Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1897-01-16

own HE. LII the Illllc ol OllNcI Nio'H-
well the evil was so great that offend
ers wero compelled to wear what WAS
called "the drunkard S cloak '-namcly,
II barrel. with one end of it knocked out
and IL hole in the opposite end, the arms
thrust through hoos at the sides of the
barrel Samuel johnson made merry OF
his own inehriacy. Oh, this old song!
All,hacerturies have joined III. Among
thn first ongS ever sung WAS tho song OF
The tir,.l ka-ds.
Again t!is song of the drunEurds is
IN expensive Song. The Sonntags and
the Parcru esas ard Missions and the
oilicr rein!lrors Ct elevated and divine
solos received their thousands of del
lars per night in ccliscums and acade-
mics OF music Some of the people of
small means almost panperized them
selves that they might sit IL few even
ings under the cnch"rlmcnt Of those
angels of Sweet sounds. l paid 81 to
hear Jenny Lind sing when it WAS not
very easy to afford the 81. Very expen-
sivu is such music, but the costliest
song on earth is the drunkards' song. 1t
costs ruin I'll body. 1t costs ruin of
mind 1t costs ruin of soul. Go right
down among the residential streets of
any city ami you can find once beauti-
full aud luxurious homcstcads that were
expended i'll this destructive music.
The lights have gone ont in the draw
ing room, the planes have ceased tho
pulsation of their keys, the wardrobe
has lest lis last article of appropriate
attire. The BclshaZzaroan feast has left
nothing but the broken pieces of the
crushed chalces.
The Most Expensive Music.
There it siands, the ghasiicst thing
OH earth-ihc remnant Of Il drunkard s
home The costlicst thing on earth is
sim The ricst expensive Of all music IS
the song of the drunkards. 1t is the
highest tariff of nations--not protect
i've tariff, hutza tariff Of doom, u tariff
Of woe, tariff of death. This evil
whets the knives of the assasSins, cuts
the mcst of the wounds of the hospital,
makes necessary most OF tie almshouscs,
causes Tie most of the rawlings Of the
insane asylum and puts Nh most OF tic
iron bars OF tie peuitcntiaries. 1t has
its hand today en- lie throat of the
American II public. 1t is the taskmastcr
of nations, and the human race crorchcs
under It's anathcma The song of the
drunkarrls has for its accompaniment
the clank CT chains, the chatteriag teeth
of poverty, tie rattle of cXcculioner's
scaflold, the creaking door CT tie de-
serted home, the crash Of shipwrecks
and the groan Of empires. The $1,000
600, 600 which rum costs this country
in Il year in the destruction of grain
and sugar and the supporting of the
paupers and the invalids and the crimi-
nails which shong drink causes is only
il small part of what is paid for this ex-
pensive sonc OF the drunkards.
Again, this song of the drunkards is
multitudinous song-not solo, not a
duet, not Il quartet, not Il seXtet, but
millions on millions are this hour sing
ing it, Do not thiik that alcoholism
has this field all to itself. 1t has pow
erful rivals in the intoxicants of other
hasheesh, and arrack, and
pulque, and opium, and quavo, and
mastic, and wedro. Every nation, bar
barrie as well US civilized, has its pet
intoxicant. This song of the drunkards
islcndered in Chinese, Hindustanee, Ara
bian, Assyrian, Persian, Mezican-yea,
all the languages. All zones join it. No
continent would be large enough for the
choir galley if all those who have this
libretto in their hands should stand sido
liy side to chant the international chorus.
Other tiroEgs are just Learning the eight
notes of this beautiful music which IS
already mustered by the orchestras in
full voice under the batCns i'll full swing.
All the musicians assembled at Dus
seldorf or Berlin, or Boston peace jul
bilce, rendering symphonies, requiems
or grand marches CT Mendelssohn or
Wagner CT Chcpin or Handel, were in
significant i'll numbers as compared
with the innumerahle 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 Il bulletin
board i'll New York Gil the night of a
presidential election day rs the news
came in and tie choice Of the American
people was finally announced, there
were people in the streets who sang
roistering and frivolous scngs, but i'll
the street che MAN, in deep, strong,
resonant voice, started, 10 the tune of
"Old Hundred, F" Praise God, From
Whom All Blessings Flo%', - and SOON,
all up and down the street, the voices
joined i'll the doxology. May Cod speed
the day when the Song Of rescue and
salvation shall drown with an over
whellning surge this mighty song OF
the druul;ards!
Again, the song CT the drunkards is
a suggestive song. You hear u nursery
refrain, and right away you think OF
your childhood home and brothers and
sisters with whom you have played
aud mother loEg since gone to rest.
You hear Il national air and you think
of the encamrlacnt of 1868, and the
still night Gu the river bank, and the
campfires that shock 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 yea were brought to God. Moth
ing so brings Up associations rs Il song
sung or PLACED upon an instrument, and
the drurkards' song is full of susses-
ton AS yon hear il on the street quite
late some night you begin TO say tc