The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-09-18
TEMPERANCE.
DRINKING ANNIE'S TEARS.


My treat, boys? Step up, don't care if do,
It's many q time I've been treated by you.
nd boys, can tell you, it's many Il time
With you at the bar l have spent my last
dime
And gone reeling home, but you've both done
the same.
We begun, l believe. with wine and cham
pagne
Served in wafer-like glasses, light as the
mist
That rolls from the sea which the sun-god
has kissed.
We were then college students. Science and
rhyme,
Art, music and Latin slipped down with our
wine.
But stomach and brain got oerloaded, and so
We held to the drink and let all the rest go.
Success we had painted in glow light of
pride,
Ambition and wealth swept away by the
tide
Love, social position and friends by the
score,
We sacrificed all, but the demon Graves
more.
We gave him each one of lifes blessings, it's
true
He asks for our souls aud eternity, too.
Step up, boys, it's my treat providing you'n
The beverage I've chosen for old friendships
You wonder what mixture I've gotten up
No mixed drink for me, I'm sure you'n al
low.
Ihave mixed my drinks well, rum, beer and
champagne,
Strong drink to the stomach is death to the
bra
drunkard has only the semblance of man,
The form of his Maker. Degraded, accurst,
The vilest of all living things and the worst
But sometimes that bit of Gods presence
within
Which clings to a fellow in spite of his sin.
And sets hun to thinking. Well, sometimes,
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, pride's tawdry
hearSe,
Concealing not death but humanity's curse.
We satisfied conscience, hushed whisperngs
of fear
We three model Temperance men drinking
our beer
Drinks for three, if you please. Well take
the pure stuff;
OF soul-blighting mixtures we've had quite
enough.
Don't scrlmp the measure. Fill the glass to
the br III,
With Gods sparkling sunlight and glory
thrown in;
Pure crystalized light from the vineyards
above,
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
wine
And wines variations? List, boys, while
tell:
You know how you left me that night at the
well,
Blear-cyed aud besotted with imbecile leer,
A real model Temperance man picked in
beer.
She met me. my guardian angel, so fair;
The nights dews lay damp in her beautiful
hair;
The heart dews hung wet on her iashes, and
lay
On her thin, pallid cheeks. Boys, you know
the day
She came to my home, wife and helpmate tc
be-
The bonniest girl, and you both envied me-
The bright pansy blue has gone out of hel
eyes,
| And her roses-O how loathe and despise
| The wretch who could blight them. No word
of complaint
| Or censure for me had my fair little saint.
| She Steadled my uncertain footsteps and LED
| The wreck of my manhood i'll silence to bed
| ] called for a drink, as the demon of thirst
The demon whose presence my life has ac
curSt- atyp
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
the well.
| That tear sobered me, had seen them be-
| fore,
| But swore then and there I'd drink them NO
more.
| / swore that the rest of my lifes msspent
wears
I'd drink Gods pure water, but not Annie:
| tears.
| -EOse H1rtlpicE TboIns