Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-01-18

and the mayor went to bed that night
feeling rather more comfortable in his
mind than he had felt for several nights
previous. The idea in closing up the
saloon was, that when all cause for
active operations was removed, and the
necessity for street parades ceased, a
place, and this was exactly what hap
pened. The closing of the saloon was
u great relief to the town marshal. He
performed the difficult functions of his
office with rare skill and good judg-
ment. Several lines a riot seemed
imminent, but by being on hand and
| by the exercise of little GOODNESS and
common sense, the danger was averted.
1t was hailed with rejoicing by pretty
nearly everybody. By the ladies, for
for it relieved them from a very un-
comfortable duty. Many of them had
arisen at half past three with a getting
up-to-hanged feeling, morning after
morning, that spoke volumes for their
heroism. BY their husbands, for
many of them had not enjoyed one
comfortable hour with their wives
since the agitation begun, and conse-
quently were in frame of mind to
wipe out the whole liquor traffic and
everybody connected with it-regard-
less of any question Of right or wrong
that might be raised. By the enthusi-
asst who had declared that God was
personally in charge of the work, for
it justified his faith; and by the general
public, for it was tired of the whole af-
fair.
Election day finally came round and
brought with it no little excitement.
One of its incidents struck meas being
out of the ordinary. Township officers,
as well as municipal, We're to be elected,
and Old Uncle Lewis -- came into
town to vote. "How did you vote,
Uncle Lewls?" asked some inquisitive
bystander, after the old man had de-
posted his ballot.
Il didn't vote for any of them
temperance fellers, I can tell you," re-
piled the old man. i
..You didn't! Whom did you vote
for for constable?"
why, W, of course"
why, Uncle Lewis, he is a member
of the Sons of Temperance"
s.He is, is he? Well l met him a
minute ago and his breath smelt right, |
any howl"
l suppose this is the only instance on
record where the scent of a mans |
breath secured him vote. When the
ballots were counted, it was found that
the officials who offered had all been
reelected, including the mayor, and
that the Crusaders had received set
back.
Matters drifted on until the end of
April, when it was noticed one day
that the doors of the saloon were again
open. and the boys dropping in, very
much as usual before hostilitles began.
The ladies met at their headquarters
after supper, and a committee waited
upon the saloon keeper to ascertain if
he had resumed business. On being
told with emphasis that he had, they
withdrew, but about eleven o'clock
that night every church bell in town
was set to ringing; people rushed into
the streets, expecting to see the flames
bursting from some house. On being
told that the bells were ringing be-
cause the saloon had resumed business,
they returned to their homes in no very
pleasant frame of mind. An attempt
was made by some of the young bloods
to lick the Marshal during the excite
ment, but the attempt was attended
with very unsatisfactory results; some
of them got broken heads, and all of
them got fines. The bell ringers were
arrested for disturbing the peace. and I
after long litigation were compelled to
pay fine. The pickets resumed their
stations, but the blacklist had lost its
terrors, and their appeals were un-
needed. Eventually, as their presence
had become Ineffective, they were |
and the Crusade was at an
end. and soon a half-dozen saloons
grew up and throve where only one
had thriven before The evil flowing
from the movement, it is fair to say,
was only of temporary nature. The
it created were speedily
healed. Friends that it had divided l
came together again. The chagrin |
occasloned by its failure was forgotten. {
The lawsuits it engendered came to
IN end in the course Of time, and soci- {
,ty was left pretty much where it had t
found it. The good it accomplished g
was perhaps of more lasting charac- !
,er. Some few were rescued who had t
fallen into a degrading vice; others
we're arrested at the threshold. {
Those who entered into the move /
nent in the hope of elevating and hui i
nanizing the fallen and helpless, re-