River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-04-26

vangelistic Work-Mrs. Isabelle Williams
Press Work-Mrs f. L. Cook.
jail and Almshouse-Mrs Bryan.
Co. Fair Work-Mrs. Rounce
W. c. I. U. & Juvenile work-Esther Goodell.
Demorest Medal CONTESTANTS DR.. Clough.
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Letter from General Neal Dow to the
Boys and Girls.
DEAR LITTLE FRIENDS Il, who
am about to die, salute you. Before
| go send you a few words of warn
ing and council. Some of you may
not understand all of it now. but
your parents and friends can tell
you what it means. When you are
older, and have seen more of the
world, and know more of men than
you now do, you will see that many
of them made failure in life for
lack of listening to good advice, or
refusing to accept it. The young
are everywhere exposed to tempta-
tions to evil, to which they may fall
victims without the help of persons
older and wiser than themselves.
AT every great seaport are men
called pilots; their business is to
guide ships safely over the shadows
and among the rocks which would
be fatal to vessels not guided by
those who have been all over the
ground, anu know where the dan
gers are hidden away under the wa
ter. These ships are safe when the
pilots hands are at the helm, but
if guided by men without exper-
fence the danger of shipwreck would
be imminent, if not certain.
Now, dear boys and girls, advise
you earnestly never to take intoxi-
eating drink of any kind; it is al
ways bad, never good. l cannot
take up the time to tell you what
my reasons are for saying this, and
many of you are not yet old enough
to understand what the reasons are
if were to explain them all to you.
The pilot when he goes on board a
great ship to guide her into port,
turns her this way and that way and
every way among the rocks and
sand banks which nobody sees. The
captain never questions him as to
his reasons for doing this and mat,
trusting the safety of the ship en-
tirely to the skill and fidelity of the
pilot. Now / know the ground
thoroughly over which you must
pass to reach my age; | warn you
and advise you as to the course you
should take, for the present you
must trust my word as the result of
experience and long observation; you
cannot understand about it now.
In taking strong drink of what
ever name there is great danger; it
is bad for the health; it is dangerous
to good morals, basest of bad exam
pie for others; no one in all the
world was ever harmed by avoiding
it; millions and millions of men and
women and children have been
ruined in health, in morals and
character and life, because they did
not avoid strong drink. Let all
your influence be against this great
evil, a greater danger to those who
do not avoid it than any other.
You are old enough to know what
it is to sign the pledge; if your
parents are willing, l urge you
strongly to do it, and make a solemn
obligation never to use intoxicating
drinks. No matter by whom the
bad example may be; no matter
who they are. urge you to avoid
them as dangerous; always bad and
never good. And when you are old
enough to understand and act, be
sure that your vote shall never,
under any pretense, tend in any way
to uphold and perpetuate the drink
traffic, through which all the danger
comes.
And now, dear boys, a few words
especially to you: Don't use tobacco
in any way. Don't be drawn into
it by the example of others; it is a
very great evil; all its tendencies are
bad it dulls the moral sense always,
of everybody who contracts the
tobacco habits. 1t makes men
selfish; regardless of the feelings, the
comforts of others; it is injurious to
the health. A great many men of
character and high social position
have the tobacco habit; but for that
it would be considered by all decent
people as a vile, disgusting, loath-
some habit, fit only for ignorant
savages through whom it made its
way to the civilized world. My
reasons for giving you this advice
are many and cogent. | cannot
take up the room for them here, and
some of them you are not yet old
enough to understand.
Dear boys and girls, my last words
to you are:
Avoid strong drink of whatever
name; your nature loathes tobacco,
do not touch it; they are always bad,
never good. NEAL Dow.
II NJ