Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-03-25
temperance
Evils Wrought by Alcohol.

Evils Wrought by Alcohol.
Alcoholic beverages are insidious
potions, to be handled by their votar-
les, on peril of body and soul, with
extreme caution. As a matter of
fact, the caution often fails, and al
cohol damns to horrid misery innum-
cradle victims. The draught must be,
indeed, moderate and infrequent, that
will not cloud the mind, unsteady the
limb, and stir up passion. Alcohol,
demon-like in cunning and malicious
intent, courts admission into the
mouth amid smiles and promises. 1t
f1atters and caresses to distract the
prey from its perfdy, and, meanwhile,
it sinks its fangs into palate and
stomach, to create an irritation which
its own fluid alone can temper; it
shoots its venom through every nerve,
while its ceaseless vibration will af-
terward clamor for a renewal of its
fatal touch. The craving for alcohol,
be9otten of alcohol, ever wakes
stronger; the moment comes when it
is wild passion, fierce madness.
1t commends and obtains the most
fearful sacrifices. In slavery to it
women forget honor; the father in
hellish laughter casts to the vendor of
liquor that solitary dime that would
stay the starvation of the child; the
husband pawns the cloak of the dying
wife. The power of alcohol is mys
terious. The muscular giant crouch
es in terror before its shrine, youth
yields up freshness of mein and hopes
of fortune, and mocks for its sake a
mothers tears and a brides love.
Old age at its bidding puts on the
garment of idocy, and closes it's earth
ly journey in disgrace and sin. In
telligence will not ward off its arrows :
poet, orator and statesmen 90 forth
chained to its chariot into Marmertine
gloom. Piety does not withstand the
fury of it's breath. The very cedars
of Lebanon have been laid low, the
royal oaks of the forest have been
uncrowned and flung into the deep
valleys of ignominy and death.
The evils wrought by alcohol are
dreadful. There is no other element
in the material world equaling it in
evil-doing. There are poisons more
potent, but they kill quickly, while
alcohol gnaws away life slowly, so as
meanwhile to pile upon its victim the
full weight of sorrow and sin. OBJ
serve its accursed work-tearing up
by the roots all virtues, bringing into
action the latent passions, breathing
particular vigor into the vilest and
most beastly, closing out heavens
light from the mind, which expires in
dense darkness, and heavens grace
from the soul, which loses all semb-
lance with its creator. 1t reaches out
over the body its clammy hand,
wrestling from it strength and firm
ness, planting deeply in the blood
channels the seeds of disease and
death. o spirit of wine, be thy name
demon, for demon thou art
This, the first encampment of alco-
hol's havoc. The drunkard becomes
for it an entrenched camp, from
which in concentric circles it hurls
ruin upon men and women, who re-
fusing its domination in their own
hearts are yet, despite themselves,
brought under its vengeance. The
home is made desolate. How sacred
the home. 1t is Gods appointed |
treasury of pure and sweet love.
There happiness bubbles forth from
ever living-springs virtue terminates |
and blooms in native soil, watered by |
propitious dews from the skies. The |
homes of the land are the social units |
of which the aggregate is the nation.
The nation in its wider sphere of ac-
ton is the reflection of its homes.
The poisonous breath of alcohol |
passes over the home it is the pas
sage of death The drunkard's soul |
eXhales hatred and sin; hearts of |
wife and mother break in anguish the
ceaseless tear drop of sorrow glistens
the eve-lid and the veil of gloom and
despair darkens their faces. Infancy
is ioyless the atmosphere of shame
and crime leavens the whole nature of
sons and daughters, and the putrid
masma thickenS the air which other
families and the nation at large must
breathe. Alcohol's hellish work goes
beyond the drunkard's home There
is physical and moral contagion other
homes are smitten, and alcohol lifts
up its sceptre within their enclosure.
The drunkenness of an employe en-
dangers an entire industry ; that of a
trusted guardian of public interests
'uins fortunes and destroys precious
ives. Poverty is begotten, the sober
md industrious are taxed to relieve
t. The producers diminish, the
lrones increase, the course of general
is retarded. Crime stalks
'orth, suggested by drink; and rob-
oeries and assaults, and murders and
vreckages of holy purity make up the
'ecord of it's riotings.
AlcohoPs evil fruits are not limited
% earth. Drunkenness is heinous