El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-07-23
TEMPTATION !

mentS OF New Ofk Ills
| honest face and free, cordial manner won
him the friendship of all his fellow Ia
borers, and many were the invitations
he received to join them in the clubroom'
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 OF
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 ana
moral one among them, invited Alfred to
go 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 MS
thoughts for company.
He found his friends family very So
cial and entertaining. Mrs. Warren, the
mother, was a pleasant, winning, l might
almost say fascinating, woman, one of
the kind whose every little speech seems
of consequence and whose every act
praiseworthy. Mr.. Warren was CHEEKY,
social gentleman, fond of telling stories
and amusing young people. And George
sister Jesse-how shall l describe her!
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
young man to fall in love with at first
sight.
This was Mr.. Warren's family, and it
was no wonder that Alfred was charmed
with them. They were not very wealthy
people, but were in easy circumstances
and on a promising road to fortune. Al
fred very soon felt we'll acquainted
with them all as if he had known them
for years. The supper was delicious, eS-
pecially 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 Il winning smile passed n 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 a glass. waiting to pledge their Wis
itor. But Alfred feared to drink it. He
set the goblet on the table, while burn
ing flush overspread his face.
What Do you not drink wine?" ask
ed Mrs Warren in her pleasant tones.
81 have been taught not to drink it,
said Alfred.
You have had good teaching, l doubt
not" said the lady, land l honor you for
respecting it, but l think it makes diff
ference where and in what company you
take it. l should not be willing for
George to go into Il barroom in company
with dissipated young men and call for
wine: but at home in the family circle 1T
is different \ moderate use of wine
never hurts any one. 1t Is only when car
ried 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 the table and
gave it TO him with charming smile.
Drink it 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 it toward his lips. But
at that moment there rose up before him
q 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:
81 cannot drink it. 1t was my mothers
dying request that l should never taste of
wine, and if l disregard it now l fear
greater temptations will follow. You
must pardon my seeming discourtesy, but
cannot drink it,
A silence fell upon the little circle.
None spoke for several minutes.
= Then Mrs. Warren said in a voice
choked with emotion:
'Forgive me, my boy, for tempting you
to violate your conscience. Would that
all young men would show as high
sense of duty"
Every one of the family put down the
wine untaSted-
1.-The boy is right said Mr.. Warren.
drinking wine leads to deeper pota-
lions. 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:
Now, here. in the presence of you all.
l make n solemn VOW never to have any
more wine on my table or drink it myself
as n 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.
1--WE are not drunkardS wineblbberS
here, my boy. l have always preached
temperance to my children, but l have
never realized before how an occasional
glass of wine, if partaken of in good So
ciety. could injure. l see it now. If
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. l will show
that l have as much manliness as mere
boy My children, will you follow my ex-
ample and pledge to abstain totally from
wine as beverage!"
1--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 pros
porous and wealthy merchant. and sweet
Jessie Warren was his wife, they often
spoke of the conseQ tenceS which might
have followed had he yielded to that one
temptations; and Jessie tries to impress