Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-02-03

untrue, and the turn of the story SO ex.
quisite, and all the characters so en-
rapturiug, l can not quit them" Ny
brother, my sister, you can find styles
of literature just as charming that
will elevate, and purify, and enuoble,
and Christianize while they please.
The devil does not own all the
honey. There is u wealth of good
books coming forth from our publish
ing houses that leave no excuse for the
choice of that which is debauching TO
body, mind and soul. Go to some in
telligent man or woman, and ask for
list OF books that will be strengthening
to your mental and moral condition,
Life is so short aud your time for i'm
provement SO abbreviated that you can
not afford to fill up with husEs. and
cinGers. and debris. In the intevstices
of business that young man is reading
that which will prepare him to be n
merchant prince, and that young WON
an is filling her mind with an inteli-
gence that will yet either make her
the chief attraction of good mans
home, or give her an independence
of character that will qualify her
to build her own home and main
tain it in happiness that re-
quires no augmentation from any of
our rougher SEX That young man or
young woman can, by the right liter
AIRY or moral Improvement of the
spare ten minutes here or there every
day, rise head and shoulders in pros
perity, and character, and influence
above the loungers who read nothing,
or read that which bedwarfs. See all
the forests OF good American literature
dripping with honey. Why pick up
the honeycombs that have in them the
fiery bees which will sting you with
an eternal poison while you taste it?
One book may for you or me decide
everything for this world and the
next. 1t was n turning point with me
when in a book store in Syracuse one
day | picked up book called THE
beauties of Rushin." 1t was only u book
of extracts, but it was all pure honey,
and | was not satisfied until
had purchased all his works, at that
time expensive beyond an easy cap
light | went through reading his
Seven Lamps of Architecture" and
his Stones of Venice" it is impossible
for me to describe. except by saying
that it gave me rapture for good
books and an everlasting disgust for
decrepit or immoral books that will
last me while my life lasts. All around
the church and the world to-day there
are busy hives of intelligence occupied
by authors and authoresseS from whose
pens drip a distillation which is the
very nectar of Heaven, and why will
you thrust your rod of inquisitiveness
INTO the beautiful saccharine of per-
dition?
Stimulating liquids also come into
the category of temptation delicious
but beautiful. You say: Il can not
bear the taste of Intoxicating liquor,
and how any man can like it is to me
an amazemcnt." Well, then, it is no
credit to you that you do not take it.
DO not brag about your total absLi-
nence, because it is not from any prin-
ciple that you reject alcoholism, but
y
styles OF food-you simply don't like
the taste of them. But multitudes of
people have natural fondness for all
kinds of intoXicants. They like it SO
much that it makes them smack their
lips to look at it. They are dyspeptic
and they like to aid digestion; or they
are annoyed by insomnia, and they
tul "a In { ~ "a n pa
troubled, and they take it to make
them oblivious; or they feel happy, and
they must celebrate their hilarity.
They begiu with mint julep sucked
through two straws on the Long
Branch piazza and end in the ditch,
taking from jug liquid half lero-
sene and half whisky. They not only
like it, but it is an all-consuming pas
sion of body, mind and soul, and after
awhile have it they will, though one
wineglass of it should cost the tenn
poral and eternal destruction of them
selves, and all their families, and the
whole human race. They would say:
Il am sorry it is going to cost me, and
my family, and all the wolds popula-
ton SO very much, but here it goes to
my lips, and now let it roll over my
parched tongue and down my heated
throat, the sweetest, the most inspir-
ing, the most delicious draught that
ever thrilled human frame. Tocure
the habit before it came to its last
stages, various plans were tried in
olden times. This plan was recommends
ed in the books; when man wanted
TO reform he put shot or bullets into
the cup or glass Of strong drInk-one
additional shot or bullet each day, that
displaced SO much liquor. Bullet alter
bullet added day by day, Of course the
liquor became less and less until the
bullets would entirely fill up the glass,
and there was no room for the liquid,
and by that time it was said the in
ebriate would be cured. Whether any
one ever was cured in that way know
not. but by long experiment it is found
that the only way Is to stop short OFF,
and when a man does that he needs
God to help him. And there have been
more cases than you can count when
God has 50 helped the man that he left
Il. 4. Il 4. 4