Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-05
SWEARING OFF.


THEY WANT TO TURN ovxR A NEW LEAF AND
START AFRKsH-rHE MAJoaIrY OF TEEN, How
EVER, DO NOT KEEP THEIR OBLIGATION
SOME INTERESTING CASES NEyfToSKD.
'Tve done good deal Of swearing during
the last three days" said Justice Of the peace
to STAR reporter yesterday.
"What has caused the profanity" asked the
reporter.
"Oh it hasnt been profanity on my part I
have been swearing others, and they are men
who want to start the year with good resolu-
tions. Imean I've been administering oaths
to good many people who want to swear OF
from drinking"
'Penitents increase at this season Of the year
I suppose" said the reporter.
EYES," was the reply, sand naturally SO, too.
There is something about the dying Of the old
year and the birth Of the new which suggests
the turning over a new leaf-the desire to live
this year better than the last. They rarely
make up their minds to quit drinking until the
I'd Of January. They want to celebrate the ad-
vent Of the New Year, and. with the knowledge
ward they usually have one good time on New
Year day. Then the next day, or, if they are
not feeling in condition on the second, the day
after, they come and swear off,
"What Is the form of oath that you admin
| ister?''
"well, I vary the form, but IL is generally
like this: Il solemnly swear. in the presence Of
Almighty God, that will abstain from the use
OF all Intoxicating liquors, wine or cider, for the
period OF one year,"
HOW LONG DO THEY KEEP THIS PLEpaE?"
"Some I'm afraid keep it scarcely a day;
some a week. some a month and some / think
are thoroughly reformed through its agency.
Most men respect the sanctity of an oath. 1t
impresses them at the time they take it and I
don't think have ever administered an oath
Of this kind to a man who, at that moment.
did not sincerely wish to keep It. But the
appetite for drink is very strong and the
longer it has been INDUCED the weaker be-
| comes the power of a mans will, and that is
why SO many fail to keep pledge. cannot
tell whether a man will keep his oath or not
whenever one comes to me and wants to swear
on grant his request in the earnest hope that
| 1t may prove effectual."
DO you ever swear OF . man when he is
| drunk?'
II have never administered the oath to
man who was in such condition as to be un-
able to appreciate the step he was taking; but
| Delleve the majority of those who come to me
are more or less under the influence of liquor.
| when man makes up his mind to swear of
| after big jamboree he don't want to wait I'M
| til he is cold sober before he takes the oath
| he wants to do it at once, for he seems to have
| an idea that this will enable him to straighten
| up quicker. Then, in some cases. men think
they ought to have farewell drink before
| they take the pledge. I've had them come to
| me and ask me to let them have the price of a
drink before they took the oath. Of course l
have always refused, but they argue that they
are entitled to that much. But tell you that
| no matter what the mans condition may be
there is something in the very desire to take
| the oath that gives evidence of the existence
OF remnant OF will-power. l never refuse
man. no matter how shaky he may be, for
| deeply sympathize in his voluntary effort to
escape from the brink of the pit into which he
seems about to fall
MEN OF ALL GRADES.
"What is the social standing of most Of those
who come to you?"
| 81 have them of all grades from the highest
to the lowest. I've administered the oath to
men high in official position and to the day
laborer upon the streets; men worth fortune
| and those not worth the price of a drink.
They all come to me voluntarily and never
ask any questions. If they are able to pay
| charge them for administering the oath: if
they have no money I make no charge
do You ever keep track Of your penitents?"
| Sometimes. / remember one case which
think has finally worked complete reforma-
ton. The man had good position and one
had he behaved himself He had wife and
one or two children, forget which. But he
would go on sprees. Every time he got of he
| would spend all the money he had with him
and all he could borrow. He was popular. had
many friends, and when he came to his
senses after his sprees he always found him
| self deeply in debt. He would come and swear
Oh and keep his pledge until he got square
| with the world. and then a little while after
that he would get drunk again. He was dis
| charged from his position two or three
| times, but was taken back. partly be-
cause, except for his one failing, he was
faithful and efficient, but mainly because he
had some very influential friends. Finally he
| got drunk once too often. and had to lose his
Office. Then he realized his situation-without
work, in debt for his last spree, and nothing to
| give his wife and children. He took the pledge
again, and this time he kept il. He got some
thing to do, and for three years don't think
| he has touched drop of liquor. He don't
make as much money as he used to do, but he
| sees more for it. He has moved into better
house, and he is very comfortably fixed"
=, Don't they sometimes break out even after
| three years?'
MEN WHO RELAPsED.
ooh, yes. / remember several cases where
the men had kept sober that long and even
longer, and finally went to drinking again. One
of the brightest men ever knew, a member Of
your own profession, who had been a hard
i drinker for a number of years. took the pledge,
and for over four years was strictly total absti-
hence man. He was good talker, and used
to make effective temperance speeches. FL
nally after, as have said four years of sobriety
he commenced drinking again, and from that
time until his death he was never reliable.
81 call to mind now three cases somewhat
similar although only one of the men is dead.
young lawyer who had never drank real
hard, but was steady drinker, came to the
conclusion that the appetite for liquor was be-
coming fastened on him and he came and took
the pledge. He kept it for three years and
| then under peculiar circumstances took drink
That one drink started the old appetite and he
went on a weeks drunk. He didn't swear of
after that, but thought he would test his own
will-power. He has been engaged in that test
ing operation now for over two years, with the
result that about three times year he goes of
on periodical spree. The second case was
that of a government clerk who took the pledge
after a very protracted drunk, and to the sur
| prise of every one who knew him kept it for
| over three years. Then a doctor who didn't
know anything of his previous history gave
him whisky a medicine and that medicine
killed him. The last case il also that of a gov
| eminent clerk who is n man of more than aver
age intelligence, and in many respects is one
| of the most attractive men ever met He
had been a frightfully hard drinker. and had
lost place after place on account of that habit,
| when finally some of his friends took hold of
| him and induced him to swear off. He not only
did that, but he joined two or three temper
| ance ORGANIZATIONS, / think he kent abso.