The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-10-23

families While much has been done
to snatch humanity from the clutches
of the drink demon, and still more is
being proposed by the temperance
people: the fact stares us in the face
that some people are still the slaves
of drink. Go where you may there
are to be seen unmistakable evidences
of the serpent'S presence and OF his
deadly work. Boys are carrying dis
pensary bottles in their pockets, on tne
streets, on the roads, through the
country, on the trains, and even 70
churches and Sunday schools in the
country. With many young bucks,
bottle in one pocket and a pistol in
another, is seemingly the height OF
their ambition. They do not mean TO
do harm or to be harmed; but, simply
have a good time. You cannot con-
vince them that they are sowing
dragons teeth, or are fillir Pandora
box with which they are to be lace1~
ated or tormented in that time of life
when they should be most secure.
With reckless, don't-care spirit, they
are in for a good time, and they seem
TO think that the only way to get it IS
to drink whiskey. and tote pistols.
My mind goes back fifty years ago
to an old man ruined by drink, as |
used to see him in his fallen, wrecked,
saddest picture / had ever beheld.
l could imagine what he might have
been, for, even in his fallen and de-
graded state he showed that he had
the instincts of a gentleman. and the
SuaVity of manner which could not
have failed to make him popular with
the most refined and best people. In
uuiry into his past life. brought out
this sad story.
After having obtained license tc
practice law. being of a wealthy and
influential family, he was thrust for
ward by his friends as candidate
for a seat in the Legislature; and, as
was the custom in that day. he spent
money freely treating the people. is
he canvassed the county. He had
never drank; in fact hardly knew one
liquor from another. But other can
didates not only treated but drank
with their constituents, and. upon the
principle, that, when in Rome one
must do as Rome does. he drank as
we'll as treated and it was but "a
short time before he could not make Il
speech until he had fired up. almost to
the point of intoxication. Starting out
a sober man he ended the campaign
in a debauch and, although elected,
he had forfeited the confidence of the
better element of his party. and that
term in the LEGISLATURE was his first
and last.
He tried hard to rally, and to shake
off the terrible habit that had so well
nigh ruined him; and, for awhile he
did, at times, seem to be regaining his
old-time strength and his friends in
dulged the hope that he would regain
it, but soon it would be reported
that he was on another spree His
father died and left him property, but
bad management. the result of fire.
quent drunkenness. soon made him a
financial as we'll as a moral wreck.
/ have seen him-the old man
the Understanding on the outer
edge of circle of well-to-do men. I'M
noticed: and / could see that his re-
finement. though married by a mis-
spent life, had not been wholly extin-
guished for, although in rags and
in worse than poverty, he had, left in
him, the instincts of a gentleman. He
knew that by blood ana education he
was the peer of any of those around
him, yet by conduct he had forfeited
his right to the title of gentleman, and
was, therefore, unfit-to associate with
sober men.
Yes, he married; his wife was a good
woman, and the two children she bore
him were properly trained bv her. But
they died in early life, and soon she
followed them to the spirit land. All
alone, penniieSs and almost friendless.
that unfortunate man, once the pride
of wealthy home and the admired
of cultivated community. was left
waif upon the sea of life, to end
his days in vain regret.
He makes the greatest of all mis-
takes who thinks there is no danger In.
moderate drinking. Some may escape:
but all the world knows that drunk
enness is the almost certain result of
that friendly, genteel conviviality
which claims IN hp a To 1.,i,
let it alone.
AS 1 stood and looked upon that
wreck, and contrasted the trembling
limbs, the detected, hopeless counten-
ance, the almost maniac glare of the
eye, with what he once was before
he fell, shuddered to think that
thousands of manly boys, the pride
and the hone of parents, would soon
be as fearful wrecks as he. And how
true has been that fearful prophecy,
for, as | recall the faces of those with
whom | was associated in school, the
sad truth Expresses my SOUL that
many of those warm-hearted manly
boys were wrecked by intemperance,
and are sleeping in drunkard's graves.
We old people live largely in the
past. Childhood and youth were just
as pleasant to us. old people, as they
are to the children and young people
of these days: and, you can't make
US believe that the children are hav-
ing any better time now than we old
boys and girls had in our day ana
time; though we must admit that in
many things they have the advantage
of us.
L went out last Sunday to the old
Red Meeting House" (Hollands
church), where, as a boy. / attended
my first Sunday school, where / used
to attend church. where | Joined the
church and where my father, mother
brothers and sisters and many of my
relatives held their membership y
thousand hallowed memories rush
to my mind as l turn over the leaves
OF the past. and none are more sacred
than those of the days when as a
united family we all held our church
membership at the old Red Meeting
House,
As | sat in the pulpit last Sunday
ana heard the congregation sing
Il love thy kingdom Lord"
my thoughts ran back sixty years to
the days when those, whose voices are
heard II more on earth, sang the same
old hymn. and rejoiced in the same
hope which buoys up and cheers the