The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-11-30

ach by charging it with fermented in
toxicants. If these are gentlemanly ac-
complishments, then have the extremes
of aristocracy and democracy found a
middle ground where they may clasp
hands and dwell together in unity. The
hod-carrier who gets sfull" on Jersey
lightning at twenty-five cents quart
exhibits the same symptoms, ache for
ache and qualm for qualm, with the pa
trician swell who grows mellow" over
French brandy at ten dollars bottle,
and champagne at five dollars. When
''fulP and mellow" they behave as
much alike as if the same parents had
given them life and brought them up.
Drink is great leveler in more senses
than one. III ,
"Our boy" who is so young and silly
as to feel more like lord of creation
when he has befuddled his senses with
''royal tipple," and made his breath
offensive with cigarettes, is beaten on
his own ground by the scottish loafer,
rolling along the wharves, a clay pipe
filled with bad tobacco in filthy
mouth and his pockets stuffed with
pawn-brokers' tickets. .....
There are people who grow madly
| fond of chalk and magnesia, and others
who are addicted to clay-eating. Arsenic
has it devotees. The lower-class women
of North Carolina and Tennessee ruin
body and mind with snuff-dipping.
Opium-eating Stays it's thousands year
ly. The victims of these passions at
least have the decency to indulge them
in private and to be ashamed of expos
ure. Except among Chinese opium-eat-
ers no attempt is made to glorify any of
the habits named into desirable and
beautiful thing. Superb saloons in
which the passers-by are invited to
nibble chalk and white earth, eat ar
senic, 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 pernicious than that Of
dram-drinking.
And we all know it so we'll! The
Spartans used to make slave reeling
drunk and exhibit him to their sons to
disgust them with the habit of intoxica-
ton. 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,
''if fellow hasn't wit enough to know
when to stop, he'd better be careful at
first. Some heads are built weak, you
know"
Careful in what?" interpolated I.
Both laughed.
"Why, drinking, of COURSE" said the
first speaker. ga fellow has to take
his seasoning sooner or later. Some
can stand it. Some can not, at least for
awhile"
He was, as I have intimated, fresh
man. His friend, bearded senior, the
only son of rich man, clapped him
good-humoredly on the shoulder.
"When 1 was courage, old fellow, my
father said to me: If had my life to
live over 1 would never take glass of
wine or smoke cigar I answered:
1T would be foolish not to profit by
,; what such sensible man says have
never tasted wine or touched tobacco,
and 1 am glad of it-gladder every day I
live. Knight have been built with
strong head-and then, again, / might
not"
, "What do you say when you are
offered "a treat?"
81 say: No, thank you, never take
it, Generally that settles the matter
quietly"
'And if they poke fun at you?"
81 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 mothers
3 be it said-many "fellows' strong
L 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 car
= ries loaded revolver. The youth whose
n head is 'built" after the right pattern
will not try upon his brains an expert
ment that unbalances so many; he leaves
the role of tipsy Helot for other and
!. weaker men to play.
Another collegian told me how the
5 seasoning had resulted in the case of a
friend who had 'entered" with himself.
y Two glasses destroyed the equilibrium
OF MS DralnS- Soou enough Ill Gne1r way,
y and if not tempered with-at the first
n college supper. Maddened by mortifica-
ton at what he accounted a physical de-
u feet, the wretched boy resolved to ''get
. used to it." and soaked his intellects
- daily in spirits as effectually as was ever
4 the specimen" in doctors office. Dur
y ing the whole term he was hardly sober
for day. At the end of the first SEM
efter 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
y are with him who refuses to debase the
y temple of his body to even the first
y stage of dissipation, the work would be
. done. Our boy does not, in the begin
" ming, nor for long time, drink be-
cause he loves the beverage. When the
l. desire for liquor comes to him the ter
. rible danger has already fastened upon
" him.
g How" sighed mother, laying down
n neWSDaper which gave the particu-