The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-03-31
Temperance Reading /.
JUST ONE GLASS OF BEER.
% Charlie. come here,''

| lace that looked out of the window bore /
traces of sorrow As though it had been ,
part of the living to bear pain. The 1
boy came in thinking of his play, and
almost forgetting what his mother said.
de was ten years old, with a bright,
open face.
What did you say you wanted me
to dop''
| Nothing, dear, only to sit down and
listen to something have to say. She
choked little in answering, it was so
hard to do it after all. There had been
live in their family group once, now she
and the lad were all. Father and two sons
had gone the crooked ways of drunken
ness and death. What legacy for that
bright. innocent boy! He had never
known it. His mothers tender care
had hedged him in. Their quiet coun-
try home had been refuge of purity.
Charlie had been only two summers at
school. In the winter when the big
boys, with habits unknown, crowded
the two back seats of the district school
house, his mother made excuse to keep
him at home. 1t was cold and storm
ing and she didn't like to stay alone.
Now they were to move into town, and
the mother had thought, after some
struggle, that the safest way was to put
the boy himself on guard. She had
never talked Temperance very much
heretofore; how could she when every
word she might say cut backward into
her own heart. But the boy was son
to the same father as the two who lay
in dishonored graves, and she felt the
time had come when it was best and
necessary for the boy to know his own
peculiar danger. So she told him,
sparing her dear dead all she might. 1t
was thrusting knives into sore wounds,
but wise love made her brave and she
did not falter She did not cruelty her.
self in vain. The great tears rolled
down Charities cheeks, and whole
heartful of boyish love and sympathy
responded.
"Oh mother" he cried, ''my poor,
dear mamma, l never will drink any Of
that dreadful stuff"
"There are many easy ways, my boy,
to begin; especially | warn you against
sweet cider and beer And put no faith
in the statement so often heard, that d
man of any will can drink and stop. 1t
is possible, though Away dangerous, yet
allowing it to be ever so safe for others
it would not be safe for you We some
times inherit tastes from our fathers and
mothers, and so you. as YOU look like
your father, might have his liking for
liquor if you once tasted it, remember
just tasted it, Charlie. That was what
made it so easy for your poor brothers
to drink. People wondered that both
were twenty-five, but they had their
| c,lI - 30
: tend against
81 never could We Mt to taste it.
His mother smiled, such q sad smile
81 want you this morning to make a
solemn promise in writing, it is some
times called pledge, never to drink.
, / have written it out for you, you can
read it and write your name at the bot
tom, remembering that it is very sol
emn thing to make such promise"
1t was very strong pledge 1t had
no qualifying phrase Gas beverage.
"Some think it necessary in small
quantities as medicine, but it is better
Z that you should never take such medi-
cine even to save your life. You must
: demand medicine free from alcohol, for
yourself, as l have for you" Charlie
assented and deliberately signed his
7 down together and she prayed for a
blessing on the future OF her son.
Years passed and Charlie came to be
eighteen with his pledge unbroken.
People remarked on the manly promise
of the young 10y, and how beautifully
he honored his mother; how that moth
er's heart leaned on him; how it rested
her after the dark years that hal passed?
Yet she never felt secure. When he
is twenty five" she said to herse f, 81
shall draw lone breath, then blamed
herself fOr doubling the boy who had
e proved so true to her and his VOW.
? About this time Charlie had long
! sickness. serious enough to make the
mother very vigilant. He had been
f sometime convalescent, when there
came bright sunny Sabbath
Il an quite wei enough to stay by
: myself to-day, m Their, you go TO
church" So she went, gladly, into the
house of the Lord to offer Thanksgiving.
But the house seemed lonely and still to
t the sick boy, so he was very glad to see
I his Uncle Dan drive up.
"Come over to see how you're get
ting along; can't you ride out little
l way"
.'Glad to see you. though 1 don t
, know about the riding; l haven't ven
, tured out yet"
0 "Just the day to be in said Unc' e
( Dan, in his hearty way. So Char lie
yielded and went. The day was love-
: ly, and havin been a prisoner so long,
: the fresh air and sunshine seemed like
a new world to him
/: This Uncle Dan was his father S
r brother, and the roadside tavern and
. bar ha | its attractions.
t "You'd better get out and come in, ="
he said to Charlie, sit will rest you. I
( declare, be ieve you'd better treat on
this. you look as bright as a dollar"
"You know don drink and don't
like to see you" was the emphatic
, answer.
"Oh, well, 1 want something, any
, way, and you'd better come in"
. Unthinking of the danger of putting
,, one foot in the way that leads into de-
= struction, the boy went in tn enter
. ing. he found ousin and other young
men with whom he wa acquainted who
: were ready with rough and hearty con-
CALCULATIONS on his re overy. The ride
. had been exilharating; this was excit-