The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1892-03-16
TEMPERANCE NOTES.
FOR THREE GENERATIONS.
A Story illustrating the Truth OF tn
PrOyerb.


mamma wants her little man"
This fond, motherly call was waited
into my room through open door and
windows, near the close of bright
June afternoon, as l sat at my desk
porting over an array of papers which
resembled chaos, but represented
''daily bread"
Presently there came a'light tap, and
as raised my head l saw framed in
the doorway the graceful figure of
young Mrs. Preston, our good doctors
wife, with its. shapely, well-poised
head, her sweet face harmonizing
with the voice whose musical tones
still rang in my ears.
"Miss Helen" she asked, shave you
seen my little lad, my Charlie? l can't
think where he can be! left him to
amuse baby Paul while laid down. |
had been up with the dear little fellow
most of the night before, and was so
weary. / did not mean to lose myself,
but it seems fell asleep; and when
awoke after long, long nap, found
baby sleeping sweetly, but Charlie
gone. 1t is SO strange" she added,
after slight pause, 'for although such
little boy he is so trustworthy; he
never before has left his brother when
have put him in his charge"
Together we hunted through yard
and garden, down the long, green lane
which led to the broad macadamized
road, that in it's turn led to the great
city near which we lived, but all to no
purpose. Then turning back we
searched carefully both of our roomy,
rambling houses, though with faint
hope of finding the object of our quest.
Just as we were about to give up,
being at our wits ends. happening to
push against the open door of his IA
theirs now empty office, felt some OBJ
stacle which prevented it's swinging
entirely back. Mechanically looking
behindit to see what was the hindrance,
saw the dimpled darling lying in
little heap.
''Here he is, safe and sound, fast
asleepin Morpheus arms!" exclaimed,
joyfully.
But with a look of horror his mother
waved me aside, and, quickly STOPPING,
picked up an empty medicine bottle,
evidently from his fathers saddle bags,
which were lying at his side, where he
had dragged them-and at the same
instant lifted the childs limp form
from the floor with the anguished cry:
"Oh, my God! has it come at last?"
remained silent, as by this time ],
too, recognized the fact that blue-eyed,
golden-haired Charlie, only three years
old, was dead drunk!
All! happy mothers, whose innocent
little prattlers are playing safely at
your knees, you can hardly credit this
as an actual occurrence, can you?
Shall tell you the whole sad story
as it fell from the blanched lips of my
friend, confirmed by the neighbors' tes-
timony and what ! myself had seen
and heard.
1t appears that, long years before,
the grandsire of this child, then in the
mother country, had been hard
drinker. But God in His mercy found
and saved him, body and soul, and
subsequently he became, not merely a
teetotaler, but an earnest minister of
the Gospel. myself have often heard
him preach and sat spell-bound be-
meath his inpassioned eloquence.
The old man never broke his pledge
of total abstinence, but deeply rooted
in The nature of his only child, son,
although born after his reform, was
an inherited love of spirituous liquor
Possessed of brilliant intellect, and
many graces Of mind and person, he
passed through school and college, and
ultimately graduated with high honors
from medical university, soon be-
came prominent as practitioner, as
well as church member, in the com.
munity in which he lived.
From his inmost soul he abhorred the
vice of intemperance, yet at intervals,
sometimes of months, and even of
years, he would be seized with a crav-
ing for Intoxicating drink which he
seemed utterly powerless to resist.
Loathing yet longing for it, he
would struggle along fighting the
ground inch by inch as he yielded it,
unable to overcome, yet unwilling to
give up-at length stealthily swallow
ing his medical tinctures for the alco-
hol they contained and finally sue
cumbing helplessly to the inherited ap.
petite, and drinking like sot for
three or four days. Then, as he grad
ually sobered, his remorse would be
pitiful Again and again l have seen
the strong man weep like child in
the private meetings of the church,
accusing himself. confessing his fault
and beseeching his fellow Christians
to pray for him and give him one more
trial before casting him off.
This was repeatedly granted, for he
was universally beloved for his gener-
osity, kindness and genuine goodness
of heart, yet, sooner or later, he would
again be overcome and fall before
temptation.
In the third generation the tendency
developed in wee Charlie, who, when
still in arms, quivered with eager long
ing when the faintest Whit of spirits
reached him; and as he began to toddle
about he had to be constantly watched
lest he might get hold of his fathers
tinctures for the alcohol they con-
tanned. But never until the day which
ended so sadly, did the little fellow ac-
tually succeed Fortunately for him
the medicine was otherwise harmless,
for he drained the vial to the dregs.
The ensuing August the precious
babe who had come with the early
birds of spring fell seriously i'll. and
after a long, hard struggle, breathed
its last on my lap, just as the sun rose