect upon the processes of animal life
Taught that it can add nothing to the
vital forces and vital tissues, that in a
healthy organism it is always disturbing
and harmful force. They should know
that it Invariably disturbs the operations
of the brain, and the mind can receive
from it nothing Of help that CAN be relied
upon. It intiames the baser passions,
blunts the sensibilities, and debases the
feelings, and au appetite for drink is de-
veloped by those who use it, which is
dangerous to life, destructive of health
of body aud peace of mind, and in mil
lions Of instances, destructive. of property
and the higher interests of the soul.
When we reflect upon the extent to which
crime and pauperism flow from alcohol,
and how it is the responsible cause of
most Of the poverty and want i'll the
world, we may we'll turn ava shudder-
ingly from the wine cup. 1t has been
computed that six hundred millions of
dollars are annually spent for drink in
this country, having nothing to show for
its cost but diseased stomachs, degraded
homes, destroyed industry, increased pau
perism and aggravated crime. Thus we
see that alcohol in its various forms is a
subtle and powerful enemy to the human
race, destroying human beings by the
million, degrading morals and corrupting
homes i'll superlative degree when com
pared with all other causes, besides vast
ing the national resources more surely
and severely than war.
All honor to the true hearted men and
| who all -
body and brain in the furtheranee of the
temperance canse; and may their unre-
mitting labors blossom and yield rich
harvest.
But indeed, did not mean to write you
homily, or preach lay sermon upon
the subject. If yo1 happen to be in an
appreciative mood for news when this
reaches you, fear your correspondent
has sadly missed her mark. The city is
just now wofnlly quiet, with not even al
imaginary yellow fever scare to disturb
its serenity. We devoutly hope that thai
peculiar form of excitement may not b.
experienced for many long year. Fa1
better the most humdrum routine, thar
any such break into the present mouot
ony. You know the old adage says tha
it is almost as bad to be thief as to llay.
the suspicion fall OH MS of being one
Well, the effects that accrue arc identical
and OH that principle onr Crescent Cit,
will have to bear as much, opprobriun
| and all evil results Of sllnteun nuaranti tine