The Dillon tribune., 1884-10-11
80 snuire Lawson signed the Pledge.
by MATTE JEAN SUTTON.

|,auence arguing against the temperance
-,.aoe or prohibition Of the liquor business.
: ,,rk of the story Of Squire Lawson and
.pozv Sal" The Squire lived in small
.aun in Ohio, in the early days OF the tenn.
.,,.,c. movement. He kept wines in his
r.,,,r and was a moderate drinker. Him.
self and family were eminent'y respectable
..o,,4 and his opinions were received BY
r.. v;,,apers with proportionate difference.
T.. The due course OF events, Good Tenn. !
,,ar Lodge was organized in the town, and
..r;dly increased in members. This pro-
anc.d much excitement, Indignation and
.;d;cule among those engaged in the sale Of
w,,ors. and those who drank, the Squire
among the rest. This influence alone pre-
vented many from joining the lodge
.wha, the Squire says" ana "What thu
Squire thinks" was heard on every SIC
among the opposers Of the reform.
Oua certain evening popular le"u'e'
.,oke in the church. The Good Ttnp'ars
we're out in full lorce. So were t. oPpo'
s;,t elements, and the house W. 'u''' !"
ooe side Of the pews facing th' ps'p'' '''o
n full view OF the audienc SAT squire
1..son. The lecturer wa eloquent, en-
,husias,ic, pointed and Gaining 10 '"e
Mtbe close many we willing and anx.
ions to take the pledg. MIR. JONES' prom
inent Good rempla, laid it upo" the table,
and offered to all v'o nao mot S's"e>' '">
opportunity to deSo' ., :
"But before IT'S is DONE continued t"c
,sc,,rer r;sin." II will extend to any one
:, ~. hons e.he invitation to reply to any
.,,;.. ~ ..rytl,ing have said this even
ing" a.,,,. VI,
md. but now "clothed and in his
.;.,t mind," rose from his seat ~ did not
~" " he laid apologe.ically, ITO answer
nything you have said; to my mind it is
" erable. But l wish to help che
|cause along. want to urge these young
men to take the pledge now and stick to it
through life, that they may never be where
Dick Walker has been." And then with
bursting heart and overhowing eyes, he
recounted his miserable experience as the
slave Of King Alcohol; but gloried in the
lct of being once mo,e a free man, and
enoed by entreating the young men to be-
ware Of the first drink.
While he still spoke, with all eyes rivet
ed upon him, strange figure stole in al
the door, and passed hesitat'ngly dowr
through the aisles, looking on all sides fo'
= seat. 1t was "Boozy SAL" poor unfor
tunats creature welded to her cups ans
having no particular home. She had no
been drinking enough to stagger; but he
gait was a little unsteady as she came tor
ward, needed by few, and took seat b.
the Squire. who, listening inten,ly to Dick
was all unconscious of her presence.
As soon as the young man sat do~r
SQUIRE Lawson rose to his feet. The TEN
perancc element began to look indignan
and the opposition gratiticd. They co"'
we'll foretell the tenor OF his remarks. "M
friends and neiyhbors," he began delibe
atelv, II am again as you know, modera
in all things. hasty in nothing. | ha'
used the good things Of life just as muc
as have believed to be for my highe
good and happiness. Ipartakc of the lu
wies sparingly and temfcrafeiy. VII
particularly to emphasize the word
wonder il these Young people have thous
carefully of its meaning-temperate--
perancc-what do these words mean: III
paper is laid out there, and You are ask
to sign it as a temperance pledge: Not
ing of the kind. Temperance is mode
ate use of things; but when you sign til
you pledge yourself not to use it at
In other words, you acknowledge you ;
not man enough or woman enough,
drink little wine in the way Of luxu
without drinking too much, and thereto
pledge yourself to take none. l am pro
tobe able to say" drawing himself up a
speaking in loud voice, "that I've us
liquors forty years and was never into
Gated in my life. And l mean to drink
long as live" $50 do |, Squire, SO do
cried Booty Sal, darting to her feet
patting the speaker on the back, ~ ou
the man for mel" The Squire started
though rattlesnake had bitten him,
giving Sal fierce look, turned to the
tering audience with a confu led atte'np'
resume his speech. Il dont-1-of cou
am as much against drunkenness as a
body and would work for temperance,
not for tcctotalism. Why even r
thought little wine was good for