Sword and shield. (Clinton, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1885-05-30

| QTluko OOoe AuOACJS OlU OhO 0ANOe
calls on another, and always the
most generous persons must stand it.
How soon a dollar is run away with,
and often, too, when it can be poorly
spared from some far more necessary
and useful purpose. 1t is safe to say
that very large part of the money
spent each year for drink is spent
solely because of the treating sys-
tenn. II each man paid simply for
his own glass there would be infn-
itely less drank and spent in the
drink. Again, you treat number
and by custom this means that these
are expected to treat again. There
may be some, there are always some,
who can i'll afford the price Of the
set of drinks. But they do not wish
to appear mean and so they pay,
feeling all the while that it is the
exactiOn of tribute, a tribute wrung
from the necessities of home and
family. Why should you aid in
keeping up a custom which SO wrings
its tribute from those who are bound
by it?
5. 1t is a dangerous custom.
1t leads thousands and hundreds
of thousands to take their hrst drink
and the first glass taken, the first
entrance made to the bar-room. the
first step taken in the jovial, rollick-
ing way, they are headed toward in
evita5le destruction. Many young
man, flattered by the attention Of
one whom he respects and looks up
to, accepts the invitation, and SO
learns to take what he has been
taught to avoid. Many a reformed
or reforming man who has nearly
conquered the old appetite is met by
an old friend, who lays his hand upon
his arm and says, Come in and
have something-don't refuse me. !"
Already his battle has been all that
he could fight, hut with this added
force in the direction of all his old
inclinations he yields, and as the
foAming liquor touches his lips, all
good resolutions are forgotten, and
the demons ofappetite are unloosed
within him. If the sad histories,
which are known only to loved ones
and to God, could all be written,
how often it would be seen that the
proffered "lreat" has turned a soul
travelling heavenward into the dark
path which led at last to cOmpletest
misery. Stop, friend, before you
ask any one to drink with you and
ask yourself the question, "Dare |
take the responsibility" If you
feel yourself strong enough to tamper
with so fatal destroyer, do not for
kind PHYS sake be instrumental in
leading another into bondage he
may never be able to break. For
there is particular danger in treat
ing. Almost invariably it leads to
excess. Treat follows treat, and the
fumes of the liquo~ rise to the head
from the frequent draughts, craze
and sink into the heart and poison
the body and the soul. There is the
company, the feeling that each one
must return the treat, and so excess
invariably follows. He pays for
more than he otherwise would, he
drinks far more.
| knew a man who for years had
been a very hard drinker. No kind
er husband and father could have
been than he in his sober moments,
but when the drink was in him and
the drink thirst upon him gentleness
gave way to brutality and caresSes
were turned to blows. His loving
wife forgave all and loved on, watch
ing for and with him, and praying
for his salvation. At last a temper
ance wave caught him. He pledged
himself, kept his pledge, prospered
in his business and his home became
full of the old sweet happiness. For
ten years this man kept firm, attend
ed 10 his business and prOspered.
One day he was in neighbOring
CITY on business. He had finished
what he had to do, and was waiting
for the outgoing train, when an old
friend whom he had not seen for
nearly dozen years came into the
smoking-roo of his hotel and at
once recognized HIM. Right gladly
they renewed old acquaintance and
talked over old times. and felt their
hearts warm toward each other as
the old memories were revived. His
time was nearly up, when the friend
suddenly arising, said,
"COme, Joe, | haven't seen you
Cor a dozen years : let US have some
thing for the sake of Auld Lang
Syne."
"Don't drink any now, Hail." he
replied, ''have given 1t up these ten
years.
"Nonsense, old fellow, you can
take glass with me, just for old ac-
quaintance sake"
He plead off, spoke of his home
and business, and declared that he
had determined never to drink
again. But his old friend plead
with him and at last persuaded him
to take '.just one glass Divine"
lie took it, the old thirst came
back, that train did not take hin
from the city, but a. later one did
Alas, how changed! At midnight
crazed with drink he reached hi
home, the very demons had taker
possession of him. Seven devils haC
come back where one had beer
driven out. In vain were the plead