Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1907-07-05
THE PITY OF IT.
(BY JOHN CURLErr.)

uary, about Up. m; the sky was over
hung with clouds, the fitful gusts of
wind brought suggestion of snow;
the city was shining under the electric
lights and the people seemed glad to be
IN doors-there seemed sadness in the
air.
Suddenly the fire alarm rang out
upon the winter air, and paused to
count the strokes, just opposite Camp
bells Hotel in Richmond. Whilst |
waited, l was startled to see a man
standing at my elbow, man of perfect
physique but of wild expression. hair
long, curly, and uncombed. He was only
dressed in undershirt, trousers and shoes
-hatless and coatless-upon closer
inspection, | noticed his once handsome
face was marred, his once clear eye
was blurred and blood-shot, by drink.
The fire engine was sending out clouds
of sparks, ringing its gong, the hooks
and ladders went dashing by followed by
the chief driving a little black pacing
mare; this all took place in less time
than can tell it.
A policeman stopped and spoke to
my companion. mot going out tonight,
Jlm?' mo, the wife is sick with
pneumoniaand must care for the chill
dren, was the reply, and he turned and
went back up the street. "Oficer, who
is that man." asked. "He is broken
tire-fghter, he was the driver of the
engine just passed by and a good one,
too, if he could just stop drinking"
"Well, why don't they give him
another chance ?' asked: "Wen. they
have taken him on time and again,
till finally he came near killing a car
load of people by reckless driving while
drunk, and now he is out for good and
he is fit for no other work. Whenever
the bell rings he answers the call and
has saved lives just as if he were en-
ployed by the city; all of the force
know him and pity him in his misfor-
tune, but it is out of all reason to put
him back again. l have seen him
plunge into burning house and bring
out little child wrapped in a wet
sheet when the fire had burned blisters
on his face and hands, and do these
things because he is brave and fear
less man. 1t is just a case of a man
too weak to Withstand a strong temp
tation, just another instance of the
effect of the barroom system, as allowed
by the churches and hightoned moral
citizens of this state. lay the blame
to them because they are in the major
lty and have in their power the op-
portunity to turn the key IN the lock of
every saloon door in our Commonwealth.
If even the saloons could be closed
from p. m. to z a. M, like other
stores, it would be great step in the
right direction, as most of the crimes
from drunkenness occur during the night.
But your Legislature would not let
bill out of your committee looking to
that end. You had rather employ police
men to run in unfortunate workmen
who get drunk going to their homes
than remove the temptation-and it is
temptation, too-one that taxes the
strength Of more stable characters than
poor JIM"
The officer gave a decisive twirl
of his stick and left me to my
own thoughts, and wondered if our
state Legislators would do as he said,
throttle bill closing the saloons from
6 p. m. to a. m. And then thought
possibly the legislature was a represen-
tative body and they would do as they
were directed by their constituents. |
The people have the power; will they
use it?
Two years has passed and in casually
glancing over the papers from Rich
mond | saw an account of a fire in
which an ex-fireman had saved little |
girl from death, and lost his own life. |
1t was my companion of two years ago
on the corner. He had gone to his re-
ward. A good man ruined; a family
left destitute; boy to grow up illit-
crate, possibly an outlaw, sad, tired
little woman left to bear a burden of
wrongs. And thought that between
the two characters, the poor fireman
was more to be admired than the weak
kneed member of our legislature who
would throttle bill closing the saloons,
at night, anyway.