Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1905-10-30
w. C. T. u. COLUMN.
A DAUGHTERS REQUEST.


leading man of the village, who had
become wealthy and retired. In the
course OF conversation on the dangers
of alcohol he said: any success in life
is due to my daughter. / owe it all to
her and to her mother, long since
gomez I asked him to tell me the
story ard the following is a brief
summary of what he said:
"Over twenty years of my early
life was spent as travelling man for
the firm of which eventually became
the president. l made long trips and
drank with my customers, thinking
that it was matter of business,
usually drinking every day, more or
less. My salary had been continually
increased, and | had suggested to the
senior member of the firm that L
would like an interest in the business.
He told me to wait, and several
times l wondered why. / was deeply
attached to my daughter, and one
day on bidding her goodbye for
long western trip noticed that she
looked sad. l said to her, when L
come back will bring you fur coat
L would rather have you promise me
not to drink. This would please me
and mamma more 'Why" I asked.
Mamma and I have been praying
that you would not drink any more
liquor. If you will promise me this,
we shall be so happy she replied. L
was startled and alarmed, and ans
wered with emotion, Yes, l will
promise not to drink any spirits on
this trip. and when I come back we
will talk it over
81 was astonished to learn that my
wife and daughter thought was
drinking too much; and I wondered
if it was true why none of my friends
had cautioned me.
SIT hardly seemed possible, but l
resolved to live up to my promise, no
matter what happened, and I was
surprised to find how easy it was to
excuse myself from drinking. made
my usual rounds without anything
special happening, but the thought
chung to me that I must have used
spirits much more largely than / had
been aware of. My wife and daugh-
ter greeted me very cordially on my
return, and my humiliation at the
thought of drinking to excess pre-
vented me from saying anything.
"When I started on my next trip,
my daughter at the last moment said
to me, we have been praying to God
not to let you drink any more. Will
you promise us that you won't?'
''Taken by surprise I burst out
Yes, will promise you not to drink
any more for year, I went out on
the trip with confuse angry feeling
at myself for ever having reached g
state where it was necessary to make
promises, especially to my wife and
daughter.
SIN his mood I met an old customer
with whom | had drank for years
AS usual, he urged me to drink will
him; and when 1 refused he became
angry and abusive and said that b,
would not do business any more will
either myself or the house. Thi
aroused a feeling of revenge, and
wired the firm to close up his accoun
at once. A few weeks later this mai
failed, and I realized that my failur
to drink with him had saved the firm
large amount of money.
'The chief thing that surprised m
on my next trip was the revelation
that drinking customers were reall
among the most dangerous men to d
business with, and that our losse
came largely from that source. The
the thought preyed on my mind tina
my own drinking habits had kept m
from securing an interest in the firm
and though had been good sales
man, I he'd incurred losses directl
due to this source. A new ligh
dawned upon me and I resolved neve
to drink again.
"My wife and daughter rejoiced q
this change, and I felt like a me-
man. A few months later was take
into partnership, and, W lille nothin
was said, felt sure that my drinkin
; habits had been an obstacle to m
success.
"You see," he concluded, "why
| attribute all my success to my daugf
ter's re quest to stop drinking and
the prayer of her mother to give q
; strength to carry it out" Z
!, This incident is full of startlir
suggestion, and l feel sure that it
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