The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1883-01-19
VI. C. T. U. COLUMN.
Tempt Not the Weak.
[For the Morning and Day of Reforin.1

y duleS DUnlOHs diISs tSu lOi Oi uIl-
kenness and disorderly conduct.
Fined five dollars. In default of
payment, ,esent to Jail for thirty days" "
This item IN the morning paper
met my eye, and [ read i: again, Tor
the name seemed familiar. Could it
be possible that this was my old
schoolmate? And my mind turned
back to the time when James stood
among the brightest of his class.
True, lie was little wild, and soou
after leaving school he commenced
drinking, and would occasionally
become intoxicated. Then he Joined
temperance organization, and
seemed SO deeply in earnest that l
had really thought him safe from all
farther temptation.
Such was the condition of things
when | moved to a distant city in
the far West. had been absent
fox ten years, and was now on
visit to the old home l had heard
nothing Of James Dunton during my
absence, and supposed him still!
working in the temperance ranks.
Could it be possible that this was
the same man? On inqniny, found
it to be true James Duntou had
become victim Of intemperance,
absta,ning tor three years. He had
not simply gone back to his old way,
but had fallen far lower, until the
chances of his ever reforming seemed
almost hopeless. I called on him
and learned the story Of his fall:
II had tasted no kind ofliqnor for
more than three years, and had con-
quarcd the old habit ST. far that it
had little or no temptation for me.
One evening I attended, a party Gel
ebrating the birthday of a lady friend.
Wine and other liquors were used
quite freely. I had twice refused to
drink, when the hostess approached
and offered me glass of wine. l
begged her to excuse me from accep-
ting it, but she answered somewhat
petulantly:
81 should think you might drink
once with me, in honor of this occa-
sion.''
GAS said something about the
principle involved, and the possibility
of single glass leading to further
indulgence, she retorted rather sneer-
lngly:
"O!I beg your pardon. I had
supposed that Mr.. Dunton was man
enough to drink harmless glass OF
wine without fear of becoming a
drunkard.'
"This stab at my pride, in the
presence ofothers who had no scruplcs
apoat taking an occasional glass, had
its effect, and with some light remark
in reference to tie excuse | had been
making, l took the wine and quickly
drank it. This led to another, and
then another. for | wished to show
the lady that I had sufficient man
hood to drink several glasses Of wine,
if l chose. The result was, l was
carried home beastly drunk. After
that night all the old cravings came
back ten-fold. / tried to fight against
it, but it seemed of no use. NY
courage all forsook me, and became
reckless. In my false attempt to
sustain my manhood I had lost all.
| feel now that my fate is fixed, and
there is no help for it. The sooner
that the end comes the better for all
concerned"
l tried to encourage him to hope
for better things, but he would not
listen.
As I went away I thought of the
wonderful influence of woman, and
how sad that it should ever be put
to such bad nse-that it should be
used TO lead men downward, when it
might do so much toward lifting
them up The loss of manhood
life, and of soul through
eternity, are too weighty matters to
be trifo6 awav