Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1898-01-15

IcdG u man b DcCOullllR u LloluUCI. GOA
rowdyism, for drunkenness, for gam
bling for any kind of misdemeanor, a
member is dropped out. Brilliant club
house from top to bottom-the chande-
Tiers, the plate, the furniture, the COM
partnership, the literature, the social
prestige, complete enchantment.
Bad Clubs.
But the evening is passing on, and so
we hasten through the hall and down
the steps and into the street, and from
block to block until we come to another
style of clubhouse Opening the door,
we find the fumes of strong drink and
tobacco something almost intolerablo.
These young men at this table, 1t is easy
to understand what they are Mt, from
the flushed cheek, the intent look, the
almost angry way of tossing the dice or
of moving the Chips" They are gam
bling. At another table are men who
are telling vile stories. They are three
fourths intoxicated, and between ~ and
l o'clock they will go staggering, boot
ing swearing shouting Oh 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 q
young married man who, only few
months ngo, 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 imbecile
and more debasing. Now it is time to
shut up. Those who are sble to stand
will get out Oh the pavement and bal
ance themselves against the lamppost
or against the ratings 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 IA
theirs house, and they will ring the
doorbell, and the door will open, and
the two imbecile escorts will introduce
into the hallway the ghastliest and most
hellish spectacle that ever enters front
door-a drunken son. If the dissipating
clubhouses of this country would make
o 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 TO-
900 men who would be sacrificed by
that contract would be but small part
of the multitude sacrificed without the
contract. But make vast difference
between clubs. l have belonged to four
clubs-a theological club, Lall club
and two literary clubs. l got from item
physical regeneration and moral health
What shall be the principle: If Gcd
will help ME, l will lay down three
principles by which you may judge
whether tho club where you are mem
her or tho club to which you have been
invited is legitimate or IN illegitimate
clubhouse.
Club Influence.
First of all want you to test the
club by its influences on home, if you
have q home. | 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
rs an assault on domesticity. How are
the great enterprises of art and litera-
ture and beneficence 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. 1 know all instance
where n 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 q rapid way to de-
struction, his morals gone, his money
gone and, 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 % club life. ! can point out
to you great many names OF men who
are guilty of this sacrilege. They are as
genial as angels ut the clubhouse and as
ugly as sin at home. They are generous
Oh all subjects of wine suppers, yachts
and fast horses, but they are stingy
about the wife dress and the children 8
shoes. That man has made that which
, might be q healthful recreation a
usurper of his affections, aud he has
married it, and be is guilty OF moral
bigu1ny Under this process the wife,
whatever her features becomes unlnter-
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 unromantlc
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 Ole ribbon. -
tell you there gre thousands Of
houses in the cities being clubLed to
death There are clrbhouses where
membership always involves domestic
shipwreck Tell me that man has
Joined a certain club tell ME nothin'i
more about him for ten years, and l Will
write his history if he be still alive.
The man is wine guzzler, his w1fe
broken hearted or prcnlaturely old, his
fortune gone or reduced and his home q
mere name in directory. Here are SLY
secular nights in the week. "Whal
shall do with them?" says the father
and the husband. II will give four Of
thoes nights 70 the Improvement and en-