The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1888-08-09
TEMPERANCE READING.
Effects of Strong Drink.


Most Of the misery, want aud suffering the
human family endure o-day my be justly
attributed to our non conformity Co the will
and design OF the Creator Mankind is ever
too ready To contract habits that are evil aud
vile, habits that are productive of misery,
suffering and crime. Our useless habits and
foolish fashions draw hundreds down TO want
and beggary where monopoly and capital do
one; and, of all the habits that ever cursed
the human race, the habit of using strong
drink as a beverage ranks first That n ono
has produced more misery. want, wretched-
ness and crime in the land since the Christian
era than war, pestilence and famine COM
bined, and has done more to corrupt tho
morals and impede the prosperity of our
country than any other cause.
This old King Alcohol is one Of the most
cruel and hcartless despots ever known. one
who imposes the heaviest burdens ON his sub
jects, and, no matter how loyai and devoted
they may be to him, they never get any act
of Kindness or favor from him in return for
their menial servtuie; and as soon ns one
enlists in his service he begins to brand and
torture not only him hut his whole household
family and friends and hc soon destroys every.
thing OF value to the poor man. Above all,
he ruins or destroys that great and price.
less gem, the talent or intellectual power of
the mind, that enables him 10 bring out and
utilize all the blessings given us 10y the Gre
ntor, the germ that makes him so superior to
the brnte The continual use of alcohol in
pure and noble and arouses passions that are
vile, british and dangerous. Authentic sta.
tistics show that n very large percentage Of
the misery, paupersm and crime in the land
is directly or indirectly the result OF the use
of strong drink rs n beverage.
We can hardly take paper i'm our hands in
which is not chroniced one or more bloody
and fatal crimes committed by some poor
drunken iend who has been fitted and pre-
pared for this cruel and bloody work by some
avaricious landlord or druggist who some
times seems to care little or nothing for the
safety or well.being of the poor suffering
wife and helpless children mt the home of the
drunkard as long rs the business brings them
in good profit. The greatest sur,n,rs from
the evils OF intemptrance are the poor and
destitute wives and families of drunkards,
who are ut home IN some lonely hovel with.
out necessary food. fuel or clothing shiver.
ing with cold and hunger, and the little inno-
cent children hudding around their poor
rt-brokei and grief stricken mother, beg.
gng and crying IN vain for bread or some
thing to sootho or allay the pangs of hunger
and cold. Perhaps this same mother once
faithfully laborcd early and late with her
heart buoyant with hope looking forward to
the near future when she should sit in the
midst OF plenty, where she and tho partner
Of her lilc, surrounded 10y children, could cn.
joy the highest type of earthly bliss and hap
pineSs but ere she was aware this monster
intemrerancc laid his ruthless hand upon her
once fond husband, and transformed him
into brute, and now her burden Of poverty
shame and wretchedness becomes 80 great
that in her frenzy and despair she takes her
own life or the lives of her dear little oneS
whom she would gladly have laid down her
own life to protect before this monster in
temperance invaded her once happy home
oh! have the mind, talent and energies OF
our American people become so dwarfed that
they are unable, or the avenues to the heart
so closed, or the heart itself SO calloused, or
eyes so blind, that they cannot be made to
feel see and realize the fearful response
bllitics resting upon them
Very often III stating events or circum-
stances, the subject is exaggerated and on
larged, but In portraying the evils Of intern.
perance 1t is impossible for the greatest artist
To overlraw the picture, rs his greatest
/ efforts and gandest results come far snort of
the reality. No pen can write, or pencil
paint, the fearful anguish that Is produced 10y
thismonster II must bc experienced To he re-
allied. Let no ono think or feel himself
guitle.s who treats this thing lightly or
turns these things one side as of no account.
This vile curse, with its sad effects and re.
suits, has become thing OF so common oc-
currence that IL fails TO excite in Us that do
gree of horror that IL otherwise would. Some
of the brightest ahi most aspiring youths of
our land those who bid fair tc rank high i'm
intellectual ability and usefulness, ere they
are aware OF any danger, are environed with
the powerful meshes of this vile curse and
have begun to de cend the drunkard's ladder,
which is made for descending but never to
ascend. The rounds or steps in this ladder
are named in the following order, commenc.
ing at the top: Evil associations. ten to.
hncco, rum, crime, delrium and death. The
evils of ntemperance are not SO common out
IN the country aS in our large towns and
cities where YOU will often find the depra we'd
of both sexes joining in drunken carousals -
George ". Cook, IN the "Battie I.ce Of Tenn.
perdnce."