The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-02-14
The Good Old Times.
Special Correspondence Of the GoM Lent

Special Correspondence Of the Gold Lenf
Walking up--street not long since |
stopped where two old men were talking,
with others standing around. They were
deploring the wickedneSS of the present
times in comparison with the good old
times about fifty Or a hundred years ago.
In proof that the world was growing worse
one of them said "lOOk at the miserable
grOg shops in town the resort of our young
men," You are very much mistaken, said
|, in thinkinging the state of society is
worse than it was when you were a boy.
There has been decided improvement for
the better. There never was time in the
worlds history since the fall of man when
the moral condition Of man was better than
it now is. And man will continue to go
forward i'll mental and moral Improvement
until tho millennial dawn. 'TiS true we
have whSkey shops, but don't you see pub
lie sentiment is driving the whiskey sellers
behind their painted screens from public
view? You can recOllect when merchants
members of the church-sold whiskey
just as they did any other article of mer
chandise, thinking it no harm to do so.
They were regarded as good church people.
They went to church. paid their preacher.
and he went home with them, and ate their
turkey hash" and called them 'brothers."
But now when man engages in this dirty
business of selling liquor ma jority OF the
people regard him as a cOrruptOr of his
race, destitute of all ideas of religion, and
they call his place of business "a doggery."
You can remember when candidates for Of
flee had to treat literally around the cam
paign OF they could not he elected now
they cannot be if they do. When nearly all
the old citizens not only drank liquor but
kept it i'll their houses, and took their
"mornlng bltterS' with more regularity
than they said their prayers. When Wis
tur did not think he was kindly received
q npiUh hhor'S hnpCp n "A tha ua hnu u
and decanter were placed upon the side
board in the parlOr and he was invited to
take drink. Who now expects such
thing in the house of friend ? You can re-
collect, said l, when farmers had log roll
incS OF corn Shuckings boy was started
off to the store with two big jugs swung
across the horse for liquor for the occasion.
1t was considered one of the indispensableS.
When IL two drunken men wanted to fight
ring was made by their friends for them
to fight in, and no one was to interfere un-
til one of them cried out 'enough" No
one thought it was barbarOuS or against
the law. But now the towns of our more
refined age say such conduct is "againSt
the peace and dignity of the State and
courts OF correction try to learn them bet
ter manners. The restraining influence of
law is the effect of advancing civilization
Others may deplore the departure of the
good old times" when drunken husbands
came home from town in their madness
whoopng and cursing around when their
patient and enduring wives had to seek
shelter in neighbOr's house, with their lit
tie ones, until returning reason made it safe
for them to return home, but don't desire
such times. l much prefer the present state
of society, with the thousands of Sunday
schools in the land. taught by Christian
parents who shun the whiskey shop and
show that they are mindful of their duty
to their God and their country. K. W Ii.
Henderson, n. T..