Connecticut western news., 1898-01-13

are telling vile stories. They are three fourths intoxicated, and between 1a and l o'clock they will go staggering, hoos- 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 married man who, only few months ago, at the altar, made promises of kindness and fidelity, every one of which be 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 imbecile and more debasing. Now 1t is time to shut up. Those who are able to stand will get out on the pavement and bal ance themselves against the lamppost or against the railings of the fence. The young man who is not able to stand will have & bed improvised for him in the clubhouse, or two not quite so overcome with liquor will conduct him to his fa- ther's house, and thsy will ring tn
 doorbell, and the door will open, and the two imbecile escorts will introduce into the hallway the ghastliest and most hellisb spectacle that ever enters a front door-a drunken son. If the dissipating clnbhouses of this country would make contract with the inferno to provide it 10, 900 men year and for 20 years on the condition that no more should be asked of them, the clubhouses could af- ford to make that contract, for they would save homesteads, save fortunes, save bodies, minds and souls. The 10, : 900 men who would be sacrificed by of the multitude sacrificed without the contract But 1 make vast difference between clubs. have belonged to four clubs-a theological club, g ball club and two literary clubs. I got from them physical rejuvenation and moral health. What shall be the principlef If God will help me, will lay down three principles by which you may judge whether the club where you are a mem Der or the club to which you have been invited is a legitimate or an illegitimate clubhouse.
 Club Influence.
 First of all I want you to test the club by its influences on home, if you have @ home. 1 have been told by a prominent gentleman in club life that three -fourths of the members of the great clubs of these cities are married men. That wife soon loses her influence over her husband who nervously and foolishly looks upon all evening absence as an assault on domesticity. How are the great enterprises of art and litera- ture 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 nothing lower than his own cellar? That wife who becomes jealous of her husband s attention to art or literature or religion or charity is breaking her own scepter of conjugal power. know an instance where a wife thought that her hus- band was giving too many nights to Christian service, to charitable service, to prayer meetings and to religious con- vocation. She systematically decoyed him away until now he attends no church and is on a rapid way to de- struction, his morals gone, his money gone and, l fear, his soul gone. Let any Christian wife rejoice when her husband consecrates evenings to the service of God or to charity or to art or to any thing elevated, but let not men sacrifice home life 10 club life. l can point out to you a great many names of men who are guilty of this sacrilege. They are as genial as angels at the clubhouse and as ugly as sin at home. They are generous on all subjects of wine suppers, yachts and fast horses, but they are stingy about the wife's dress and the children $ shoes. That man has made that which might be 8 healthful recreation a usurper of his affections, and he has married it, and he is guilty of moral bigamy. Under this process the wife, whatever her features, becomes uninter- esting and homely. He becomes critical of her, does not like the dress, does not like the way she arranges her hair, is amazed that he ever was so unromantic as to offer her hand and heart. She is always wanting money, money, when she ought to be discussing eclipses and Dexter and Derby day and English drags with six horses, all answering the pull of one ribbon. /"
 l tell you there are thousands of houses in the cities being clubbed to death. There are clubhouses where mem mbership always involves domestic shipwreck. Tell me that man has joined certain club, tell me nothing more about him for ten years, and will write his history if he be still alive. The man is wine guzzler, his wife broken hearted or prematurely old, his fortune gone or reduced and his home 8 mere name in directory. Here are six secular nights in the week. "What shall I do with them?' says the father and the husband. II will give four of those nights to the improvement and en- tertainment of my family, either at home or in good neighborhood. I will devote one to charitable institutions. 1 will devote one to the club" I congrat- ulate you. Here is man who says: "I will make different division of the six nights. I will take three for the club and three for other purposes. '' I trem- ble. Here is man who says, "Out of the six secular nights of the week will devote five to the clubhouse and one to the home, which night I will spend in scowling like March squall, wishing I was out spending it as had spent the other i've" That mans obituary is written. Not one out of 10, 900 that ever gets so far on the wrong road ever stops Gradually his health will fail through late hours and through too much stim- ulus. He will be first rate prey for cry sipelas and rheumatism of the heart. The doctor coming in will at glance see 1t is not only present disease he must fight. but years of fast living. Tie clergyman, for the sake of the feelings of the family, on the funeral day will only talk In religious generalties. The men who got his yacht in the eternal rapids will not be at the obsequies. They will send flowers to the coffin lid