The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1883-06-07
A SUCCESSFUL TEMPERANCE LECT.
URE.

UhEs
Jimmy, throw that jug into the pig
pen. Smash it first, and be sure you
don't taste a drop of the vile stuff" said
an anXiOus-lOoking woman rs she hand
ed her little son the brown jug which
she had just found hidden in the shed.
Father won't like it." began the
boy, eyeing the ugly thing with look
of fear and hate; for it made mother
miserable, and father brute.
Il said I'd make way with it the next
time j found it, and | will! It's full,
and l don't feel as if l could live
through another dreadful time like the
last. If we put it out of sight, may 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.
1lC was Dul hC
manfully with the old saw, and the
tough apple-tree boughs he had collect
ed 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 COM
pany.
Not long after the destruction of the
jug, he heard great commotion in the
pen, and, looking in, saw the two pigs
caperng 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 few
minutes, but, when one staggered to the
through, and began to lap something
there, and the other tumbled down and
could not get up, he understood the
cause of these antics.
'.Oh, dear! let the whisky run into
the trough, and those bad pigs are tipsy!
What shall 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 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 NOR
titled and sorry over 'em. I'll talk to
EN-, and tell 'em what the man said in
the Temperance lecture we went to
last night. May be it will do 'em
good"
So Jimmy mounted the chOpping-
block close by, and repeated all he could
remember, making funny tumble, but
being very much in earnest, and quite
unconscious that he had another hearer
besides the pigs:
"My friends, rum is an awful thing.
People who drink are slaves. They are
worse than dumb beasts who don't
drink. (Yes, they do; but that was my
fault) Half the sin and sorrow in the
world come from rum. Men waste
their money, neglect their families,
break their wives hearts, and set a bad
example to their children. People bet
ter die than drink, and make brutes of
themselves. Lots of money is wasted.
Folks kill other folks when they are
drunk, and steal, and lie, and do every
bad thing. Now, my friends Q mean
you pigs, turn from your evil ways,
and drink no more. Un smash the
jug behind the barn next time, where
even the hens can't find it.) Rise in
your manhood, and free yourselves from
this awful slavery. (They are both fast
asleep, but I'll help 'em up when they
wake.) Lead better lives, and dom t let
those who love you suffer shame and
fear and grief for your weakness. q do
love you, old fellows, and am so sorry
to see you make such pigs of yourselves. }
Here is the pledge; come and sign it..
Keep it all your lives, and be good men.
q mean pigs.)"
Here Jimmy smiled, but he meant
what he said, and, pulling out of his
pocket a piece of paper and a pen
Gil, he jumped down to use the block as
desk, saying, as he wrote in big let
ters: They shall have a pledge, and
they can make mark as people do who
can't write. I'll make it short, so they
can understand it, and know they will
keep it, for shall help them"
So busy was the boy with his work
that he never saw a man steal from be-
hind the pen where he had been listen
ing, and laughing at Jimmy lecture, till
something seemed to change the smiles
to tears, for, as he peeped over the lad's S
shoulder, he saw how worn the little
jacket was, how bruised and blistered
the poor hands were with too hard work,
and how he stood on one foot, because
his toes were out of the old shoes.
A montn's wages were in the mans
pocket, and he meant to spend them in
more whisky when his jug was empty.
Now the money seemed all too little tc
make his son tidy. and he couldn't bear
to think how much he had wasted on
low pleasures that made a worse brute
of him than the pigs.
"There!" said Jimmy, al CUES:
that will do. We, Tom and Jerry, dc
solemnly promise never to touch, tastt
nor handle anything that can make US
drunk"
snow for the names. Which shall
mark frst?"