The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-09-22
TEMPERANCE.
DRINKING ANNIE's TEARS.


Nv treat, boys? Step up, don't care II do.
It's many time III nSsn ,t tre mscv ~ f H
with you ct the bar have spent my iast
And gone r,s Keeling home but you've both done
We begun. believe. with wine and cham
Served in wafer-like glasses, light as the
That rolls from the sea which the sun-god
We were 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
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 aud eternity. too. -
Step up. boys it's my treat. providing you'll
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
Strong drink to the stomach is death to the
brain.
| The form Of his Maker. Degraded, scourst.
| The vilest of all living things and the worst.
But sometimes that bit Of Gods presence
within
Which clines to fellow in spite Of his sin,
And sets him to thinking. Well, sometimes
| you know,
! The angel within us has worried us so
We have sworn to reform. We did 1t last
And We pledged to drink nothing stronger
than beer.
We made up in quantity what 1t lacked in
And watched the last glow of true manhood
! expire, te
In excuses, poor phantoms. pride's tawdry
hearSe,
Concealing not death but humanitys curse.
We satisfied conscience. hushed whisperngt
We three model Temperance men drinking
our beer.
Drinks for three, il you please. Wen TAXI
OF soul-blighting mixtures we've had quite
|
Don't scrinp the measure. FIJI the glass t.
With Gods sparkling sunlight and glor,
Pure crystalized light from the vineyard
Drink At for the gods, from Gods wine pres
of love.
What brought it about, this free lecture o
What stirred up the depths of my soul agains
| 0N wine
And wines variationsa List, boys, while
tell:
You know how you left me that night at tn
Blear.eyed and besotted with imbecle leer,
A real model Temperance man picked Il
beer.
She met me. my guardian angel, 40 fair;
Tue nights dews lay damp in her beautiful
hair;
On her thin. pallid cheeks Boys. you kno,
She came to my home wife and helpmate t
The bonniest girl and you both envied me.
The bright pansy blue has gone out of be
And her roses-O how Iloathe and despise
The wretch who wIs'u could blight them. No wor
Or censure for me had my fair little saint.
She steadied my uncertain footsteps and lc
The wreck Of my manhood in silence to be-
called for drink, Ms the demon of thirst
The demon whose presence my life has q,
curst- sf"i 3T
Ragged within me. Annie obeyed my con
mand
And brought me drink with loves unwear
hand.
! | As she passed It to me, one jewel tear fell
And was lost In the drink she brought frol
) the well.
That tear sobered me, had seen them b,
fore,
, But swore then and there I'd drink them n
more.
Iswore that the rest of my life's misspei
years
I'd drink Gods pure water, but not Annie
tears.