The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1886-09-10
TEMPERANCE.
DRINKING ANNlE.s TEARS.


Ny treat, boys2 Step up, don't care if do,
&c many time I've been treated by you.
And, boys, can tell you it's many time
win you at the bar l have spent my last
And gone reeling home, but you've both done
the same.
We begun, l believe. with wine and cham.
payne
Served IN wafer-ike glasses, light as the
mist
That rolls from the sea which the sun-rod
has kissed.
wewere then college students. Science and
Art, music and Latin slipped down with our
But stomach and brain got oe'rloaded. and SO
We held to the drink and let all the rest go.
Success we had painted in glow light of
Ambition and wealth swept away by the
tide.
Love, social position and friends by the
We sacrificed all, but the demon Graves
We gave him each one of life's blessings, it's
He asks for our souls and eternity, too
Step up, boys, it's my treat, providing youT
take
The beverage I've chosen for old friendships
You wonder what mixture I've gotten up
now?
No mixed drink for me, I'm sure you'll al
Ihave mixed my drinks we'll. rum, beer and
champagne,
Strong drink to the stomach is death to tho
brain.
A drunkard has only the semblance of man,
The form of his Maker. Degraded. accurst
The yilest OF all living things and the worst
But sometimes that bit of Gods presence
within
Which clings to fellow in spite of his sin.
And sets him to thinking Well, sometimes,
Z you know,
The angel within us has worried us so
We have sworn to reform. We did it last
year,
And we pledged to drink nothing stronger
than beer.
We made up in quantity what it lacked in
And watched the last glow of true manhood
expire,
In excuses poor phantoms, pridc's tawdry
hearse,
Concealing not death but humanity's curse.
We satisfied conscience hushed whisper.ngs
We three model Temperance men drinking
our beer.
Drinks for three, if you please. Wen take
the pure stuff;
OF soul-blighting mixtures we've had quite
Don't scrimp the measure. Fill the glass to
the br;m,
With Gods sparkling sunlight and glory
thrown in;
Pure crystalized light from the vineyards
Drink fit for the gods, from Gods wine press
of love.
What brought it about, this free lecture Of
mine,
What stirred up the depths of my soul against
And wines variations? List, boys, while 1
tell:
You know how you left me that night at the
Blear-eyed and besotted with imbecile leer,
real model Temperance man picked in
beer.
She met me, my guardian angel, so fair;
The nights dews lay damp in her beautiful
The heart dews hung wet on her lashes, and
lay
On her thin, panid cheeks. Boys, you know
She came to my home. wife and helpmate to
be,
The bonniest girl, and you both enyied me.
The bright pansy blue has gone out of her
eyes,
And her roses-O how Iloathe and despise
Inc wretch who could blight them. No word
Of complaint
Or censure for me had my fair little saint.
She Steadied my uncertain footsteps and led
The wreck of my manhood in silence to bed
called for drink, as the demon of thirst
The demon whose presence my life has ac-
curSt- EaSA
Ragged within me. Annie oheyed my COM
mand
And brought me drink with loves unweary
hand.
AS she passed it to me, one jewel tear fell
And was lost in the drink she brought from
Il the well.
That tear sobered me- had seen them be.
FORE
But swore then and there I'd drink them nc
more.
1 swore that the rest of my life's misspent
years
I'd drink Gods pure water, but not Annie's
tears.
Rose IInrfIpicIc TborYo