The Monitor-register., 1897-01-15


ings under the enchantment of those
angels of sweet sounds. paid az to
hear Jenny Lind sing whom II was not
very easy TO afford tho 81. Very oxpon-
sive Is such music, but the eostliest
song ON earth Is tho drunsards' song. II
costs ruin OF body. 10 costs ruin of
mind. II costs ruin OF soul. Go right
down among the residential streets of
any city aud you oan find once beauti.
ful and luxurious homesteads that were
expended IN thie destructive music.
The lights have gone out IN the draw.
ing room, tho pianos have ceased the
pulsation of their keys, the wardrobe
has lost its last article OF appropriate
attire, The Belshassarean feast has left
nothing hut the broken pieces of the
crushed ehalices.
The Mcst Espens,ve Music.
There Il stands, the ghastliest thing
on easth=-the remnant OF n drunkard's
, home, The oostliest thing on earth is
sin, The most expensive of all music Ia
the song OF the drunkards, II ia the
highest tariff OF nations---not n protect
i've tariff. but tariff Of doom, tariff
of woe, tariff Of death, This OWL
whets the knives of the assassins. outs
the most Of the wounds OF tho hospital,
makes necessary most of the almshouses,
causes tho most Of the rawlings OF tho
insane asylum and puts up most OF tho
iron bars Of the penitentiarios 1t has
Its hand today on tho throat of the
American republic, II is tho taslSm aster
of nations. and the human race crouchos
under It's anathema. Tho song OF the
drunkartls has for its accompaniment
the clank Of chains, the ohattering teeth
of poverty, the rattle of exeoutionor's
soaffold, the oreaking door Of the de-
serted home, the crash of shipwrecks
and tho groan Of empires The $1,000
900, 900 which rum costs this country
in year in the destruction Of grain
and sugar and the supporting of the
paupers and the invalids and the crimi-
nails which strong drink causes is only
small part of what is paid for this ex-
pensive song Of the drunkards
Again, this song of the drunkards is
multitudinous sdpg-not solo, not a
duet, not quartet, not a sextet, but
millions on millions are this hour sing
ing it. Do not think that alcoholism
has this field all to itself. 1t has pow
nations-hasheesh and arrack, and
pulque, and opium, and quavo, and
mastic, and wedro. Every nation, bar
baric as we'll as civilized, has its pet
intoxicant. This song Of the drunkards
is rendered in Chinese, Hindustanee, Ara
bian, Assyrian, Persian, Mexican-yea,
all the languages. All zones join it. No
continent would be large enough for the
choir gallery if all those who have this
| libretto in their hands should stand side
by side to chant the international chorus
Other throngs are just learning the eight
notes of this deathful music which is
already mastered by the orchestras in
full voice under the batons in full swing.
All the musicians assembled at Dus-
seldorf, or Berlin. or Boston peace ju-
bilee, rendering symphonies, requiems
or grand marches of Mendelssohn or
Wagner or Chopin or Handel, were in
significant in numbers as compared
with the innumerable throngs, host be-
side host, gallery above gallery, who
are now pouring forth the song of the
drunkards.
The Song of Salvation.
Years ago, standing before bulletin
board in New York on the night of a
presidential election day as the news
came in and the choice of the American
people was finally announced, there
were people in the streets who sang
roistering and frivolous songs, but in
the street one man, in deep, strong,
resonant voice, started, to the tune of
"Old Hundred, PRAISE God, From
Whom All Blessings Flow" and soon,
+ all up and down the street. the voices
4 Joined in the doxology. May God speed
! the day when the song of rescue and
| salvation shall drown with an over
whelming surge this mighty song of
/ the druhkardsI
| Again, the song of the drunkards is
/ a suggestive song You hear nursery
refrain, and right away you think of
| your childhood homesand brothers and
sisters with whom you have played
and mother long since gone to rest.
You hear a national air and you think
of the encampment of 1868, and the
still night on the river bank, and the
campires that shook their reflections
up and down the faces of the regiment
You hear an old church tune and you
are reminded of the revival scenes amid
which you were brought to God. Moth
ing so brings up associations as a song
sung or played upon an instrument, and
the drunkards' song is full of sugges-
tion. AS you hear it on the street quite
late some night you begin to say to
yourself: ST wonder if he has moth
er? Is his wife waiting for him? Will
his children be frightened when he en-
ters the front door and staggsrs, whoop.
ing, up the stairs? What chance is there
for that young man, started SO early on
the down grade? In what business will
he succeed? How long before that man
will run through his propertyf won.
der how be got SO far astray? Can any
influence be welded to fetch him backi
He must have got into bad company.
Who led him Off" So you soliloquize
and guess about this man whose voice
you hear on the street under the star.
light.
Generally a Chorus.
Notice that the second noun of my
I text is in the plural. Not "drunkard, u
but "drunkards 1t would be dull
work to sing that song solitary and
alone. 1t is generally chorus. They
are in groups. On that downward way
there must be companionship. Here and
there is a man SO mean as always to
drink alone, but generous men, big
hearted men, drinking at bar or in res
taurant or in clubhouse, feel mortified
to take the beverage unaccompanied.
| There must be some one with whom to
click the rim of the glasses, some ones
! health TO propose, some sentiment to
toast. There must be two, and still bet
ter if four, and still better if six, to give
zest to the song of the drunkards. Those
who have gone down could mention the
name of at least one who helped them
down. Generally it is some one who
was little higher mp in social life OF
in financial resources. Our friend felt
fiattered to have an invitation from one
of superior name. Each one drank not
only when he felt like it. but when the
other felt like it. Neither wanted to
seem lacking in sociality when he was
invited. So hundred thousand men
every year are treated into hell. Togeth'
er are they manacled of evil habit; to.
gether they travel toward their doom
together they make merry over the COW.
ardice or Puritanical sentiment of those
who never indulge; together they join