The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-08-21

WIN are duulCJeu W Cldy-eaJluR. AT
senic has it's devotees; the lower-class
women of North Carolina and Ten
nessee ruin body and mind with snuff
dipping; opium-eating Stays its thou
! sands yearly. The victims of these
passions at least have the decency to
indulge them in private and to be
ashamed of exposure. Except among
Chinese opium-eaters, no attempt is
made to glorify any of the habits named
into a desirable and beautiful thing
Superb saloons in which the passers
by are invited to nibble chalk and white
earth, eat arsenic, to dip and drown
the senses in cut-glass or silver snuff
boxes, to smoke and chew opium
would be libel upon our civilization.
Yet not one of these practices is more
perncious than that of dram-drinking.
And we all know it so we'll The
Spartans used to make a slave Keeling
drunk and exhibit him to their sons to
disgust them with the habit of intoxi-
cation. Our streets offer such examples
by the score to school-boy and college
lad With what effect?
heard two collegians discussing the
subject last month, apropos to college
dinner.
"Of course" said one, with the con-
sequential touch of self-complacency
and patronage "the fellows" call
" fresh," and which only length of
days can cure, eff fellow hasn't wit
enough to know when to stop, he'd bet
ter be careful at first. Some heads are
built weak, you know"
" Careful in what?" interpolated |.
Both laughed.
"Why, drinking, of course" said the
first speaker. A fellow has to take
his seasoning sooner or later. Some
can stand it.. Some can not, at least
for while"
He was, as l have intimated, a fresh
man. His friend, bearded senior, the
only son of rich man, clapped him
good-humoredly on the shoulder.
When l was your age, old fellow,
my father said to me, If | had my
life to live over [ would never take a
glass of wine, or smoke a cigar an
swered, 1t would be foolish not to
profit by what such sensible man
says | have never tasted wine or
touched tobacco, and l am glad of it
gladden. every day live. / might have
been built with strong head-and
then, again, L might not"
What do you say when you are
offered "a treat'?"
" say, No, thank you, never take
it, Generally, that settles the matter
quietly"
"And if they poke fun at your"
" let them poke and stand by to
be ready to put them to bed when their
heads give out
There are-for the comfort of moth
ers be it said-many fellows strong
enough to maintain this stand; sensible
enough to see that the risks are not
worth taking. 1t is the fool who med
dies with firearms; the coward who
carries loaded revolver. The youth
whose head is "built" after the right
pattern will not try upon his brains an
experiment that unbalances so many
leaves the role of tipsy Helot for other
and weaker men to play.
Another collegian told me how the
friend who entered" with himself
Two glasses destroyed the equilibrium
of his brains-good enough in their
way, and if not tempered with-at the
first college supper. Maddened by
modification at what he accounted a
physical defect, the wretched boy re-
solved to get used to it," and soaked
his intellect daily in spirits, as effeciu.
ally as was ever the specimen" in a
doctors office. During the whole term
he was hardly sober for day. AT the
end of the first semester he was
dropped"
If we could only divest boyish minds
of the idea that there is something
knowing" and dashing in tipping,
make them comprehend that bravery
cleanliness, purity, health and strength
are with him who refuses to debase the
temple of his body to even the first
stage of dissipation, the work would be
done. Our boy does not, in the begin
ming, nor for a long time, drink because
he loves the beverage. When the de
sire for liquor comes to him, the terrible
danger has already fastened upon him.
How"-sighed mother, laying
down newspaper which gave the par
ticulars of the mad career and suicid,
of the brilliant young son of friend
How can man secure himsel
, against such an end?"
Her own son-clear-eyed, sound, AM
brave-replied
" BY not beginning! "-Mmion Han
land, IN Home Maker.