The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-11-18
A BRAVE BOY.
BY EBzN u. REXFoRD.

| like to read of heroes | like to see
men who have done heroic deeds. /
feel strengthened by thinking ofswhat
they have done. It acts as a tonic to
ones moral nature.
Not long since | saw hero. | was a
witness of his brave deed, and I have
felt warm glow at my heart hundred
times since at thought of it. But the
deed of bravery was one the papers said
nothing about. They would not have
considered it worth mentioning, | sup
pose; but do, and | am going to write
it down to help others who may be
tempted as this boy was. For my hero
was only boy but there is the making
of strong man in him.
1t happened in this way: Twas walk
ing down the road, and stopped to talk
with a friend. As we stood there two
boys came along.
"Come, let's go to the saloon and
have some something to drink" said
one of them
"Thank you," was the reply, 'but I
never drink"
go! temperance, are your said the
other, with laugh that had suspicion
of sneer in it.
eyes," answered the boy bravely. "I
don't believe in drinking liquor"
"Well, you needn't drink liquor if
don't want to-" said his companion.
"Take some lemonade"
''Not in saloon," was the others
reply, -,
won't make you drunk because they sell
whisky over the same bar, with itp'
Il don't suppose it would" was the
reply. "But saloons are bad places, and
| don't believe in patronizing them"
what moral young fellow you arel"
said his friend with contempt in his
words. "Do you intend to preach when
you get 20 be man?''
"No, | don't expect to" was the reply
"But | intend to make man of myself.
and never knew fellow to amount to
much VINO got into the habit of frequent
ing saloons"
II haven't asked you to hang about
saloons, have Ig' demanded his friend
angrily. "One would think from what
you say that asked you to get drunk" J"
You didn't ask me to get drunk, D
was the reply, "but you haze asked me
to take first step in that direction. If
| drank now, / would probably drink
again. How long would it be before I
got the habit formed of drinking liquorg'
Some other young fellows had come
up by this time, and the one who had
invited his friend to drink turned to
them and said:
You've come just in time to hear a
temperance lecture; get. ready for a
speech. Go on, Bob; maybe you can
convert these chaps" Then they laughed
and grouped themselves around him.
But Bob did not get angry. He looked
them bravely in the face, and said:
Il suppose you think I am soft
because | won't drink. / know you
think it foolish because refused to 90
to the saloon and have glass of lemon.
ade" Ito his friend) sfbue don't, and |
am not afraid to stand up for what |
think is right. If you want to drink,
you will do it, suppose, in spite of any
thing l might say against it. but YOU
can't coax or laugh me into doing it,
| want to have my own respect. and !
shouldn't have if drank, for I don't
think it is right to drink whisky. You
think, | suppose, that am a coward in
not drinking, but think 1 should prove
myself coward in doing it."
Wasn't | glad to hear the boy say
that? | couldn't help going to him and
telling him so.
THANK you" he said, looking pleased
at what [ said. 81 mean to be a man
and know ] shouldn't be if 1 got tc
drinking"
He was right. God bless the young
herol [ wish there were thousand.
more like him. How many who reae
this will take bold stand for tota
abstinence9