The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1890-07-05
TEMPERANCE NOTES.
BROTHER JOHNS OPINIONS.


great, strong, we'll finished ones, deliv-
cred with promptness and an empha-
sis that was at times truly exasperating
to contrary-minded person.
had opinions, too, but years of con-
slant association with John had led me
to keep mine pretty we'll in the back
ground, lest they clash with his and re-
suit in one of those long, tiresome con.
troversies in which l always came out
second best, through sheer lack of
breath to keep up the argument. John
was good man, though, as the world
views it, honest and upright and always
ready to lend hand to brother in dis
tresS; he was conscientious, too, and,
looking from his standpoint, he did
every thing exactly right.
Brother Johns frail, pretty little wife
had lived justlong enough to strengthen
his belief in the infallibility of his own
opinions and ideas. She had yielded
and deferred to him in every thing, and
had left this world firmly convinced that
it contained but one wise and good man,
and that one was John. With her last
breath she had implored nee to stay and
care for her little Harry, then but two
years old; and l, having no ties to keep
me elsewhere, had listened to the plead
ing voice OF the dying mother, and had
promised to stay with her little one.
1t was an easy matter to learn to love
the pretty, winsome child, and, day by
day, he crept into my lonely heart and
grew nearer and dearer, till il almost
- ~ ,l,s
its brightness should any harm befall
my boy. He was a good little fellow,
and seldom gave me any trouble; he was
gentle and yielding, like his mother.
l used sometimes to be fearful that he
was almost too yielding, and l used to
wonder how it would be when he should
grow up and go out into the great world;
whether he would have enough strength
of character to take him unscathed
through all its snares and temptations.
| tried to make his mind perfect mir
ror of my own; tried to impress upon
him all my convictions of right and
wrong, and, above all things, to make
him fear and loathe the drink
habit l endeavored to make him
see that there was no safety even
in tasting liquor, and that the mandate,
''Look not upon the wine," was as i'm
peratiye in our day as it was centuries
ago. Then it was that Brother John
often came between US with his opin-
ions. John was what is known as a
temperate man; he never drank him
self, still it was his opinion that man
could drink like gentleman, and had
perfect right to do so if he chose.
l was some years older than John and
I could remember, in my early child
hood, the death of dearly loved uncle
who died from the effects of strong
drink. Young, handsome and talented,
he was the idol of his family; but he,
too, believed that a man could drink
like gentleman. 1t was the same old
story; only social glass at first, but
thus the appetite was born and nourish-
ed which finally became his master and
at last he died, miserable drunkard.
AS a child l was old beyond my years
and have often thought that l suffered
almost as keenly as did my mother, for
loved this young uncle with all the
devotion of my childish heart.
l used to attempt to talk to John
about Uncle Dick, but he always poohed
at what he called my foolish notions"
and gave it as his opinion that Uncle
Dick must have been decidedly weak
minded or he would never have allowed
himself to become drunkard, for mere
ly because a man drank there was no
occasion for making beast of himself.
l cared but little how John expressed
himself before me, but it hurt me when
he carelessly expressed such views be-
fore Harry; for, somehow, it so often
happens whi,n a boy is growing to man
hood, that he looks upon father as his
ideal Mother or auntie are privileged
to guide the faltering footsteps and
listen to the little troubles when he is
child; but too often, as he grows older,
it dawns upon his swiftly maturing
mind that they are only women, after
all, and he is going to be man like
father, and so it comes about that he
acts like father, talks like father and
thinks like father. Once or twice re-
monstrated with John about expressing
such opinions before Harry, but he
proudly told me he guessed his boy
wasn't fool and that it was his ''opin-
ion" that Harry was about old enough
TO look out for himself.
Days and weeks passed on until the
winter my boy was eighteen, then it
seemed to me that his character was I'M
dergoing a subtle change; he seemed to
be losing something of his straightfor-
ward, manly ways and had habit which
I scarcely liked, of evading my ques-
lions about where he spent his even
ings. He had latch-key and | knew
that he often came in quite late at
night. for, somehow, l never could go
to sleep till knew my boy was safe at
home. l would have preferred to sit UP
and let him into the house, since it was
useless for me to attempt to sleep, but
1t was Johns opinion that the boy was
old enough to take care Of himself and
he might just as we'll have a latch-key
and come i'll when he got ready. Some
times when Harry came home l would
hear him stop and tumble with the lock
and often, when he entered, his steps
sounded faltering and uncertain, and
the next morning 1 would notice that
he looked pale and haggard.
How l suffered those days! l was
constantly haunted by the fear that the