South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1889-02-08
A Brave Boy.

feel strengthened by thinking of
what they have done. 1t acts as a
tonic TO ones moral nature.
Not long since l saw q hero. l
was witness of his brave deed, and l
felt warm glow at my heat hun
dIed times since at the very thought
OF it. But the deed of bravery is
one the papers said nothing about.
They would not have considered it
worth mentioning. l suppose, but
do, and l am going to write it down
TO help others who may be tempted
as this boy was. For my hero was
only q boy. but thore is the making
OF a strong man in him.
1t happened in this way: / was
walking down the street. and stopped
in front OF a saloon 10 talk to friend.
AS we stood there two boys came "a
long.
Come in and have something to
drink, said one of them.
Thank you, was the reply, Il never
drink
oh, temperance, are your said the
other, In tone that had suspicion
Of a sneer in it.
Yes answered tue boy bravely;
i don't beleiev il drinking liquor.
We'll, you needn't drink liquor If
you don't want to- said his compan-
ion. Take some lemonade
Not in saloon was tue others
reply.
Why not?' asked his friend. 1t
wont make you drunk because they
sell whisky over the same bar, will
it9'
Il don't suppose 1t would was the
reply. But saloons are bad places,
and / don't believe in patroniz'ng
them
w hat moral young fellow you
are, said his friend, with contempt
in his tones. DO you inteEd TO
preach when you get TO be o MANI,
NO. l don't expect to- was the re-
ply. but i intend to make man
of myself; snd l never knew fell
low to amount to much who got into
the habit of frequenting such Places
Il haven't asked you 10 bang about
saloons, have IL demanded his friend
angrily. 'One would think from
what you say that asked you to get
drunk
You didn't ask me to get drunk, ,
was tue reply, 'but you have asked
me TO take the first step in that di-
rection. II l drink now, / would
probably drink again. How long
would it be before / got the habit
formed OF drinking liquorP'
Some other fellows had come up by
this time, and the one who had inyit-
ed his friend TO drink turned TO them
and said:
You've come just in time 10 hear a
temperance lecture. Go on, Bob ;
may be you can convert these chaps.
Then they laughed. But Bob did
net get angry. He looked them
bravely 10 the face and said:
Suppose you think I'm 'soft' be-
cause I won't drink. / know you
think IL foolish because l refused to
go into the saloon and have a glass
Of lemonade TO his friend j but
don't, and am not afraid to stand up
for what think is right. If you
want TO drink, you will do IL / sup
pose, in spite OF anything / could
say against it, but you can't coax or
laugh me into doing IL. / want to
have my own respect, AMI I should
not have II IL drank, for l don't be-
lieve it is right TO drink whisky.
You think, l suppose, that I am a
coward in not drinking, but l think |
should prove myself coward in do
ing it,
Wasn't / glad TO hear the boy
cay tbai5 couldn't help going to
him and telling him 80.
Thank you said he, looking pleas
eel at what said Il mean 10 be q
man and / know / shouldn't be IL /
got TO drinking
He was right. God bless the
young hero wish there we're
thousands more like bin.