The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-11-24

so penurious as to deSline the trifing
expense of reciprocal invitation is
repugnant to every idea OF hospitality.
The men who reason in this way
and their number is legion-are fear
fully, terribly mistaken. They do not
understand the subtle nature of the
fiery devil with which they so recll-
lessly sport. They are ignorant of the
terrible fact that such Indulgence in
an occasional glass begets craving
for more. The man who never thinks
of drinking unless he is invited soon
gets into the habit of inviting his
friends, OF taking the initiative in pro-
posing a visit to the nearest saloon,
and soon thereafter he finds that he
don't feel very well, and thinks the
FLIP to his spirits that glass of rum
VIII give is necessary, and so he goes
of himself to a saloon to indulge in Ii
solitary drink. No social glass -
there! and very soon he makes this a
regular custom. Tired out with his
days labor, he seeks the fictitious
strength given him by this devil OF
rum. And all the time the habit Of
drinking is being slowly but surely
and certainly acquired
The horrible rum thirst" is thus
fixed upon him, and in a longer or
shorter time he finds it importunate
in its demands. Like the horse-leech' 5
daughters, it cries Give! give!'
There is nothing that will excite this
morbid, diseased craving for rum but
indulgence in rum itself, and there is
nothing that will assuage it but more
rum. 1t grows by what it feeds on.
Ut demands rum, and rum it will havej
and the rum that is drunk to appease
this craving but increases the demand
of the inflamed, diseased physical sys-
TEN for more of the Internal poison.
The road is a terribly easy one from
the status Of one who INDUCES in an
occasional glass to that of steady
drinker; and from that to the status of
a confirmed drunkard the step is but
short one.
1t is safe to say that no man starts
out with the intention of ever allow
ing rum to become his master; but look
about you, and see the many men
within the radius of your own personal
observation who are, to your own
knowledge, the slaves of rum, and
then answer the question, whether it
is safe to tamper in the slightest with
this treacherous devil of drink which
so easily may become your master?
We repeat it, there is no safe way but
to leave it alone; to refuse to drink,
even when good-fellowship appears to
demand it; Ito touch not, taste not,
handle not the vigorous fend, always
ready to strike its fangs into your life!
But there are thousands and tens of
thousands who have not moral courage
to resist the first pleasant steps in the
road which has so dreadful an ending.
There are thousands and tens of thou
sands who are ignorant to-day of the
diabolical nature of that Internal poison
called rum. Shall we do nothing to
save them from the fate to which their
steps are inevitably tendingP Shall
we be content, secure in the fact that
we have the courage to resist the first
insidious steps in the path to ruin and
degradation, to go serenely on our
way, with the answer of Cain upon
our lips: IAN | my brothers's
keeper"
We can not escape responsibility in
that way. Superior enlightenment
brings with it the imperative duty OF
doing all we can to save others from
ruin. Toledo Blade.