The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1898-01-27

- - o0BVAoDo Suak IOQulGU8 10 8uk-
msatatioA nom any Of our rougher
ssx. 1ha& young man or young wo-
man can. by the right literary and
moral Improvement Of the spare ten
minutes here or there every day, rise
head and shoulders in prosperity ana
character and influence above the
lounyers who read nothing. or read
that which bedwarfs. See all the for
ssts of good American literature drip
ping with honey. Why pick UP the
honeycombs that have In them lie
flery bees which will sting you with
an eternal poison while you taste l.?
One book may for you or me decide
everything for this world and the
next. 1t was turning point with me
when In bookstore in Syracuse one
day I picked up q book called "Tha
Beauties of Ruskin." It was only
book Of extracts, but It was all pure
honey, and I was not satisfied until
purchased all his works, at that time
expensive beyond an easy capacity to
own them, and with what delight
went through reading his Seven
Lamps OF Architecture" and his
Stones Of Venice" 1t is impossible for
me to describe except by saying that
1t gave me a rapture for good Eoohj
and an everlasting disgust for decrcp-
1t or immoral books that will last a!e
while my life lasts. All around The
church and the world to-day there 'rs
busy hives OF intelligence occupied by
authors and authoresses from VIII so
pens drip a distillation which is the
very nectar Of heaven, and why will
you thrust your rod Of inquisitivcnes
into the deathful saccharine of perdl-
tion.
Stimulating liquids also come into
the category Of temptation delicious,
but deathful. You say, 81 cannot bear
the taste Of intoxicating liquor, anl
how any man can like 1t Is to me an
amazement." Well, then, it is no
credit to you that you do not take, 1t.
Do not brag about your total aLsti-
nence, because 1t is not from any
principle that you reject alcoholism,
but for the reason that you reject Ger
tain styles Of food-you simply don't
like the taste Of them. But multi
tudes Of people have q natural fond
ness for all kinds Of intoxicants. They
like 1t 80 much that 1t makes them
smack their lips to look at It, They
are dyspeptic. and they like to aid d.
gestion; or they are annoyed by in.
somnia. and they take 1t to produce
sleep; or they are troubled. and they
take 1t to make them oblivious: or
they feel happy. and they must cele-
brate their hilarity. They begin with
mint julep sucked through two straws
on the Long Branch piasza and end in
the ditch. taking from q jug liquid
half kerosene and half whisky. They
not only like It. but It is an all con-
suming passion Of the body. mind and
soul, and after awhile have It they
will. though one wineglass of Il should
cost the temporal and eternal destruc-
tion Of themselves and all their fam
lilies and the whole human race. This
infatuation Of strong drink is so
mighty In many q man that, though
his fortunes are crashing. and his
health Is crashing, and his domestic
interests are crashing. and we hand
him long scroll containing the
names Of perils that await him, he
goes straight on to physical and men
tai and moral assassination. In pro-
portion as any style Of alcoholism is
pleasant to your taste and stimulating
to your nerves and for time delight
full to all your physical and mental
constitution is the peril awful. Re-
member Jonathan and the forbidden
honey in the woods at Bethaven.
Furthermore, the gamester's indul-
gence must be put in the list Of temp
tations delicious but destructive. You
who have crossed the ocean many
times have noticed that always one of
the best rooms has, from morning I'M
til late at night, been given up to
gambling practices. / heard Of men
who went on board with enough mon
ey for European excursion who
landed without money to get their
baggage up to the hotel or railroad
station. To many there Is a complete
fascination in games OF hazard or the
risking Of money on possibilities. 1t
seems as natural for them to bet as
to eat. Indeed the hunger for food
is often overpowered by the hunger
for wagers. 1t is absurd for those OF
us who have never felt the fascination
of the wager to speak slightingly of
the temptation. It has slain a multi
tude Of intellectual and moral giants,
men and women stronger than you
or I. Down under its power went
glorious Oliver Goldsmith, and Glib
bon, the famous historian. and Charles
Fox. the renowned statesman. and
In olden times Senators OF the United
States, who used to be as regularly at
the gambling house all night as they
were in the halls of legislation by
day Nh tho frnpedisc pf tho forn !