The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-03-17

thouse by a sinuous path around bar
!rels and boxes, Jack stepped nfmbly
lover h sink and Silas stepped in-bu.
i'm going down, grabbed smith,
land both o a SaccharIne
bath. OF course, when they scrambled
Iout both were as mad as hornets. and
that brought on a scrap. They say
that the funniest thing about the
Iwho4e thing was to See SalaS Ford
standing with mis- nose bleeding, me
chemically and a~bstractediy scraping
the molasses OFF his breaches with his
finger. and licking it.
Smith sent to the livery stables for
a carriage to AXE him nome; bur,
when Mr.. Murdcck McKinnon's driver
saw the fix Jack was in. he refused TO
bet him get INTO the vehicle, and sis on
the cushions. So the two warriors
Iwere caTted to their homes by back
streets on Louis Dunn's dray, sitting
together as close as twins, With the!.
lmolasses legs dangling down.
In a late number of the Atlantic
monthly Mir. Frank FoxcTaft shows
that there has been within h past
Fifteen or twenty years a great drift
AWAY from prohibition. Maine was The
pioneer in the movement in the United
Estates in 1916; then came Massachusetts
land Vermont in 1852; then New HaInp-
shire IN 1856, followed successfully By
Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware.
INDIANA, Kansas, Nebraska. Michigan,
I~Illionois. Iowa, North and South Oak
ia. Of theSe fifteen states, all exeep-
Ithree-KarsaS, Maine and North Dako-
Ita-have abandoned prohibition.
Commenting IN this remarkable re-
lversal Of public sentiment On so impor-
liant a matter, Mr.. FoXcraft says: If
the abandonment OF prohibition in
these twelve states had been followed
lby an increase of drunkenness, both
might be attributed TO a lowered mo-al
ltone in the people, but the reverse IS
Itrue. Whatever fluctuations may ap-
pear in short periods of time anil in
some localities there car be nc u
iaIa. in the last a century there has
been a great Improvement in the habits
iof The American people at large in tenn
l~perance. The excessive use of intoxi-
lcating liquors is not SO common as it
Twas fifty years ago. Tt carries with it
Ia deeper social tigTna it is taken into
account in life insurance tables, ana
Ito an increasing extent 1t is discourag-
led IN a highly practical way by the reg
Iulations IF corporations and other large
employers, who require strict temper
- if Mt total abstinence, in their
nrloyers.'
Prohibition as a state measure, Will
Inevitably prove a failure in the long
Irun but it is to be noted that Will, af-
tier years Of trial prohibition has fallen
Into disrepute i'm New England and the
labove mentioned western states, it has
largely increased in the south under
1.-The operation of local option, which is
1.-THE only fair n equitable method of
Treating the question of the sale Of il
taucr. Wherever the sentiment u a
community demands prohibition, that
community should have it; 'but there
lis NO more justice in forcing 1T on d
community whose public sentiment does
mot demand it than there would be IN
passing a law forcing all MEN to cat
lonly bacon, and wear green knee
ibreeches.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch states
That in Virginia, under the operation
lof the Mann law, which is virtually
local option, 10 out OF 100 counties and
Is cities are without a single license sa-
loon. OF the 1, JOG saloons in the state,
lI47 are in The cities, and 173 are IN the
territory contiguous to cities. OF the
remaining 49,. saloons, all but 81 are III
i19 towns and summer resorts, these 81
being scattered throughout the 30 coun-
tiles not under the operation Of the
mann law.
A few days ago 1 was passing i
lgrouo Of boys playing marbles ON hay
mount, when one of the larger la1s
lstormed out ON q freckled -faced urchin
lin knickerbockers: What did you DC
that for? You are the worst boy in
Itown!" The little fellow held mis-
Igrcund, and looked steadily in the 9th,
ler's face, but / thought l noticed Z
iQuaver in his voice as he said: Yes
that's 1.-THE worst boy in town?
hear it mornin' and might; even ma ana
lpa have got it: the worst boy II
ltown?' What chance has a fellow 8"
with a had anne?
AS I went on my way this coiloIu5
gave me something to think about.
Wondered if the mother n fatnel
knew what was passing in the thought.
lOf their boy-that, even i'll his tends
Iyears, he was bristIing in arms agains
injustice, keenly felt; that already tn
seeds Of a callous, dangerous pess.n
ism were soWm In his breast; that tn
lugly suspicion was taking form in nj
Imind thai the two people Of all tn
!world who should love him, trust him
land hin the best OF him always, wer'
, I-giving him II bad name" as the "Wcrs
boy in town."
Several years ago 1 read in a WON
ans magazine ar article by a mother
which struck me as inexpresslbl
touching. She had a son, a lad about l
! years old-a boisterous, disorderly self
willed fellow, always doing what h
I shouldn't, and never doing what n
, ~lshould-who one afternoon had sorei
!, taxed her patience and tried her TEN
| Iper. h rebuked him very severely
= and sent him upstairs to bed in Il
idard without any supper
> But this exercise Of a firm and sa.u
!, ltary discipline CAV her NO satisfactfoT
!, Somehow, The detected droop of HI
shoulders. as he turned and left IN
: room without a word, r~eproached ne
with every passing moment. Later ND
night, before going to bed, h open@
his door with the lamp in her ham
, In it's hight a tear glistened ON h!
=, ifreckled cheek, and The perspiratio
; sshone on his snort clustering han
= tOutside the cover lay n dirty hant
> Ihonored by more than one old scar @
: playground contests and escapes b
flood and field; but one finger had
fresh cut. made by his jack-knife in