The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-01-29
EVENTS OF A BY-GONE
COLD WATER CRUSADE
BY REV. r. III. WHITAKER.

circle: and SO, each fellow had his
best girl beside him in his own buggy.
while the others, who had come our,
stood around or seated themselves az
best they could 1t was a beautiful
night, and. because of the novelty of
the arrangements. / felt as if | were
unusually inspired. 1t was suggested
that we should repair to the Presby-
terrain church. of which the Rev. Roger
Martin was the pastor, but | saw the
boys We're opposed to that; the noon
light. the open air and especially the
buggy arrangement suited them bet
ter. The girls said nothing. but
fancied that they. too, preferred the
moonlight and the delightful outdoor
breeze. AS ] arose to speak, and cast
my eyes around upon that buggy
crowd. ! wondered if ] would be heard
i'm that quarter. | don't think there
was any talking did net hear any.
To keep them from falling from the
buggieS, the boys might have held the
girls hands: 1 don't know about that:
and some of them. more thoughtful
and solcitous for the safety of their
girls. might have laid their arms
around on the backs of their buggies,
as precautionary movements; but.
don't know that they did. One thing
though ] observed. there seemed to be
no residences in that part of the con-
gregation. They all seemed TO be per-
fectly contented. and in a most lively
mood for they applauded frequently
and when, after l had been speaking
more than an hour, l limited at stop
ping, all the buggy crowd-boys and
girls, think-cried out Go on. Go
ont" or course l thought they were
full and running over of temperance
enthusiasm. and thinking it was my
duty to speak as long as l had the
assurance | was doing good. | fired off
another volley of argument. anecdote
and humor. and was about coming 70
a final close, when the buggy BOYS ap-
plauded vociferously and said: go on!
Go on. Go on!''
l knew, or I thought I knew why
they applauded. They We're having
good time, keeping those girls from
falling out of the buggies: and SO l
said: young ladies and gentlemen: /
understand and fully appreciate the
situation, and for your sakes ! would
be glad to prolong the services an
other hour: but as J. am very tired, III
have to ask you TO excuse me-
$50 on, Don't stop YETI came
from the entire Semi-circle of buggics.
But / did stop. and from then (twenty
odd years ago. until the other day. /
labored under the opinion that those
young people We're willing for me to
talk all night to give. them q good
time But, when | heard those strong
speeches the other day, which sound
ed so much like the oid-times. and
thought that, possibly, that nights ex-
ercises had something to do In making
backboneS and strengthening spinal
columns, and that maybe, after all.
those buggy boys We're really enjoying
my speech, / forgave them for making
me blow the wind for two hours by
moonlight.
That all happened at Shoe Heel Il
place used to visit often. But Shoe
Heel is no more. Maxton Cor
Mac'stown) has taken its place. | have
never seen Maxton. Shoe Heel was
the name of the town when | visited
that country last DR.. Hill was the
pastor of the Presbyterian church. ana
Old Father John Monroe was the
shepherd and bishop of everything
around Spring Hill. where all those
good looking Johnsons, now so prom
lnent in the Baptist church of the
state, we're reared. / fear would not
know the place or the people. but /
do want to see Maxton.
Tn 1891. think il was. the town OF
Vanceboro in Craven county. by some
special legislation. WAS made prohi-
bition town. The law went into effect
Jackson. the MAYOR of the town. who
had been instrumental in securing tho
passage of the prohibition act invited
me to go down there and make Il
Fourth of July temperance speech--a
sort of joliilication speech. | went to
New Bern and there took little
steamer that ran up Neuse' a few miles
and then turned into creek, when
we followed, through the woods. until
we finally reached the landing near
the. town. The temperance people
lined the shore: flags were flying. ana
guns were firing. as our boat hove to
and we We're stepping out on land. Our
procession moved off pretty soon. go
ing up town. where the speaking was
to take place and big barbecue was
prepared. That morning. according 10
the provisions of the special act. the
bar-rooms We're closed, and. in march
ing up town we passed by them. The
ex-bar keepers were standing c.
looking on: and | observed that. be-
fore their closed doors, there We're
large tubs of lemonade, which those
ex-liquor sellers announced was free
to ALA Fourth Of July treat !
don't think that any of the temperance
crowd stopped to drink while we wer,.
on the march; but after J had been
escorted to my stopping place. the
crowd broke ranks and scores Of them
went back to those lemonade tubs.
] was to make my speech at about
twelve o'clock. ! think. and by that
time the crowd had had time to ill
up on lemonade and repair to the
place of speaking. and a iollier set OF
temperance men ] have never seen.
Their applauses were riproarious, aud
their movements were Very peculiar.
but I thought it was all owing to the
manners and customs of the people IN
that section. and to the fact that it
was not only the 4th of July. hut that
the day, the day we We're celebrating
was to be the beginning of a new and
better life among a people freed from
the tyranny of the liquor traffic: ana
SO. ] thought. they had a right to be
joyful and act just like they pleased
on so Joyful an occasion. l noticed
while speaking that Brother Jackson's
face Wore a rather sad expression for
such a day and time: but. ! concluded