The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-11-14
TEMPERANCE NOTES.
STORY OF THE EMPTY SLEEVE.
A Fathers Awful Confession at a Temper
ance Meeting.

Fathers Awful Confession at a Temper
ance Meeting.
While engaged with a commercial
house in the city of Cleveland, o., my
business frequently called me to many
of the important cities and towns of
the state. During one of my regular
visits to a town in the southern part
of the state, which was noted far and
wide for the bad character of its sa-
looms and their proprietors, the follow
ing incident occurred:
The train was late when 1 arrived at
l.. After hasty supper l was in
vited by the hotel proprietor and his
wife to accompany them to temper
ance meeting. The lecturer, they
said, was stirring up the whole
town" The meeting had com
menced before we arrived, and l
noted from the crowded condition of
the church. the stirring songs, and the
pointed remarks of the speaker that
deep interest was prevailing in the
temperance movement in this commu-
nifty.
When the speaker concluded his adj
dress, an invitation was extended to
all those who desired to sign the
pledge. just previous to the closing
of the meeting there arose in the CEN
trial aisle a tall dignifed gentleman,
elegant in appearance, with pleas
ing, cultured face, who walked slowly
to the speakers desk, and asked per-
mission of the chairman to occupy
few minutes before closing. His re-
quest was cheerfully granted.
He said: 81 did not come here to-
night to speak; only to listen. But as
l always take a deep interest in the
temperance work, l could not be quiet
until l added a few words to encour-
age some of those who signed the
pledge tonight. My personal expert
ence may help some one to be firm,
and sustain them in their efforts to re-
form.
Il was born in the town of W,
and received a careful college educa-
ton. My father started me in bust
ness, which proved a success from the
start. l gathered around me many
warm friends. | married cultured
and refined young lady of a neigbor-
ing town, whose parents were highly
respected. We had two children, "a
son and daughter. l was
popular, and WAS called to
preside at nearly all of the
social and political meetings of the
place. and on my way home | was fire.
quently induced to partake of glass
of wine or beer. The habit became
fixed, and l found that much of my
time was taken up at the club and So
cial meetings, and that my hours for
going home were late.
My wife spoke kindly to me about
my drinking. l replied, Never fear,
! will never become a drunkard'
But as time went on | became more
and more "A slave to drink, until my
friends kindly admonished me. | no.
ticed that my business was being
neglected. 1t was not long before
receiver was appointed to wind up my
business affairs. My store, good, beau
tiful home, and all went to liquida tie
my debts, and | was obliged to move
into very poor house on a side street.
Now, nearly all of my former friends
deserted me; and l could secure no
work, for | could not be trusted.
AT this point l lost my pride, and
went about the town and through the
streets half drunk, slovenly and shah
by, being a complete slave to the drink
habit. Then l sold all of the few
things which we had been able to keep
to procure whisky and food.