Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1896-02-10
w. G. T. u. COLUMN.
MOTTO: 'God and Home and Native Land"
WHY I BECAME 4 PROHIBITTONIST.

My faOher was a staunch partisan,
believing that "his" party was devot-
ed to the best interests of his country.
Is it wonder, then, that 1, his eldest
son, should grow up in the same faith?
especially as I honored and revered
my noble father more than any other
man living.
was just little over twenty when
the Civil War broke out. In our qui
ct country home we from time to
time heard mutterings of the distant
thunder that was soon to startle the
whole land with it's loud call to battle.
My young blood was all on fire with
| patriotic zeal. 1 was proud to be the
first young man in the county to vol
unteer. My father, too, would fight,
and my brother, next in age, not yet
eighteen, joined us also. While my
heart and that of my brother beat
proudly at the thought of the trophies
to be won, dear mother, bravely, no
bly, as she gave her best beloved in
defence of her country, yet wished
there had been better and
more peaceful way of settling difficult
ties than by the sword. The sweet
smile that ever greeted husband and
children came more seldom as the
time of our departure drew near, and
we noticed that there was more silver
amid the golden brown hair than of
yore.
AS my story has more to do with
myself and my son than of war and
its issues, 1 will say in few words that
my father and young brother lost
their lives in battle, and 1 alone of
three who went forth strong and
brave returned to the sorrowing moth
err.
Soon after, L married good, sweet
girl who became loving daughter to
my mother, and a true helpmeet to
me for many years. We had always
been very temperate family. We
could boast that none of our ancestry
had the talent of drunkenness in
their blood. I had seen enough of
the evils of strong drink in the army,
and in the cities where saloons tempt
ed the young. But when my boy was
grown up to manhood 1 did not think
it necessary to warn him against such
places of temptation. My wife and
mother had both been taken home to
the "Glory- land" when my son, now
a young man of twenty one, deter
mined to go to Colorado to push his
fortune. He was my only boy, and 1
had hoped to keep him with me, but
since he was determined l could not
say him nay.
For two or three years after he left
home, letters came regularly, telling
of his promotion in the large store
where he had obtained employment
soon after going West. The very fact
that he remained with the same mas
ter and had been promoted was suffi-
cient guarantee for good conduct.
Alas! that in a moment my fond
dreams should be shattered.
1t was nearing the day of election for
president had attended large par
tisan gathering, and had spoken with
all the enthusiasm of soldier. Be-
fore returning home 1 called at the
post Office for mail. Instead of a let
ter from my son there was one ad-
dressed in a strange hand. Some in
tuition caused me to tremble as l took
it and put it in my pocket. When alone
riding homeward 1 read as follows:
"DEAR SIR 1t is my painful duty
to inform you that your son, after
having partaken of brandy in sa-
loon, quarrelled with a companion
and drawing a revolver, fatally wound
ed him. Your son fled to the noun
tains, and so far there is no clew to
his hiding place."
The letter concluded with words of
sympathy and cuttings from newspa-
pers confirming what he said.
I was dazed with grief, dumb with
surprise that my boy should frequent
saloons, and filed with remorse that
I had never warned him of the dan
gers lurking in such places. My sor-
row was too deep for tears. Long
hours 1 sat thinking, my only comfort
that my wife was spared this cruel
blow.
One thing was clear to me even in
my dazed condition. I could never,
never again vote for saloon party,
for had it not robbed me of all that
life holds dear?
I try to live for two reasons, first,
hoping that ere I go down to the
grave 1 may hear of my boys repent
ance, the other, that 1 may see the
overthrow of the liquor traffic.-MRs. |
3 HuI. in Union SinnnI