The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1886-05-07

My friends, / have long favored tho
rum cause; indirectly. # is trie, but still
l have been indiflercntly careless in many
respects Secure in my own strength. !
thought not Of the weakness Of Others.
Now that ] see things with quickened Wis
ion, shuddcr when romcmborhow many
times I have set the snare of the wine cup
before you at social gatherings All. It's
the social glass, friends, that ruins. after
ALL
No man will deliberately choose to be-
come drunkard; at first they drink occa-
sionally because it is fashionable-the rest
comes afterwards, as surely as the night
follows the day I am determined that
the future shall. in Il measure, atone for
the past. And now | have an earnest re-
quest to make. Here is pledge I hope
you viii all be
=" Resolved, with God helping. in future to
be
From wine and IFS folIic, un-hoeblcd and
free. ="
'sAnd l, said Dora, with one Of her
rare, sweet smiles, and she glanced to-
wards the curtained alcove as she spoke.
Il want to see the names of all my friends
upon it. We want you all in the temper
ance army to battle for the right To-
morrow evening we shall meet at the hall
to organize temperance society. How
many of you viii be there?"
This was a long speech fos Dora Els
worth to make, and her earnest, blushing
face touched the hearts of hearers more
readily than words could have done
Each one who knew her knew the effort it
had cost her to break through lifelong
habit OF society and bravely lead,the way in
a new path Each one, even Charlie Kelly,
felt the earnest purpose of the hour None
knew all this better than the silent man in
the curtained alcovo, and none suspected.
as he did. the motive that had urged Ter
to act. Their engagement had never been
made public. Shame crimsoned his brow
as he remembered how many times, during
the last few months. his nerves had been
unstrng, and his active brain clouded by
midnight carousal "a good time with
the boys, and of late the decanters had
contained a liquor stronger than wine
Yet, like many others, lie reasoned that he
knew just how far to 60 that he could
drink or let it alone as lie pleased, and
would not heed the warning Of the depray-
ed appetite, which was daily calling often
az a,J Gov e.r..narar ,I,.i,,I-
Wounded pride and anger filled his
heart because lis danger W as discovered,
and a helping, loving hand held forth to
save him from-himself
The pledge was rapidly circulated, and,
when the guests had gone the names OF
nearly every one were there, to witness an
earnest resolve for the future. But the
one Dora Ellsworth most wished to see
was missing She stood alone in the silent
parlor, wondering if she had failed in the
venture, when a footstcp came hurriedly
to her side, and broken voice said, as she
looked into the convulscd face that bent
above her-Norman Fitz James face, in
which love and pride. anger and shame.
Were striving for the mastery.
Dora, Dora, Why this freak Is it,
is lido you fear for me p
And looking straight into his eyes, her
own shining through her tears with a holy
tromulous light She answered simply
YES. for you, Norman.
"But l am no drunkard, he cried in
surprise, as though he had not turned the
situation over and over in his mind during
the last hour, and viewed it with lawyer
like dclberation, always against his will,
owning. in his secret heart, the need Of
reform.
NO, not a drunkard yet, Norman, She
answered gently, and her very gentIeness
angercd him. lie was prepared for en-
treaty, for anger, but this gentle tirmncss
was trait he had never thought to find III
her character. Not a drunkard. now.
Norman, but let me illustrate my meaning,
Suppose man should be sailing on the
Niagara river, ten miles above the falls.
Is he in any danger of being dashed in
pieces ON the cruel rocks ten miles below,
or of going over the cataract? Not if lie
uses common caution The river is smooth,
and the boat rocks gently over sparkling
waters without feeling the mighty under
current which means destruction. But we
will suppose that he lets his boat drift down
the river borne by the treacheIous current
that is every moment becoming stronger,
every moment becoming better able TO
battle his frantic efforts to reach the shore
when it is too late. Warnings are shouted
to him, out he laughs as he sits in the
bow with folded arms, and refuses to
touch the oars until he feels the strong Vi
bration Of the exultant current that naw
has him in its power, sees the shores re
coding more swiftly, and hears the roar
Of the mighty cataract. Then paralyzed
with fear, he springs to his oars, he pulls
with such desperation, perhaps, that they
snap asundcr, and he is carried to destruc-
ton even with arms vainly outstretched to
the friends who cannot save him.
That man is me, suppose you mean, and
Niagara Fails means drunkard's grave
Thank you, Miss Ellsworth, he said, as
he drew back, and anger flashed in his
eyes.
eyes, yea, Norman, and many others