The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1906-05-31
WHAT | WOULD DO If WAS A
FIEND.
By G. T. RAYAoRD.

Ii had the spirit Of fiend and had
en- enemy that l wished to murder the
most cruel possible way, would poison
him with alcohol. 1 would administer
the poison at first in occasional drinks
OF beer and light wines, with lust
enough alcohol to stimulate an appe-
lite which would begin to whisper
More, more" | would make him
think 1T was good for his stomach.
quickening to the brain, and quiet
ing to the nerves. | would tell him that
1t was manly to be able to drink or let
1T alone, and that only softies were
afraid to touch it. would soon have
him craving something stronger than
beer and wine, and have him taking his
daily "nippev," containing more of my
poison. would sintlame his stomach
and create constant longing for strong
drink. l would contract his blood
corpuscles and make them unfit tn
bring and carry in the life traffic of his
system. would cook his brain, as al
cohol cooks the white of all egg: I
would deaden the nerve cells, enlarge
and fatten the kidneys, nutmeg" the
liver, and make the heart to stagger
like drunken man. I would weaken
anu then destroy his will power, and
enslave his manhood. would lead him
to drunkenness and make him ashamed
OF his disgrace. | would compel him to
take the money that should go to
clothe his family and spend it for my
poison. would make him see his chill
dren want for the common necessities
OF life. | would make him penitent,
begging his wife's pardon for his dis
graceful conduct. He should promise
never to take another drop, and would
bring tears of joy to the wife and
good cheer to the home in the thought
OF better days and a clean and affec-
tlonate husband and father.
And in less than weekI would send
some topper companion of his to lure
him into saloon, and send him home
staggering into the presence Of his
wife, blanching her cheeks, crushing
her hopes and breaking her heart. I
would then make him drink to drown
his shame and forget his lost manhood.
l would make him think of better days
andsa happy her1a unclouded by despair
OF drink. would send him to some
temperance meeting to catch sight Of a
sober life, and get him to sign the
pledge Of total sbstinence. He should
carry the pledge home to his wife and
amid tears and hopes renewed, he
should face the future, feeling that at
last he stood upon solid ground, And
/ would 1et him stand. for awhile, till
the cheeks Of the wife grew rosy one
again, and better food began to come
on the table and better clothing appear
ed on the backs of wife and children.
The songs long silsnced should resound
once more in the home.
And then l shonld seLd him by some
licensed saloon, out Of which poured
the exhalations Of my poison, that
should leap upon him and seize him,
and down every resolution and make'the
appetite in him demand satisfaction.
l would make him too drunk to 90
home, reveiing with companions that
had missed him. And the wife should
ait with breaking heart and dying hopes
waiting for the staggering steps that
could not come.
And then would open hell before
the face of that mantle hell Of q
drunkard. The demons of the bottom
less pit should chase him. The SER
penis Of delirium should strike him.
The hobgoblins of an alcohoi-crazed
brain should mock him. In frenzied
rage he should strike down his vile,
and she should lie as one dead &c his
feet; and his children should fee to the
neighbors for safety. would prolong
this earthly hell for u season, and then,
in the midst of the laughter of the &C.
mons and the Kissing of serpents, with
honor dead, self-respect murdered, and
dearest friends tortured, he should die
the ne;ghbors relieved that he is
gone, the children breathing freer that
he will never brighten them again, and
the wife mourning not that ne is dead,
but that life for MIN has been failure.
Thus would murder my enemy if
had the spirit OF fiend
And you will vote that such murders
may be com mitted under legalized
protection through license. And some
times you wasn't the license fee so high
that only the gifted business men may
Engage in the enterprise, compelling
them to do the largest amount of bust
ness possible that they may gain a
profit above the high license they pay.
The Religious Forum.