Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1897-02-03
A MODERN


While in a Southern city a few years
ago, | frequently met q lady whose
beauty and gracious dignity, whose sad
eyes and mourning robes, so impressed
my mind, that her face is now imprint
ed in my memory, as her tragic story is
upon my heart. II was through the
medium of the white ribbon which we
both wore that we became friends, and
that she vas moved to relate to me the
pitiful story of how the drink curse
had wrecked her home and had Danish
ed happiness.
II do not know" she said, why l
was a temperance advocate from child.
hood, for in our household wine was
always in the cellar and on the side
board, and my father and the uncles
whom | so dearly loved did not hest
tate to partake of stronger liquors
for their stomach's sake. Not that
they were intoxicated-they scorned a
drunkard as disgusting and disgrace
full, and believed in use without abuse
of strong drink. Still, l could see what
drink had done for other homes, and
always felt that in the social glass
there lurked. a treacherous foe.
when, as a bride, | entered the
dainty home SO lovingly prepared by
my noble young husband, we determin-
ed that lntoxicants should never enter
there, nor be dispensed as a token of
our hospitality. When Frank, my only
boy, was but a little fellow, l taught
him the nature and effects of alcohol,
and as he declared his hatred of it, !
exulted in the thought that he was
safe, All, little did l then realize the
snares and temptations all along the
way before him.
How proud we were when Frank,
our tall, handsome, clean souled boy
LETT home for college, Proud, and yet
sad, for the place was very lonely
without his boyish tones and laughter.
But as the bright, cherry letters came,
telling of his rapid progress in
learning, we were ~reconciled to his alb.
sence, and looked forward %joyously to
the time when, having acquitted him
self with honor, he would be at home
again and ready for a brilliant and
useful career. Can you understand
how our hearts were fixed upon that
boy? How all our hopes and plans for
the future centered about him? How
we prayed for him daily, and thought
of him every hour? How fondly l
thought of his strength and manly
beauty, his generous and affectionate
nature.
Everybody was his friend, and so
at college he was soon a general ia
vorite. Three years passed with Frank
there, save for the brief vacations he
spent with us, but at the last home
coming he was restless and we missed
his former cheerfulness. We attribu.
ted the change to hard study and i'll
health, for the year before he had been
ill and had suffered much before /
reached his bedside. | did not know
that the wine and brandy prescribed
by the physician in attendance had
aroused an inherited craving for drink,
so that a habit was then formed to
curse him in health. l did not know
that his favorite friend was a young
man of fine mind, but dissipated habits,
who influenced my boy to patronize
the saloons that thronged the streets of
that college town, and turned out their
graduates also, every year. l did not
know that in society fair hands held
out to him the tempting glass, and
smiling lips urged him to taste its
sparkling contents.
ALAS, mothers can not know all,
and though their loving care may be
%unceasing and their prayers ascend by
day and night, yet will the rum fiend
mock their tears and prayers and
wiring their heart till they cry out in
agony.
For the last time Frank returned to
college, and we joyfully anticipated
the closing scenes of his school life
and his carrying off the honors that we
were proudly confident of his winning.
AS the months went by his letters grew
less frequent and enthusiastic, but we
were only more convinced that he was
working hard to gain the coveted posi-
tion at the head of his class.
"Can you i'm agine our feelings then
our shame, our sorrow and despair