Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-01-11
IRONTON. MO-. THURSDAY. JANUARY II. 1894.

the Crusade would be cond ucted alons
the broad lines of human nature; tha
those in charge of it would seek t.
benefit it's friends and down those wht
could not see their way clear to approve
of it's methods. There was no doub
of this after the first days active work
Operations were begun bya procession
of women and children from the church
that afterwards became the headquar
ters of the Crusade. They made their
way to one of the recalcitrant drug
stores, whose proprietor stepped to his
watched the proceedings through the
glass, little white withal. The pro-
cession halted In front, and, as admis-
sion was denied, songs were sung and
prayers were made in front of it. AT
ter the drug stores had received proper
attention, the procession was headed
toward the saloon. Its proprietor had
been soldier in the cause of his coun-
try, and good one. Flying shot and
shell would not perhaps haye greatly
disturbed him, but he felt dubious
about this new kind of warfare. When
he saw the procession coming he locked
his door and seated himself behind the
glass and looked out at the show gotten
up for his especial benefit, feeling
queerly enough, perhaps, but resolutc
to maintain what he considered to be
his rights. The ladies halted, songs
were sung as before, prayers were Of
fered up, and Aunt Jane Jones, good
Quaker lady, felicitated the audience
with an address that impressed me
with the thought that as much care
should be observed in the handling
of spiritual weapons, as carnal. 1t
makes very little difference whether
you attempt to demolish a mans busi-
ness with prayer or a cannon-fric-
tion is sure to result, and the heat en-
gendered will eventually extend to his
friends. I felt that Aunt Jane Jones'
address was not oil on the troubled
waters. After the service was over,
the procession wended its way back to
headquarters, and so the first assault
ended.
AS night closed down, the parties
crusaded felt themselves over and
found that they were not greatly dam
aged. The saloon-keeper found him
self in a reflective frame of mind, and
not little solitary; the druggists, lit
tie excited through fear of falling off
in their trade; the general public in
town Marshal in possession of big
job-the preservation of the peace un-
der the most trying circumstan ces; the
Mayor worried about his fences; and
nearly every one in the community re-
fiecting upon the probable effect the
movement, would have upon his tempor-
al interests. ~
About the same tactics were pursu-
ed for a day or two by the ladies.
They secureeddDa pioneer corps, how
ever, and two young men whom they
had enlisted might be seen each morn
ing going ahead of the procession with
huge rolls of mating for them to stand
upon in order to protect their feet from
the cold. damp pavement. They soon
began to experience some slight diff
culties. Their assaults upon the drug
stol es had not proved bowling sue
cess. One of them had long been a
place of resort for the literary talent of
the town. The genial Doctors COM
Portable back room had witnessed the
discussion Of questions of science,
philosophy, political economy, and re-
ligion on many winter evening, by
men whose abilities have given them
high place at the bar, on the bench,
and in the various professions they
have pursued. These men felt that q
great injustice was being done to the
Dr., and dropped in as usual IN the
evening, and at paper time to look
over the papers and discuss the affairs
of the day. 1t is needless to say that
in such discussions the Crusade itself
had a very prominent pla ce. 1t be
came not little embarrassing to the |
ladies to observe pillars of the church |
in the Doctors back room calmly read
ing the newspapers while they were
praying for the proprietor on the front
steps. When some of the best citizens
of the town joined in publishing a !
statement exonorating the DR.. from all |
suspicion of keeping tippling shop,
they were placed in the untenable po-
sition of praying for a man because he
refused to sign pledge; so peace was
made, the terms of which i have for
gotten, and which are not necessary
to this history. and the DIR. was left in
the enjoyment of his usual quiet and
his accustomed friends. On looking |
back over the twenty years that have
interviewed, distincly remember the
Doctor: a most genial gentleman, full
of the milk of human kindness, who
was too good Samaritan not to sym