Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-08-13
aylonih's Column.
A SUCCESSFUL TEMPERANCE
LECTURE.


pic pen. Smash it first, and be sure
YOU don't taste drop of the vile =
stuff" said an misunderstanding woman
as she handed her little son the brown
JUG which she had just found hidden
in the shed.
''Father won't like it, began the
boy, eying the ugly thing with look
of fear and hate; for it made mother
miserable and father a brute.
Il said / would make way with it
the next time found it, and | will
It's full, and l don't feel as if | could
live through another dreadful time
like the last. If we put it out of |
SIGHT NAV be father will keep sober
for another month. Go quick, before
he comes home" And the poor
woman pushed the boy TO the door
as if she could not wait minute till
the curse of her life was destroyed.
Glad to comfort her, and have the
fun of smashing anything, Jimmy ran
off, and, giving the jug good bang
on the post, let the whisky run where
it would as he flung the pieces into
the pig pen, and went back to his
work.
He was only eleven; but he strug-
gled manfully with the old saw, and
the tough apple-tree boughs he had
collected for fuel. 1t was fathers
work, but he neglected it, and Jimmy
wouldn't see mother suffer from cold.
so he trimmed the trees. and did his
best to keep the fire going. He had
to stop often to rest, and in these
pauses he talked to himself, having
no other company. Not long after
the destruction of the jug, he heard
a great commotion in the pen, and,
looking in, saw the two pigs capering
about in curious way. They ran
up and down, squealed, skipped and
bumped against one another as if
they didn't see straight, and had no
control of their legs.
Jimmy was much amused for a few
minutes, but when one staggered to
the trough, and began to lap some
thing there, and the other tumbled
down and could not get up, he under
stood the cause of these antics.
"Oh, dear 1 let the whisky run
into the trough, and those bad pigs
are tipsy! What shall l do?'
He watched them an instant, and
then added in a sober tone, as he
shook his head sadly: ''That's just
the way father does. lively first, then
cross, then stupid. They don't look
funny to me now, and I'm so sorry
for 'em. They will be dreadfully
ashamed when they get sober. I'm
glad there isn't any wife and little
son to be scared and mortified and
sorry over 'em. I'll talk to 'em and
tell 'em what the man said in the
temperance lecture we went to heal
last night. May be it will do ZEN
good"
So Jimmy mounted the chopping
block close by, and repeated all hi
could remember, making funn,
tumble, but being very much in earn
est and quite unconscious that he hat
another nearer besides the pigs:
"My friends, rum is an awful thing
People who drink are slaves. The
are worse than dumb beasts, VIII
don't drink. (Yes, they do; bu
that was my fault Half the 81
and sorrow in the world comes frol
rum. Men waste their money, neg
Iect their families, break their wives
hearts, and set a bad example to the
children. People better die tina
drink, and make brutes of themselves
Lots of money is wasted. Folks XII
other folks when they are drunk, an
steal, and lie, and do every bad thing
Now, my friends { mean you pigs
turn from your evil ways, and drir
no more. Q'll smash the jug behir
the barn next time, where even Il
hens can't find it. Rise in yo1
manhood, and free yourselves fro
this awful slavery. (They are DO
fast asleep, but I'll help 'em up wh'
they wake.) Lead better lives, 81
don't let those who love you suff
shame and fear and grief for 20
weakness. q do love you old fl
lows, and l am so sorry to see y
make such pigs of yourselves.) He
is the pledge; come and sign
Keep it all your lives, and be go
men. 1 mean pigs. }"
Here Jimmy smiled, but he mea
what he said, and pulling out of
pocket piece of paper and penC
he jumped down to use the block
q desk, saying, as he wrote in
letters "They shall have a pleds
and they can make a mark as peo
do who cannot write. I'll make
short, so they can understand it,
/ shall help Them
SO busy was the boy with his W.
that he never saw man steal fir
behind the pen where he had be-
listening, and laughing at Jimm
lecture, till something seemed
change the smiles to tears, for, as
peeped over the lads shoulder,
saw how worn the little jacket W
how bruised and blistered the p
hands were with too hard work,
how he stood on one foot beca