The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1904-08-23

boy throughout all the countryside was more am
bilious and aspiring, or entertained higher ideals
in life than he did. But alas! so much for the
decree of the fifth Commandment Young
Homer's father was a man of sterling worth, and
a good citizen as the term generally goes, though
from an Indifferent social environment and a long
inherent principle, his mind had become so afro
phied on this singular subject, that the free and
unrestrained use, of strong drink was, by his eth
ical code, a divine right of citizenship. Thus he
not only had but little patience with the advocates
of "total abstinence" but took a social drink
whenever he cared to, nor did he hesitate, on
| special occasions, to give it to his children. And,
he had persuaded himself to believe that in so
doing he violated no law of God or man.
1t was not so very surprising to those who were
acquainted with the atmosphere in which young
Samuel Homer was nourished, to know that in
passing from boyhood to manhood, that he also
passed from a drink with the boys to a drunk with
the men. After a season of wild oat sowing, he
apparently reformed, married a noble young lady
of the village community, and settled down seem
ingly to a life of sobriety and thrift. In truth.
so well did he do, for a while, that his friends
were in high hopes that he had thoroughly over
come his old habits of dissipating. But alas! as
is so seldom the case, that when once the human
system becomes inoculated with the noxious
germs of alcohol, especially in childhood, that
it is ever afterwards completely eradicated.
Thus so, after a brief few years of conjugal felic-
>ity, the old fires burst up within his soul again.
and his passion for strong drink bore down all
opposition. And, from bad to worse, he soon be-
came a confirmed drunkard.
Homer's intentions-so much for that mislead-
ing term, which mankind are so prone to use in
an effort to make amends for their short COM
ngs-wer good. In fact, his good nature was
superior to his bad, when the latter was unaided
by its ally, strong drink. But while he was a
kind husband and loving father, when sober, yet,
he willingly WASTED the sustenance that should
have been expended on his family, during his pro-
longed debauches, until the wolf was ever wont to
howl around his door sill.
Having finished my business transactions in the
city, L boarded the evening train for my village
home. some half dozen miles out. The train had
proceeded three or four miles on it's way when it
was brought to a stop so suddenly as to throw
me forward out of my seat. Making my way
thrugh the hub-bub of the passengers to the vesti-
bule of the car, / saw several of the trainmen
fastening back to where several others we're
grouped about some object lying upon the track.
But a few moments suffice to place me in their
midst. When, what was my pitiful horror to be-
hold, mangled almost beyond recognition. emit
ting the repulsive odors of liquor and gasping in
the last agonies of death, the carnal remains of
Samuel Homer! Lifting my eyes from contem-
plating the gruesome spectacle, I intuitively,
looked off to the westward, for, I knew that nest
led among yonder ~low-lying range of wooded hills,
over which the autumnal sunset was shedding 8
halo of glory, was a cottage home. And, there a
loving wife and children were anxiously waiting
the return of him whose CHASTITY remains were
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