The Delaware farmer., 1883-11-02
[From the Milwaukee sun.

a pleasanter feeling among q company
than the name or presence of S. Parl
Coon. A few days since the gentleman
died penniless in a Milwaukee hospital
and was buried by friends who had
known him all these years, who respect
ed him when he was at the top of the
ladder, and who pitied him when at the
bottom. He had been encouragement
IL of the State when a young man, and con-
tracted convivial habits which caused
him to be the wrong man at the head
of a regiment, which was soon discov-
cred when he was placed at the head of
a thousand brave Wisconsin soldiers.
He was a man good at heart, a man of
ability, a man loved best by those who
knew him best, but the fatal defect was
his entering the lists to wrestle a catch
as.catch-can match with whisky, trial
which ultimately beats every man who
tries it.
When the writer first saw S. Park
Coon he was the orator at a political
meeting, had been met at the depot by
band, wore a slouch hat, and was ad-
mired by five thousand people as a
thoroughbred He could talk splendid
Iy, had been a colonel, and his cordiel
greeting on being introduced to a
stranger captured the stranger at once.
Though he went to bed with his boots
on that night, and got up the next
morning with his hair pulling to take
the train, his getting full was looked
upon as an eccentricity of genius, boys
talked about it and said, "Well, he's
daisy, anyway" and they forgot his elo-
quence Of the evening before in admira-
ton at his don't care-a-darnativeness as
he took the train that morning, knowing
that every man, woman and child in the
country village knew he had been as
full aa a goose the night before. There
was an independent air about him that
boys could not help admiring, and we
wish the boys who put their hats on one
side and winked at each other at the
country depot that morning, and ad- |
mired the orator, could know how the
poor man turned out.
All who stay by whisky are as liable,
and more so, to die in hospital, than S.
Park Coon was fifteen years ago. 1t
always seems hard to speak of mems
mistakes when they are dead, but if
more good can be done by speaking of
them than was ever done by the man
when living, it seems as though we
should not shrink from speaking. No
harm can be done to the deceased, and
no more chagrin can be felt by the rela-
tives than has been felt for many years.
so, while admOnishing young men to be-
ware of the fate that befel our friend
who is dead, we shall not forget the
kind heart the man always carried when
alive. No matter how great, or brainy,
Or educated a man may be, if he ties his
cart to the rum locomotive, he will have
his cart tipped over, and the greater the
nan in his profession the worse his ex-
ample is to the boys. A boy who has
cad, and heard his father talk of the -,
of a statesman, and who would
,ive more to see that man than he would :
o see a circus, is injured more by seeing
hat statesman drunk than he would be
n any other way. He is more liable to
initiate the drunkenness of the man, be- +
ause he sees people laugh at that, ::
7hile they take his oratory without !.
mile.
The greatest orator that Illinois ever
reduced, who is now dead, did more
arm once to young men by appearing
efore an audience in presidential cam n
aign in a state of intoxication than he W
ould do good in a lifetime. There is S,
omething about whisky that catches n
le best of them, and the largest Drained k
ian in the State or country is about as N
able to be captured by lariat rope b
round his appetite as the narrowest- fl
eaded creature. Boys are great imi- m
tors, and if they learn that their fay p,
lite lawyer, doctor, merchant, or editor
It too full for utterance, and they see of
lem courted and petted, the boys think I'll
lere must be a heap of fun in it. But
ere is not, boys. What you think is tn
n is often slavery of the worst kind. an
ou ask an honest man, who is so adj
cted to drink that it is isnoticeable to all. co
he would advise you to follow in the re-
me course, and he will tell you for Gods hi
ke and your mothers sake never to
uch drop Of the poison. a
But talk as we may, and with examples
fore us every day Of the brightest men 20,
rdorad hrr indr,Io.nr,no II, -. -. - ~.