The Monitor., 1891-05-01
w. c. T.u DEPARTMENT,


mine. There are omen who defend cil er as
much as some men, and With shame / say it.,
who like it just as well, who arc not Hing
to sacrifice their own appetite for the sake
of their boys. They do not recognize the
pafils OF Hereditary weakness. You may
like the taste of tidef-your boy may be a
drunkard. In one Of our cunve enticns Se
listened to paper on herediiy, which |
have never forgotten. While mothers and
fathers are only drinking cider and being
deceived that 10 harm wi i'll arise, they may
be forming appetites in tie next gene alton
that they will not be able TO overcome.
Let no child reproach you as one | have
read of. Vixen a boy lay dying victim
to strong drink, his father whose leart
was broken, was bending over him, trying
to catch what he seemed to be saying. AT
last the words Wele distinct and they were
these: Papa don't grieye, IT'S too late now :,
d m dying a dlunbaid, but l lea1rtd it
from the cider which you gave me to
drink" With this lie passed into the pres.
ence of just God. What Mill be the con-
demnalion Of that father? Again s'be
not deceived, God is not Knocked; what
soever man wetb, that shall he also
reap Cider is a special temptation to
children, it is natural they should like it,.
1t is made from the apples they eat without
harm. They help to gather them, they see
the cider made and think there is no harm
in it. Would that we had more of the good
old patriarchs who when they leased
cider should be made from the apples
which grew upon the place. Such men have
lived, would to God they were living
now. 1t is one of the autumn treats for
some boys to get straw aud go to the
cider barrel and drink it in that way, this
in spite of the fact that it makes them
drunk. Cider is the DEVILS alcohol trap for
children. They tell us that cider is a
creature of God, useful and healthful and
coed. But lads and lassies believe it not.
tbs tie DEVILS hinding wood. In many
Eases this kindlipg makes fire so hot that
the soul is forever lost. Perhaps all have
read may not convince you of the decep
tive iuh lsncc of cider, bat surely this little
clipping from newspaper will, which,
with your permission, | will read.
SIGNING THE FARM AWAY.
Fine old farm for II hundred years
Kept in The family name:
Corn fields rich with golden ears
Oft as the harvest came;
Crowded barn and crowded bin,
Aud still the loads kept coming in
Rolling in for IL hundred years;
And the fourth in he family line appears.
Orchards covered the slopes of the hill;
Cider-forty barrels they say,
sure iii season to come from the mill,
To be tasted round Thanksgiving Day!
And they drank rs they worked and ute,
Winter and summer, early and late,
Counting it asa great mishap
To be found without ''brrrel on tap"
But, while the seasons crept along,
And passions into habits grew,
rheir appetite, became as s,roug
AS ever ii, drunks,Id knew.
Aud they labored less, and they squandered
mole,
Chiefly for rum at the village store
al called by the sheriff, one bitter day,
To sign the homestead fam away.
The father shattered and scented with rum:
The mother sick and pale and thin,
Z Ider he weight OF her sorrows dumb,
In debt for the bed she was lying in;
o i! SAW the wretched household around her
stand
A d he justice lifted her trembling hand,
III .lpng her, as in her bed she lay,
I sign the homestead f..rin away.
All, how she wept, and the flood of tears
swept down her temples bare.
And the father already moved with years,
Bowed lower with de pair.
D'ink. Drink! 1t had ripenod into voc
For hem and all they loved below,
And forced them, poor, and old and gray,
To sign The homestead farm away.
oh, many scenes have met in my life,
And many call to pray;
But the saddest OF all was the drunkard's wife.
Signing the farm away!
Home, once richest in all the town,
Home, in that fatal cup poured down,
Worse han fire or flood dismay-
Drunkards signing the farm away!