The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1884-02-28
THE FIRST GLASS.

The Irish World says a strong and In
telltgent young man of New ork city
was, not long since, left nice sum OF
money by the death of relative In Eng
land. He was CHEEKY, active young
fellow, working steadily at small wages
In hope of deserving more before long,
and of starting fairly In life with an at
tractive and amiable young girl who
favored his shy attentions to her. Here
now was fine chance to make his
brightest dreams an actual reality !
Here was a splendid start for good, and
useful, and comfortable life just in his
hand! But the demon of drink was on
the watch and determined to spoil the
bright picture. He made tools of the
young mans friends.
The jovial, generous lad, with his
pocket full of money, was easily induced
to have gloriilcation in honor of the
good luck. His friends drank his health
flatteringly. lie took his first glass to
drink theirs In return. That first glass !
That first glass! That first taste of the
deadly Vaccinations Of the "worm of the
stillp Oh, If some good angel had
whispered to him the wisdom OF avoid
ing that first taste! No doubt he had his
good inspirations: but he did not heed
them, and the first glass led to the second,
and flattering "friends" closed around
him in social circles night after night,
and the devil in the trimming bowl
turned the social meetings into sinful
orgies where manhood and conscience
were killed and buried.
Once on this grand spree, he never got
well out of 1t till his last dollar and the
last of his false friends were gone, and he
moral, mental and physical wreck, with
no part or association OF his young,
bright life of n year ago.
He was conscious Of only one feeling
he must have drink! Something within
him craved it wildly, savagely. lie en-
tered saloon. He knew some of the
faces at the bar.
81 want some whisky" he appealed to
one of them.
"You must have it-all you want"
said the other, remembering former lib
eral libations at the expense Of the now
penniless drunkard.
sob, no, you would not give me all |
want-I could drink gallon"
"Fill up schooner for him." said the
other to the bar keeper. lie drank 1t off.
''E'ill another" He drank it. again"
and the crowd drew around now in
terested and curious. The fourth
schooner" was filed hesitatingly by the
bar keeper, but the young drunkard did
not reach his hand for it, He had rulped
the three large glasses full of the "fire
water" without waiting to note or feel
the effects of each succeeding glass, and
now he stopped as If paralyzed, his
whole face hideously transformed, his
eyes starting from their sockets.
"Drink your whisky-only one more"
said one of the onlookers.
mo. Give some water! water
water ~ he shrieked. "I'm burning up!"
lie rushed wildly around the room in
search of water.
''Give him some ale," suggested one,
sit will cool him."
He snatched the profiered drink,
drained it, shouted, "1'm all on fire ~
and fell dead.
He did not vanish in cloud Of smoke
and smell of birthstone, but he lay there
a hideous corps, until after the Coroner's
death from alcoholism" when the
body was returned to its mother earth
without holy rites or mourners' tears, to
wait the resurrection. The next days
dailies published the bare facts in few
cold lines that to the average reader had
little interest or significance but 1t is n
mournful, terrible tale If properly dwelt
on, and appeals to every young man of
the thousands that read it to fear the
first glass.