The Press., 1884-10-16
Written for and read at a temperance concertl FARNSBY A TEMPERANCE SKETCH.

l first saw the subject of this sketch on the Fourth of July, 1857, in one of the manufacturing villages of Connecticut. He lived in the village, and was generally known there. was stranger of but few days residence in the vicinity. I had gone into the village, with some few oth- CTS, to see how Independence day was go- ing to be celebrated. It was intensely warm, and there were but few on the streets as yet. The people were struggling into the village from the different ap breaches. The celebration was to consist of militia parade but this was to be in another part of the town. While waiting to learn the program of the day, near one of tine small shops on the street, Farnsby came along, followed by few noisy boys and dog or two. Farnsby was young man, probably between twenty-five and thirty years of age. I subsequently learn ed h1s mother was a widow ill poor circum- stances, and he had two or three sisters living at home and working in one of the mills in the town.
 Farnsby, on this Independence day was drunk-silly drunk. Drink always affect ed him III this way. He had been drunk so many times that he was silly in mind and in body. He could not resent abuse because he was too weak but he was con- scious of 1t, and would cry and plead pit eously against it.
 1 remember meeting him one morning, | some months after this, and when knew If I,i, l was passing through the village and sud taking on as child would who has been shamed for some failing which he could not help, but which he is too conscious of and too sensitive over. At this time he had been the butt of sport for some boys who delighted in his miserable condition. They had torn his old coat and made ii more ragged than ever and in some oth- CT ways had provoked his piteous outcry. I gave ear for few moments, all the time I had, to his complaint. Poor fellow he knew well enough what wreck he was, and that he was utterly helpless to repair the damages his drink habit had made up. | on his entire system but what affected me most was the feeling he manifested fol hls mother. He seemed to realize that his mother needed his help. She was poor l and hard working, but she had been brok. | en by these experiences which every wo. man has whose life comes under the shad. ow of this rum m-curse and she could do no more than keep her scantily furnished | house, or tenement-roOms, in order. She could do no outside work.
 Farnsby grieved over his ragged coat but more on account of his mother than for himself. He knew there was no mon- ey to replace it; and he knew there was hard work for his mother to mend it. and there was shame for it to go as it was. l There are some fallen men who lose will, their power of resistance and ability to recover themselves, long before their self-respect or their sensibility is destroy ed. This is especially true of men who become drunkards. We could cite numer- ous illustrations, but believe it to unneces- sary to sustain our position.
 ] Farnsby surely had large sensibility and respect for his mother, and for himself as her boy, but it all went for nothing in the reform of himself before the strong appe. tite for drink that had grown up within him. He could weep when he reflected what ruin he was, and burden on the heart of his mother; but he could not rouse up and get himself out of that ruin, or off from his mothers heart. In respect to all this he was but as child. All this 1 learned in the few minutes talk that morning,
 But to return to that first meeting q, Independence day As I was savino Farnsby was silly drunk aruu few rnd. boys were making it IT. occasion and tho tn, excuse Of sport. 10 his old Coat were tiei 1ai1o"s Ar-o.cles of tin ware, which could "' hlm no particular harm while they in creased the fun but, in addition, fire crackers had been fastened to him anl lighted, and these were now snapping anG slzzllng, and he was yelling and jumping ln alright, to the great amusement of hi tormentors.
 1t was cruel sport; but it was allowed to go on until the poor fellow was quite overcome. hove often had the picture ot that street scene presented to me by memory, but never without a tinge of sad ness, and never without another picture accompanying it.
 That other picture is of cellar in which l are barrels of cider-one of New England's ancient domestic institutions and a boy l with an oat straw who is sucking the cider from the bung of @ cask. That boy is Farnsby, sweet innocent child. He is fond of the cider and likes to suck it through the straw There is something bewitching and appetizing in getting cider through straw. Thousands have ex- perienced it, Farnsby was one of them. He began, as most boys do, with sweet cider; but he went on to sour cider. Ap- petite grew upon him, and by and by no class of cider would do him. Stronger drinks were demanded, and there were those to give them. As the appetite grew the will weakened, and after while sur rendered entirely {; and so before Farnsby was out of his teens he had been enslaved His better self was slave to his worse self. This is tho worst kind of slavery.
 Farnsby continued about home until aft CT the war began its ravages, when he went off as soldier but how he ever was mustered into service is more than know. The only thing I remember about him after this Is that he was sent south and there died in short time. O. P. CHAMPLIN. 
 GREENvILLE, CALIFORNIA Harry Will Hams certifies under his notarial seal. that