The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-08-21

IT + the average woman were ask
ed to specify which she would
prefer to meet, the Bad Man."
IN as the children call him, or the
reminiscence flend, she would, Il
she told the truth, promptly choose the
former. The reminiscence fiend, for
some unknown reason is usually wo-
man. Obviously, had she been man,
a violent death would have early stop
ped her career. Being a woman she Is
suffered to exist.
She is the most embarrassing person
of your acquaintance. She always
knows your exact age, as you are either
three months younger than her John
or three months older. She remembers
when you were teething and what a
terror you were at that time for your
mother came to visit her and brought
you along. No matter how adroitly
you try to sidetrack her, the topic of
your age and your infantile 1niquities
fascinates her thought and she simply
wont talk about anything else.
Sometimes she is right in her guess,
but more frequently she Is not, and 1t
Is always on the wrong side that the
error is made. 1t isn't the slightest
use for YOU to offer a protest, for that
invarbly causes her to start in afresh
with her proof and as q result all the
listeners-for there are sure to be many
of these when Mrs. "Reminiscences takes
the stand-look at each other signifi-
cantly as If to say: I'VE thought she
tried to appear younger than she
should"
She is the one who playfully recalls
IL you happen to have husband in
clned to he Jealous, the number of
admirers you used to have. If he is Of
the other variety that is proud Of hear
ing of your former conquests, she is sure
to remark upon the fact that twas
lucky he asked you to marry him or
you'd probably have remained single
during life, for the "Reminiscences fiend
has no tact.
She is the one who tells some man
of her acquaintance who is sensitive
about his appearance that she remem-
bers when he had such fine head of
hair. She asks another in the presence
of his wife, If he recalls the time when
her cousin from New York broke him
all up" and she goes on to detail of
what he considers ancient history un-
til he is prepared to brain her with the
meat platter.
Mrs. Reminiscence is the one who
remembers the swear words that your
father used to have; the habit of talk
ing through her nose your mother used
to have: the time that your brother en-
ticed the preachers boy to go SWIM
ming on Sunday and the foolish mar
riage that your sister, who has made
another since, was alleged to have con-
ira cted the first tilue. She tells in the
presence of g. large and visibly interest
ed audience, about the time when you
cried because you had only a print
| frock for Sunday, and she assures your
| daughters betrothed that she can re-
| member seeing your greatgrandmoth-
| er carried away to the insane asylum.
| Oh she's a dear, is the reminiscence
| fiend.
We have seen the embodiment of a
| great idea in our city the past few
| days. There have been those among
| us who have sneered at it, who have
| said in whispers that it means moth
| ing, that it is really only big pre-
| tense, but those who have uttered such
| sentiments have deliberately told an
untruth. 1 refer to the great temper
ance movement represented in the con-
ventions which have just closed. While
do not wish to be understood as MAX
ing an unkind comparison, I would still
| affirm that in my belief the work ex-
emplified by the Catholic Total Absti-
nence societies is of greater value in
| its comparative brief existence than
| that accomplished in two decades by
the Prohibition party and the Woman's
| Christian Temperance union combined
| wide as has been the influence of these
organizations.
1t is not that more conscientious ef-
| fort is being expended or that more
I fervent, desire for the good of human
| ity actuates the Catholic societies, but
that they do reach the classes which
| the others merely aim at-too high
| frequently and at too long range. The
members of these societies are chiefly
working people; they are the ones who
most suffer from the woe of drink, the
ones who bring more wretchedness tc
| others. The Prohibition party and the
| w. C. T. U. are largely composed OF
the leisure class of men and womer
| who would be sober, respectable anC
thrifty if the word or the scheme OF
temperance had never been devised
| AS a rule their influence touches theil
| own kind alone. 1t may go higher thar
their own social grade, but infrequently
goes lower, while the young men and
women of the total abstinence organ
izations not seldom come from homes
where a temperance object lesson is
needed and they will form family cir
cles whose future will be blessed for.
ever because of the earnest principles
now being inbred
A cultured and lovely young Irish.
woman said yesterday: "Our people
have so long been prosecuted and
under bondage that they have not yeI
shown what they can-do. This tenn.
perance idea has taken firm hold or
their hearts and it's influence is being
felt. The highest classes are not toe
ready to accept the reform, for otter
they are not total abstainers, but it 1:
the poor who most need it, and among
them it is making great progress"
The following extract from the ma
tional secretary's report is significan
of the plans of the temperance idea
among Catholics:
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