The Brinkley argus. (Brinkley, Ark.) 1883-current, 1898-01-20

books, from hermeneutics to the
fairy tale. Coming in and ont
there are gentlemen, some Of whom
stay ten minutes, others stay many
hours. Some Of these are from luxu-
RANT homes, and they have excused
themselves for awhile from the domes-
tic circle that they may enjoy the
larger sociability of the club house.
These are from dismembered house,
holds, and they have plain lodging
somewhere, but they come to this club
room to have their chief enjoyment
One blaclsball amid ten votes will de-
feat a mans becoming member. For
rowdyism, for drunkenness, for gam
bling, for any kind Of misdemeanor, a
member is dropped out. Brilliant club
house from top to bottom. The chan
daliers, the plate. the furniture, the
companionship, the literature, the
social prestige, complete enchant-
ment
But the evening is passing on. and 80
we hasten through the hall and down
the steps and into the street and from
block to block until we come to an
mother style of club house. Opening
the door we find the fumes of strong
drink and tobacco something almost
intolerable. These young men at this
table, it is easy to understand what
they are ut, from the flushed cheek,
the intent look, the almost angry way
of tossing the dice or moving the
s'chips.n They are gambling. At an
other table are men who are telling
vile stories. They are three-fourths
intoxicated, and between IL and l
o'clock they will go staggering. boot
ing, swearing, shouting on their way
home. That is an only son. On
him all kindness, all care, all
culture has been bestowed. He
is paying his parents in this way for
their kindness. That is a young mar
ried man, who, only few months ago,
at the altar, made promises OF kindness
and fidelity, every one of which he has
broken. Walk through and see for
yourself Here are all the implements
of dissipation and of quick death. AS
the hours of the night go away the
conversation becomes iinbecile and
more debasing. Now it is time to shut
up. Those who are able to stand will
get out on the pavement and balance
the lamp post or against the ratings OF
the fence. The young man who is not
able to stand will have bed improvised
for him in the club house, or two not
quite so overcome with liquor will con-
duct him to his fathers house, and
they will ring the door bell, and the
door will open, and the two imbecil es-
corts will introduce into the hallway
the ghastliest and most hellish spec
tacle that ever emf ers front door--a
drunken son. If the dissipating club
houses of this country would make a
contract with the inferno to provide it
10, 600 men year, and for 30 years, on
the condition that no more should be
asked of them, the club houses could
afford to make that contract, for they
would save homesteads, save fortunes.
900 men who would be sacrificed by
that contract would be but
small part of the multitude sacrificed
without the contract. But | make a
vast difference between clubs. have
belonged to four clubs: A theological
club, ball club and two literary
clubs. | got from them physical re-
iuvenation and moral health. What
shall be the principle? Ii God Will
help me / will lay down three princi-
pies by which you may judge whe Their
the club where you are member. or
the club to which you have been in
vited. is Legitimate or an illegitimate
club house.
First of all | want you to test the
club by its influences on home, if you
have u home. l have been told by a
prominent gentlemen in club life that
three-fourths of the members of the
great clubs ofthese cities are married
:nen. That wife soon loses her in
fluence over husband who nervously
and foolishly looks upon all evening
absence as an assault on domesticity.
How are the great enterprises OF art
and literature and benefcence and
public veal to be carried on if every
man is to have his world bounded on
one side by his front doorstep, and
on the other side by his back
window, knowing nothing higher than
his own attic, or npthing lower than
his own cellar? That wife who be-
comes Jealous of her husbands atten'
ton to art, or literature, or religion,
or charity, is breaking her own scepter
OF conjugal power. ] know an in
stance where wife thought that her
husband was giving too many nights
to Christian service, to charitable serv-
ice, to prayer meetings, and to religious
convocation. She systematically de-
coyed him away until now he attends
no church, and is on u rapid way to dc.
struction, his morals gone, his money
gone. aud. fear, his soul gone.
j tell you, there are thousands o.
h,mes In the cities being dubbed t.
desslhl There are club houses where
membership always involves domestic
Ishrpwreck. Tell me that man ha.
| joined certain club, tell me nothing
more about him for ten years, and
will write his history If he be still
slive. The man is a wine guzzler. hi,
'ife broken hearted or prematurely
: al. his fortune gone or reduced, and
aishoine mere name in a directory