The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1897-01-15

academies OF music. Some OF the PEG
pie Of small means almost pauperizeC
themselves that they might sit few
evenings under the enchantment o.
those angels of sweet sounds. | paid
81 to hear Jenny Lind sing when it was
not very easy to afford the 8. VERY
expensive is such music. but the costli-
est song on earth Is the drunkard's song
1t costs ruin OF body. 1t costs ruin OF
mind. 1t costs ruin OF soul Go right
down among the residential streets OF
any city and You can find once beauti-
full and luxurious homesteads that
were expended in this destructive
music. The lights have gone out in
the drawing room. the pianos have
ceased the pulsation of their keys. the
wardrobe has lost its last article of APP
propriate attire. The Belshazzarean
feast has left nothing but the broken
pieces of the crushed chalices. There
1t stands, the ghastliest thing on
earth, the remnant of a drunkard' 5
home. The costliest thing on earth is
sin. The most expensive of all music
! is the song of the drunkards. 1t is the
| highest tariff of natiOns-not a protec-
! tive tariff. but tariff of doom. tariff
of woe. a tariff of death. This evil
| whets the knives of the assassins. cuts
/ the most of the wounds of the hos
\ pital, makes necessary most of the
| aImshOuses. causes the most of the raw
ings of the insane asylum, and puts
up most of the iron bars of the peni-
tentiarieS. 1t has its hand to-day on
the throat OF the American republic
1t is the taskmaster of nations. and the
human race crOuches under its anathe-
ma. The song of the drunkards has
for its accompaniment the clank of
chains, the chattering teeth of poverty.
the rattle of the executioner's scaffold.
the creaking door of the deserted home,
the crash of shipwrecks. and the groan
of empires. The 81, O2O. 0OO. 900 which
rum cssts this country in a year. in the
destruction of grain and sugar and the
supporting of the paupers and the in
valids and the criminals which strong
drink causes, is only small part of
what is paid for this expensive song of
the drunkards.
Again. this song of the drunkards is
a multitudinOus song-not a 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. It has pow
erful rivals in the intoxicants Of other
ma tons: hasheeSh. and arrack. and
pulque. and opium. and quavO. Every
nation. barbaric as we'll as civilized.
has its pet intoxicant. The song of
the drunkards Is rendered in Chinese.
HindOo. Arabian. 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 or |
chestras in full voice under the batons |
in full swing. All the musicians as
sembled at Dusseldorf. or Berlin. or /
Boston Peace Jubilee. rendering SYM /
phOnies. requiems or grand marches of |
Mendelssohn. or Wagner. or Chopin. or
Handel. were insignificant in numbers
as compared with the innumerable
throngs. host beside host. gallery
above gallery. who are now pouring
forth the song of the drunkard.
Years ago. standing before a 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 street who sang
and frivolous songs; but in
the street one man. in deep. strong.
voice. started to the tune of
'Old Hundred" Praise God. from
whom all blessings flow" and soon up
and down the street the voices Joined
n the doxology. May God speed the
lay when the song of rescue and saliva
ton shall drown with an overwhelming
urge this mighty song of the drunk
ards,
Again. the song of the drunkards is a
song. You hear a nursery
'efrain. and right away you think of
our childhood home. and brothers and
listers with whom you played, and .
mother. long since gone to rest. You ,
lear national air. and you think of ;
he encaupment of 1858, and the still ,
light on the river bank. and the camp
Tres that shook their reflections up
nd down the faces Of the regiment. I
lou hear an old church tune. and YOU :
re reminded of the revival scenes {
mid which You were brought to God. T
'othing SO brings up associations as a |
ong sung or played upon an instru- &
lent. and the drunkard'S song is full g
suggestion. As you hear it on the I
creeg quite late some night. You be- !
IN 10 say 10 yourself. Il wonder :
he has q mother? Is his wife wait :
IL for him. VIII his children be :
,i-hcened when ne enters the door q
Z Sca--crs. whoOp:ng. up the stairs? v
hat chance Is there tor young man =
-a-tsd 50 carly in life on the down I,
-aia? IN what business will he sue :,
5el2 Ho-- long before that man will 2
II through his property? I wonder ;
ow he Eo- 80 far astrav? Can anv in /
lence De- welded 70 fetch him back?
z mus have cot INFO bad coroDaov s