The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-07-14
THE TREAT CUSTOM.

In certain farming district, not many
years ago, it became matter of COM
mon observation and common grief that
very large proportion of the boys, as
soon as they became young men, fell
into the drinking habit This was not
due to any lack of proper precept or ex-
ample from the parents. 1t was not due,
either, to their ruinOus federation of a
misunderstanding establishment in their
own neighborhood, as is often the case.
Where the habit was acquired and at
what age, was easily told; but the cause
did not so readily appear. Up to a
liked period, nearly the same in all
cases, the boys went all well enough;
but when the time came, in the history
OF any one of them, that he began to
have business sense and discretion
enough to be sent alone on farm errands
to the neighboring city, which was the
news center and the market town of the
district, that time was the date
upon which he began his downward
career. Of one after another it was
told that on such night, after visit to
town with a load of wheat, or pork, or
wood, or some other farm product, he
came home "the worse for liquor. :"
The habit, then, was formed in town,
and at the very first opportunity the boy
had for forming it, that is, at the age
when he was first freed from the re-
straining presence of his parents. Why
this should be so was not an easy point
to settle. Why these well-taught, and,
on the whole, good boys, brought up in
the country, which common theory
holds to be the best place for boy to
get his start in life, should at the first
moment they were left to act for them
selves, break away from every barrier
of teaching and habit, and rush head
long into the very danger that they had
been held back from and warned
against, was question that awakened
the deepest concern of the entire COM
munity. Until the cause could be dis
covered it was blind cropping to seek the
cure.
The contagion of example, it was felt,
would account for it only in part. No
explanation of such epidemic lapses
from the path of rectitude is more COM
mon than that few dominant spirits
set the fashion for evil, and that the rest
follow. But in this case the force of
leadership was not believed to be strong
enough to produce the result, unless
aided by some cause lying back of the
boys social instincts, in some untoward
bent received at an unknown point in
their training.
1t would be too much to say that this
sad problem was ever fully solved, but
much light was thrown upon it from one
side and another. Not the least helpful
of the suggestions offered toward the
solution was made by mother whose
one son was fast approaching the fatal
age. She expressed her conviction that
the open door, through which this dead
ly habit was permitted to come in, was
the treat practice, in one of the forms
which peryade family life.
"We accustom our children" said
she, on one occasion when the subject
was under discussion, ''from their baby
hood, to think that when any one goes
to the city, they must have something to
eat or drink by way of a treat. While
the children are small we give them
candy. / believe it is safe to say that
not one mother in twenty ever goes to
town without bringing home candy to
the little folks. If the children 90,
they are taken into the confectioner's
to buy it for themselves. As thew
grow older, candy is exchanged for
soda-water and lemonade. The very
idea of visit to the city is associated,
in the minds of most children, with
that of some kind of treat. In time
they outgrow candy and fruit, and lem
onade and soda-water become tame.
Then there is nothing left but the
stronger drink of the bars and saloons.
For my part" she continued, Il am re-
solved not to cultivate this idea in my
sons mind. want him to look upon
going to market as merely part of the
farm business, and to learn that there
is no more reason why he should treat
himself to something unusual when he
goes to town, than there is that he
should do so when he goes to church.
AS the inquiry went on, the convic-
ton deepened that this thoughtful
woman had struck the root of this poi
sonous growth. 1t is the old story of
the perversion of a strong instinct which
everybody recognizes in some form
the instinct for rest and recreation.
Prolonged strain is followed by relaxa-
ton; over-strain by over-relaxation.
Long periods of labor bring payday,
when human nature, plying its own
hardships, and providing for their re-
ward, seeks to indemnify itself for the
deprivations of toll 1t assumes that
something is due to make up for what
is felt to be the self-denial involved in
continued application.
The business man who spends his
days in the counting house or the office,
thinks it fair that the evenings should
bring him relief and recreation. The
laboring man who works hard six days
in the week believes himself entitled to
spend the seventh in his own way, and
if his way includes drunken debauch,
he excuses himself on the ground of
deserving something by way of reward
for his hard work. The country boy
who goes to town once week, or once
month, looks forward to some unusual
qualification of the senses in recompense
for the tedious industry required Of him
in his home life.
How far the abuse of this instinct
can be guarded against is question
for parents and educators. 1t is plain
that the thing to be guarded against is
the abuse, and not the use. 1t is also
plain that the one point toward which
| orr training can be directed with anv