The Fremont County record. [volume] (Canon City, Colo.) 1877-18??, 1883-07-07
4 TEMPERANCE COLUMN
EDITED BY REV. L. j. TEMpLIN.
What n Drunkard Is.

"Grandpa thus writes to the Echo: SIN
this article l shall attempt TO show what n
drunkard is. If had the pen of a Cough,
l could easily delineate him from his first
taste of spirits, as step by step, down, down
he goes, to the final ending in the blood
curdling delirium tremens. What more
pitable or deplorable sight upon the face Of
the globe than a tottering, reeling drunl-
ard 4? You have all met him, and as you
look into his bloated, blotched and disfgur-
ed face, did you ever stop to think what he
was before he became drunkard? Listen,
and ] will tell you. He was once a sweet
little babe in his mothers arms, with beauty
and innocence stamped upon his brow; he
was once gleeful, ilir-haired child, filling
the home with joy and gladness, at night
lisping his little prayer at his mother 8
knee he was a romping school boy, for
whom the days were not half long enough
for all his study, play and frolic. He was
senior in a college noted for its stars, of
which he was one, and later he was man
oil worth and ability, a man whose voice
has echoed through the senate chambers
a man who swayed his fellow men and in
iluenced them Tor good. Now he is only n
drunkaTd, swayed instead of swaying; be-
ing governed, instead of helping to govern !;
adrunkard, knowing but one law-that OF
appetite. Looking at him no one seems to
think what he once was. He fell while in
that proud position, presiding over the
councils of a great people, with one foot
upon the topmost round of the ladder.
He fell, by the cursed wines given as
toasts, Just as many of our most celebrated
characters in history have fallen, from the
same cause have had their giories dimmed
with reflections from dark spots upon their
private lives. They left their homes and
families temperate and sober, honest and
upright, generous and just, a warm friend,
a constant husband and aff-Ctionate father,
but lacked the fortitude and moral courage
TO say NO" touch not, taste not.nWould
that a guardian angel, commissioned from
above, might watch over our great and
good men that we choose and send 10 make
the laws of a mighty nation, and preside
over the councils Of great people. Would
that some angel hand might sweep from
the tables, stands and desks Of every club,
caucus and private rooms where toasts are
given, or boarding places where the decan-
ter and glasses stand TO tempt the unwise.
in every glass given as toasts lies a serpent
coiled whose sting is death to body mind
and soul. Only see the disgrace, woe and
suffering the drunkard brings upon his
wife and children. His wife, broken heart
ed, crushed in mind and spirit, the chill
dren forced TO bear the disgrace of a drunk
en- iIther. Voc unto the man who, for
strong drink, stools lower than the beast,
defiles the image OF God, and becomes dis
grace and by-word TO society No man
is chained more securely in the service of
the devil than the druukard No man
does more harm TO himself, TO wife and
children, the church and society, than the
drunkard. No man has more sure and &C :
tain promises to go TO hell than the drunk
ard. No drunkard shall enter the king
dom Of heaven What a wonder that eter-
nal justice tarries 50 long in the heavens.
Would that moral earthquake might
shake this mountain Of intemperance from
the earth. Every saloon contains n nest
Of stingiug kissing serpents, commissioned
Of he'll, TO fy through all this world, TO
touch only to sting, to stop only 10 kill.
No country, city or circle escapes their
flight They coil at our gates and door
ways; they crawl over our thresholds. The
burden has grown too heavy to be longer
borne, and the people are demanding that
the dramshops, the very source and foun-
tain OF drunkenness he closed up. We de
nIand it, humanity demands It, to protect
innocent children, sober youths from the
constant alluTcmcnts; associations and So
citations Of the dramshops, which, where
ever they exist, turn tippling youths into
lFnnlnrlg -