Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-12-22
temperance.
PAUL THOMPSON A TRUE
STORY.

Oue Ill lcfHOOls u rev weeks SlICSs
while passing through one of the
principal business streets of a large
city,we came upon crowd of school ]
boys standing in front of saloon.
The boys had come out of the school
house only few moments before and
had their books, and states, etc., in
their hands. They were a company
of bright, intelligent, happy-looking
lads, but they seemed deeply interes-
ted in something that was going on
inside of that saloon. AS they open
ed their ranks to make way for US we
| stopped and asked what it was that
had attracted such large crowd of
boys.
paul Thompson S been in a fight
in the saloon there and a policeman
has just gone to arrest him." said one
of the boys.
While he was speaking, a large,
blue-coated, -buttoned officer
came out leading a man, or rather
jerking him, by the coat collar. The
man in custody was young, with
slight form and delicate features, and
as we looked into his face we saw
traces of intelligence and cultivation.
EsHe is drunk said another boy,
"and when he's drunk he is always
ugly and wants to fight. This isn't
the first time he has been taken Ell
ther."
The crowd of boys followed the
policeman and his prisoner, and we
soon lost sight of them. AS we pass
ed on, we noticed the public school
building was only short distance
from that saloon many of the schol
ars had to pass by it every day. The
same proprietor had been in posses
sion of the building for ten years
past. Only six years before, Paul
Thompson had graduated from the
high school. He was a school of
high standing, too. But he had been
in the habit of passing this dangerous
corner for years before he graduated.
He had been attracted to it in his
boyhood, as the boys just spoken of
had been, by some similar occurrence.
He began by looking in to see what
was going on behind the screen-door.
Then he stepped inside to hear what
the men were talking about. The
saloon-keeper noticed him, for he
had manly bearing, and belonged
to a family in high standing.
, He encouraged the boys coming il
with pleasant fattering words, ant
> one day he gave him glass of bee
to drink. Paul thought it was manl'
to take the offered glass, but h
could only drink part of 1t; he di'
: not like the taste; it was bitter; bu
L the saloon man patted him on tn
. shoulder, and said it would make a ma
= of him. Paul knew it was wrong
} and when he went home he felt q
= shamed to stay in the presence G
his good sweet mother. He coul
Il not look her in the face every smil
- she gave him, and every kind wore
B" made him feel more and more guilty
,0 He resolved never to pass by the So
y loon again, but to go home anotht
~ way, although it was much farthe
But somehow he did not 60 the othC
=" way but a few times. There SCENE
III to be fascination about that saloon
10 and he would linger around it. Th:
y" was the beginning. Now we see Pa
" Thompson a constant frequenter {
&c this saloon. He has been going dow
H..
pc years or more-the years, too, of b
life which were the most importal
iio to him-the time when he ought
have been acquiring a true, honor
BILE, manly character. His moth
:" used to love to hear his step on Il
- walk, and his cheerful, boyish viii
. tie when he came bounding hon
from school, so happy and light-hear
in ed. But now that dear mother lis
all ems and listens night after night f
rup his step with an anxious heart. 81
dds has pleaded with prayers and tea
for his reform; but the "habit b
,or gun in cobwebs has ended in irC
ad chains" He is slave to liquor. Y
ps. trust his good mothers prayers W
ne. be heard and that through the mer
and strength of the Lord Jesns Chr
he may break those iron chains. B
chs we see where he is to-day. No
= IN boys, this case of Paul Thompson
nth a great warning to all of you. Do
l''s stop at saloons, even to look
n@ Cross over the other side, and sh
those terrible places where so ma
have lost their manhood and tn
soul. Remember that every POI
.1 miserable drunkard began his dow
tory ward career when he took his Fl
ana glass.-,Sus0n z. Perry.
Drunkards enjoy remarkable
often
munity from the consequences of
ears jurics. One sometimes sees drul
VIII WIN en- man pitched violently from hor
aim; and when the bystanders rush to