The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1892-02-04
TEMPERANCE NOTES,

TEMPERANCE NOTES.
JONI SMITHS LIQUOR BILL.
Aast.tsmrnt in ran Of che Cost Of oas.
Mans Drink. - ::
John Smith has q wife and three
beautiful children. He is butcher BY
trade, and, as he thoroughly under
stands the work, he might command a
salary; of at least $50 per month the
year round. ,-,.--r~-.-- ..-.-.--~.-...
Naturally John Smith is an affection
ate husband, kind father a good pro-
WIDER and . diligent workman. He
ought to be the head of happy. COM
Portable home. But John Smith has
one very bad fault; he drinks intoxi-
eating liquors and has become
drunkard His wife is known as the
wife of drunkard, aud when the play
mates Of his children get angry they
taunt them with: "Your pas q drunk
ard"
Let us make statement of the case
of John Smith, the butcher. and learn,
as near as we can, what has been the
actual cost of his liquor bill.
John Smith is now forty-five years
old. At the age of twenty-five he was
discharged from a position that COM
manded a salary of $50 a month, solely
on account of drunkenness, and from
that time to this he has had no steady
employment He works at his trade
between spreos for butchers, -who,
knowing his failing and taking advan-
tage of it, pay him small wages and
treat him as they would not dare to if
he was sober man. From the time
of his first discharge until the present
day he has not averaged earning over
$50 per month. He might have had at
least $50 month.
Item $50 each month for twenty
years, from loss of employment and
salary. Total, $1,000
What liquor John Smith has drunk
he has had to pay for. On an average
his drinks have cost him twenty five
cents day mot high estimate) for
each day of the twenty-five years; or
$3.50 per month.
Item 2.-$7.5o each month for twen-
ty-fve years paid for liquor. Total,
$l,ScO.
Add item one to item two and we
have $4,000 as the price John Smith,
the butcher, pays in hard cash for the
privilege Of being a drunkard during
tw enty-five years of his working life.
John Smith at the age of twenty five
was strong, healthy, intelligent man,
with constitution like iron. Now,
when barely past the meridian of life,
he is a trent bling, bloated wreck, a
mental and physical ruin, and stands
with one foot on the brink of a grave
more awful in its rayless hideousness
than the black depths of the bottom
less pit
Item 3.-Health and intelligence.
John Smith, the butcher, once had
the love of his faithful wife, the affec-
tions of his beautiful children and the
friendship and esteem of his neigh
bors. Now his wife lives with him
from sense Of duty, cherishing. it may
be, loving remembrance of the dead
manhood of his youth, but not loving
him-no good woman could; his chill
dren fear, nay, almost hate him, be-
cause he has brought suffering and
shame to the dear mother, and woes
| lnnumerable and disgrace almost un-
! bearable into their young lives; his
neighbors look upon him as drunken
sot, hopelessly ruined man, as one
better in the grave than out of it.
Item 4.-Love of wife and children
and the friendship and respect of
neighbors.
Once John Smith held his head up
proudly and was not afraid to look any
man in the eye. Now he shambles
along the street, with head bowed and
bleared eyes bent upon the ground.
He has lost his pride in self.
Item 5.-Self-respect
John Smith was, naturally, domes-
tic man. He loved his wife and chill
dren, had pleasant, comfortable home
and was always we'll clothed and well
fed Now, he has lost his love for
Mary and the little ones, lives in tum-
bled down shanty, cares not how he
looks, has little to eat and goes about
living synonym of wretchedness
Item 5.-Home's blessings and COM
forts.
Let us summarize:
AtcuiZeu account OF Cne cost OF the
drink bill of John Smith, the butcher:
Item Ito cash by loss of en-
ployment and salary for twenty
years, 81, 200
Item 2.-To cash paid for liquor
during twenty years, 1900
Grand total cash cost Of liquor
bill for twenty years, $4,000
Item 3.-To twenty years } Health and
constant use of intoxi- 1ntelli-
eating liquors, gence.
Item ITO the bru The love of wife
talizing influence and children and
of liquor on the the friendship
mind and body by and respect of
twenty years use, neighbors.
Item 5.-To loss of pride
in self by twenty years
use of liquor, Self-respect,
Item 6.-To poverty and
the degeneration of Homes bless
home and home influ- ings and COM
ences by twenty years forts.
use of liquor,
In return for ali this, John Smith.
the butcher, will live wretched life,
die on pauper's bed, and sleep in a
drunkard's grave Alvin Jovenil, in
Union Signal.