Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1902-09-10
FLIES POINT A MORAL
= LESSON FOR ALL WHO DAILY
WITH DRINK.

This is true story-not an accumu-
lation OF pseudo facts. says n writer in
the New York Journal.
y man has spread out a sheet OF fly
paper. He noticed that from day TO
day the number OF small black Spccks
increased. each speck telling the story
of the fy's tragic end. one day. out
OF idle curiosity. he fell TO studying the
flies as their doom overlook them
one fly came To the edge OF the pa.
per. tasted the trcachcrous. sticky prep
aration. then Went away FOR The time
being. Another fly did the same. but
waded boldly I'm and was soon caught
fasg. Another fly. flying down straight
from above. landed i'm the middle OF
the fly paper. His pleasant buzz OF
anticipation soon changed 10 a loud
singing noise that told of helpless rage
and fear.
AS the flies landed on the paper each
acted in a different way. Some beat
their wings franucany for a second or
two. only TO fan over on their sides
very soon ami succumb To the sticky
poison. Others showed mere intclli-
gcncc and when they realized the dam
ger stood ou the tips Of their tiny legs.
end avorins go draw themselves mp
AMI fly away.
Now and then some fly. with a vio-
leNt effort OF his muscles and of his
Will. would actually tear himself from
the fly paper and escape. Others could
not get away. but made heroic strug-
gle. They walked across the paper.
dragging their heavy LEGS and sticky
wings climbing up ON the bodies Of the
ether flies i'm search of some means OF
escape
The man watched the flies. their diff
fcrcut kinds of efforts their different
ways OF dying. the long struggles Of
some. the quick submission Of others.
II was q Grcwsome but interesting
Spectacle. What interested him most
was the stupidity of the flies and the
fact that not one of them seemed TO
learn anything from the fate of the
scores OF others stretched dead on the
sticky surface.
III is evident" said the man. that
these flies have absolutely no capacity
for thinking or for estimating conse-
qucnceS. Each fly as he approaches the
paper must see that there are scores Of
flies lying dead on ii. Each Of these
flies. as he goes back and forth near
this death trap. must see the other flies
struggling. see their useless efforts.
hear their terrified buzzing-yet each
fly in his turn runs the risk and. tempt
cd 10y the sweet. sticky substance. goes
20 death in his turn.
I suppose that each foolish fly thinks
that he VIII escape the fate OF the 9TH
ers. Each one imagines that he can
light on the paper and get of again.
Perhaps each has noticed the occa-
sional fly that gets on the fly paper
and does escape safely. What fools
these flies are, What a fool each one
OF them is not 10 say TO himself that
what has ruined so many other flies
Will surely ruin him. Why do they not
get out OF this room, If they can. or NJ
least keep as FAR away from the fly
paper rs possibleT'
Having thus unused philosophically.
the man put on his hat and went out.
leaving the flies and their foolishness
TO take care OF themselves.
The man turned TO the right. then
turned 10 the left. then went through
doorway. and then he was on the
hy paper that catches human beings
He was i'm q drinking saloon. and he
had a glass OF whisky in front OF him.
At this point we may study this man
in the saloon as he studied the flies on
the paper in his bedroom. What hap
pens 10 the man in saloont
Exactly that which happens to flies
on the fly paper. one man goes near
the edge of the whisky habit, takes
little and goes away, like the fly first
mentioned, who approached the edge
OF the Fly paper. This human lily who
takes little and goes away is almost
sure 10 come back again in time. 9th
er men who approach the whisky fly
paper take a little and promptly wade
right in 10 their doom.
The human victims that light on the
whisky hy paper have as many ways
of struggling. as many ways of dying.
rs many ways Of suffering and as few
chances of escaping as the ignorant
fly that lights on the sticky fly paper
in the hot kitchen.
or human flies on the whisky fly pa
per some struggle feebly for awhile
against the habit that has caught them
and soon succumb. Others last for a
long while. Only the ends OF their feet
touch the fly paper. They keep their
bodies erect and for the time being
feel quite proud OF themselves and call
themselves moderate drinkers" But
their feet are on the fly paper. and with
nine out of ten of them it is only a
question of time when the body and
mind will sink to the level of the feet.
and that Will be the end of the strug-
gle
An occasional human being escapes
from the whisky fly paper and goes
away 10 tell others that whisky never
hurt him" This human fly does the
most harm. He sends others 10 whis-
ky, and sooner or later he is pretty
sure 10 go back there himself
Remember that what has ruined 9th
ers may ruin you. Keep away from
the saloon and from the whisky bottle.
Take 4 walk through the potter's field
come day-any man at the mOrgue can
tell you how 10 get there-and you will
find the fruits of the whisky bottle.
quiet and peaceful at last in their final
rest on the surface OF the fly paper
that caught them.
Crusade In BarOtseIand.