The daily morning Alaskan., 1900-12-20
TEMPTATION

! A young man, or. rather. boy, for he
was not II years of age. was q clerk in
one OF the great mercantile establish
/ ments Of New York. His handsome.
honest face and free. cordial manner won
him the friendship Of all his fellow la
borers, and many were the invitations
/ ne received to join them in the clubroo1l,
In the theater and even the barroom.
But Alfred Harris had the pure teach
ings OF a Christian mother to withhold
him from rushing headlong into dissipa-
ton and vice. and all the persuasions CT
his comrades could not induce him to join
them in scenes like this, He feared the
consequences.
One evening one OF his fellow clerks,
George Warren. the most high toned and
moral one among them, invited Alfred to
20 home with him to supper and make
the acquaintance OF his family. The boy
gladly assented for he spent many lonely
evenings, with only his books and his
thoughts for company.
He found his friends family very So
cial and entertaining. Mrs. Warren, the
mother. was pleasant, winning, | might
almost say fascinating. woman, one Of
B
Of consequence and whose every act
praiseworthy. Mr.. Warren was CHEEKY,
social gentleman, fond OF telling stories
and amusing young people. And Georges
sister .Jessie-how shall | describe herr
A girl about Alfred's own age, half
bashful, half saucy, dimple faced, rosy
checked maiden. sparkling with wit and
pleasantly, and pretty enough for any
Fnn tn wit a
sight.
This was Mr.. Warren's family, and 1t
was no wonder that Alfred was charmed
with them. They were not very wealthy
people but were in easy circumstances
and on promising road to fortune. Al.
! fred very soon felt as well acquainted
/ with them all as II he had known them
| for years. The supper was delicious, es'
! pecally TO a boy whose small salary
! could afford him only the plainest living.
After supper wine was brought in.
| Mrs. Warren poured it out herself, and
with a winning smile passed a glass Of
! the sparkling liquid to their guest. Alfred
took it with some hesitation, but did not
raise it to his lips. Each OF the family
held glass. waiting 10 pledge their Wis
itor But Alfred feared to drink it. He
4
ing flush overspread his face.
What DO you not drink wine?" ask
ed Mrs. Warren in her pleasant tones.
II have been taught not to drink H."
said Alfred.
you have had good teaching, | doubt
not" said the lady. land | honor you for
respecting it, but l think it makes a diff
ference where and in what company you
take it, | should not he willing for
| George to 20 into a barroom in company
with dissipated young men and call for
wine; but at home in the family circle 1t
is different A moderate use OF wine
never hurts any one. 1t is only when car
ricd to excess that it Is injurious. You
had better drink yours. SO little as that
will never hurt you"
Jessie was sitting by Alfred. She took
up the glass he had set on the table and
gave it to him with a charming smile.
Drink il for my sake" she said
Again he took the goblet in his hand.
The glowing wine was tempting, but the
faces around him were more tempting
still. He raised il toward his lips. But
at that moment there rose mp before him
a pale, sweet face, with pleading eyes
the face Of his mother in heaven. The
boy laid down the glass with firm hand
and with firm tones he said;
II cannot drink il. 1t was my mothers
dying request that should never taste Of
wine, and if | disregard it now ! fear
greater temptations will follow. You
must pardon my seeming discourtesy, but
| cannot drink it,"
4 silence fell upon the little circle.
| None spoke for several minutes.
Then Mrs. Warren said in voice
choked with emotion:
Forgive me. my boy, for tempting you
to violate your conscience. Would that
| all young men would show as high a
sense of duty"
Every one of the family put down the
wine untasted.
The boy is right" said Mr. Warren.
Drinking wine leads to deeper pota-
tions. We have done wrong in setting
! such an example before our children.
Here Ellen" he called to the servant,
take away this decanter."
And as the table was cleared of the
wine and glasses. Mr.. Warren said SOL
EMMY
: Nov. here, in the presence OF you all,
! | make n solemn vow never 10 have any
/ more wine on my table or drink it myself
as a beverage, and may my influence and
| preCepts be as binding on my children as
| the request of this boys mother to him"
| And Mrs. Warren softly responded:
| Amen"
| Mr.. Warren turned TO Alfred.
We are not drunkards or winebibbers
here. my boy. | have always preached
| temperance to my children, but | have
never realized before how an occasional
| glass of wine. If partaken OF in good So
ciety. could injure. see it now. II n
person can drink one glass, he can drink
another and yet another, and it is hard
to know just where TO draw the line. !
| thank you for this lesson. | will show
| that | have as much manliness as a mere
boy. My children. will you follow my ex-
ample and pledge to abstain totally from
wine as a beyerageT
We will. father" was the response.
This pledge was never broken by any
OF the family, and never did Alfred Har-
ris have cause TO regret that he resisted
the temptation TO drink one cup of wine
Years afterward. when he was a pros
porous and wealthy merchant, and sweet
Jessie Warren was his wife, they often
spoke OF the consequences which might
have followed had he yielded to that one
temptation; and Jessie tries to impress
as firm principles upon the minds of her
children as her husbands mother instilled
into the heart OF her boy.-Exchange.
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