The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-01-31
w. G. T. u. DEPARTMENT..
Conducted by the ladies of the ". G..
II. l.. of Anderson, $. c.
1t Bitcth Like n Serpent.


don't wonder that it makes such littl
hcadway. Now, Il was brought.up Il
think that man who even smcllcd o
wine bottle was already in the dev
lis clutches. When was it'll,
youngstcr | used to hold my breatl
when | went past a saloon for fear that
old Satan would bob out and get me.
But when began to knock about the
world Il little. | found that there was
some very respectable people who did
not think exactly as had been taught.
found that there were gentlemen who
had taken drink every time. they
wanted it, for years, and set were not
sots nor drunkar,ls found that the
case had been made out IL great deal
worse than it really was, and then all
the good temperance lessons I had
been taught went for nothing. Don't
you think that great deal Of the ten
pcrancc talk ovcrshoots the mark
"Wcll, replied Uncle Bez, 81 have
no doubt that some Of US feel so
strongly on this subject that we may
deserve the name or crank that you
are so ready to apply to us. The men
and women who are especially inter
csted in temperance, have not all the
wisdom in the world, and it i3 barely
possible that some Of us make. few
mistakes, sometimes, just like other
folks. But, be that as it may, it is
still fact as true now as when the
Proverbs Of Solomon were written,
that wine is a mockcr. and whose
ever is deceived thereby. is not wise.
1T seems to me that if man or
boy would only look at this question
fairly in the face once, it would just
about solve itself If man really
appreciated the fact that he is making
a fool Of himself, he would be ashamc d
to start on that road.
when you get right down to the
bottom Of it, you must admit that the
man who tampcrs with strong drink
risks his all-and for what? Oh, yes,
lie is risking everything that he holds
dear. No man in his senses can tell
you that q fellow can drink it or, let it
alone. A great many brighter1and
more determined fellows than you arc
have found that they cannot let it
alone. Of course, not every man who
takes drink will die drunkard, but
he runs that risk! You know that.
A good many of the drink or let-it :
alone fellows will die drunkards. Some
Of the fellows you drank with last
night will, in all probability, die
drunkards. Will you? You may.
Why take the risk? What do you
gain? Honestly md truly, now, con-
TESS to yourself; do you really care for
the stuff? If you were alone on des-
ert island, where the brooks ran With
it, now often would you touch It?
What pleasure does it give you beyond
the pleasure Of swaggering up to the
bar and of having a dark brown taste
in the morning? Does it pay to run
any risks for the pleasure so slight?
Isn't the man who is deceived thereby,
not wise?
why is the drinking of intoxicat-
liqurs so bad? I'm sure don't
understand the philosophy Of it; l can
only judge it b. its results. do
know, however, that it is violation
of the physical lew, for the stomach
rebels, the brain reels, the eyes be-
come blocdshot, and the drinkcr in
time becomes physical wreck, and if
he keeps it up, dies horrible death.
| do know that it violates the moral
law, for the man who puts liquor into
his stomach becomes beast instead
OF man, and is unable to exercise
that restraint upon his natural self.
which is the foundation of good NOR
ais. | do know that it. is a violation
of spiritual law, for the man with the
liquor-befuddled brain, loses high
ideals, all idea of reverence, and his
soul becomes dwarfed. know that.
There IS no crankiness-no fanaticism
behind that. 1t is as true as the
fact that water flows down hill. There
is no escape from it. You don't need
Temperance lesson to show you
that. You know, very WE'LL that the
young fellow who begins to booze is
soou ready to do things that he would
not have dreamed advisable in his Sc
Der days.
''No, l don t believe that the drink
ing of strong drinks is responsible for
all the evils in the world, nor even
half of them. thinl, man USUALLY
n "a Ir,r I