The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-12-13

very near to Gen. Branch at SnarpSDurg,
the day he was killed, and to tell me
how much he appreciated what l had
written about his General. He told me
also of an incident that came under
his observation in 1857, when Gen. Branch
and Col. Lynn B. Sanders were canvas
sing this district for Congress. They
spoke at Gunter's Store, IN Orange
county, one day, and while speaking San
eers occasionally slipped some brandy aud
water, to keep himself toned up to his
work, while Gen. Branch drank only
water. An old gentleman named Herndon
now eighty years old who was Wing,
and went to the speaking that morning
expecting to vote for Sanders, said when
the speaking was over that he would not
vote for any man who had to drink grog
to enable him to make a speech, but
would vote for Branch, who drank his
water straight; and he did it. The story
has moral that the young reader will
not fail to see, trust, which is: a man
is absolved from the duty of supporting
his own party candidate, if that candid
ate disregards the opinions and teachings
of that element, in society, which is
striving to protect the weak against the
insidious assault of the liquor curse. Mr..
Herndon set an example worthy Of Imita
tion and worthy, also to be remembered
by his descendants, to the latest gener
alton, as we'll as by every reader or this
sketch. When he saw that one man set
ar example of liquor drinking, though
that man was the party nominee, he re-
pudiated him, and went to the man, who,
by drinking only water, and thereby set
ting q good example to the young men,
was in his estimation the better one
to represent the people in Congress, and.
for that reason he voted for hun.
Oh, how many young men have become
drunkards and died horrible deaths, be-
cause they tried to follow the example
set them by moderate drinkers! 1 knew
a man, away back in the past, who took
his toddy three times a day, and boosted
of his ability to drink only that much
and no more; and, so far as / ever knew,
he never went beyond that limit. But
he had three boys who thought they could
do as father did-drink moderately.
awhile they did; but they soon got be-
yond the three drinks a day; and, after
a few years, still following fathers eX-
ample, as they supposed, they were con
firmed drunkards, spending the fortunes
that came to them from their fathers
estate, at the barroom, and in the lowest
brothels; and, at last they died in drunk
enness and in poverty. Who dare say tile
fathers example did not ruin the sons?
And who dare say that most OF the
wrecks in society are not the legitimate
results of the thoughtless indiscretions
of those to whom the young people look
for example? No man liveth to himself,
and we should never lose sight Of it.
These reflections lead one back to the
old time days, when the temperance move
ment was beginning to take hold upon
the public mind, and the temperance
societies were offering asyums to mod
crate drinkers and drunkards, and remind
me of story related III old Concord
Division of the sons of temperance, one
night, by Mr.. William Ashley, then an
Old man. He was a capenter by trade,
and q very clever gentleman, but lie
would get on a spree sometimes, and
not only spend his money, but often lose
his job. But l will let him tell MS own
story The lodge had gone through its
regular business and the worthy Patri-
arch announced that remarks for the good
of the order would then be heard, If any
brother had anything to say. The au-
dience cheered Justify when old "Uucle
Billy Ashley arose, for they knew some
not disappointed.
Worthy Patriarch, / don't get up to
make speeck," commenced Uncle Billy,
"but just get up to tell these young peo-
pie what a fool have been. l was born
poor and I've kept poor, not because
/ have not made money but because
spent what 1 made for whiskey. They
tell me that a fool and his money will
part, and, as I've got clear Oh all l ever
had must conclude I'm fool. You all
needn't laugh, for it's no laughing matter
to an old man, like me, to feel that his
race is almost run and so much of life
has been worse than wasted. No man
ever worked harder than l have, and no
man was ever blessed with better health
than / have enjoyed; but. for all that,
am poor man, and / know why. Drink
has been my besetting sin, the one that
has kept my nose to the grind stone,
and made me the failure that / am; and,
] want to tell these young men to beware
of dram drinkers, who meet In the bar
rooms, at night, to spin yarns and have,
what they call a good time. The good
time won't last long. ! started that way,
and as I went from bad to worse, so will
any other young man who is fool enough
to think that he can associate with drink
ing men and not fall into their habits.
mo man who drinks liquor ought to
think about getting married, for drink
ing man amt fit to have wife; any
woman is a fool who will marry drink
ing man. If she knows that he drinks.
Some girls are silly enough to think they
can reform a fellow after marriage; but
it's mistake. If fellow learns to love
whiskey before he's married, and drinks
on the sly while he is counting, he'll get
drunk in less than a month after mar
riage; and, after that he'll get drunk as
often as he pleases, wife or no wife
Yes, he'll promise his wife every time he
goes home drunk, with a headache that
feels like his skull is about to burst
open, that if she'll put mustard seed
plaster on the back of his neck, battle
his feet in hot water, and give him a cup
of coffee, and rub his head until it gets
easy, he ''never will drink another drop
as long as he lives. Yes, he'll promise
anything then, but it won't be a month
before here he'll come again, worse off
than ever.