The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1908-07-30

tcoatlnusd from page ! j.

az
new kind " year for us.,.
BEST Of all think, ana my girls
think so too said Mrs. Van Ness =
= the feeling-the clear feeling as
one walks the town; no more lodging
around to avoid -HansOn's and other
corners. They may be drInking Just
behind the walls bun the streets arc
OUR now. anyways, and the place some
how has a different feel 20 me
clearer, prouder-and my girls mo-
tice II. too"
Those that want Il WIN get It."
said the lineman's wife. Mrs. Hurd's
Benny was carried home helpless
Saturday night
And the mother takes Ii cheers
fully" broke in Mrs. Hurd' neigh
Dor, whats a spree now and then
says Mrs. Hurd. Its the drlhble-
dribbfe, so many a day and inereas-
ing every year, that breaks the hearts
Benny IS all right; 1t will be a long
time before he wants to be 80 sick
again. A mans got to blow or ev-
cry so often some how; and we can
take that and laugh. But its the
coming with four drinks In every night
that eats the vitals out OF a home.
And that's the saloon every time. I've
lived them both, and I'm for the.
SPREE"
SO the talk has run. but for the
most part women have become un
doubtedly cautious and thoughtful
knowing as never before that the
problem is n little more than half
theirs. The sudden change in our
little civic machine caught some fing-
sers. even crushed and crippled In
rare places. Some fine dreams have
gone up and out like our yard en-
CINE smoke, and we could wish, that
many of our last years brave pre-
dictions and promises had been less
loudly voiced.
We know that drink IS being sold,
MS in rear rooms at the lower hotel,
by one druggist, strangely at the har-
ness shoU, and at farm a mile out
We know that the drinkers will
drink: our old liars wiz go on lying
and our consumptiyes are bound to
cough. But youth! Youth remains
to US! Youth Is the field-the hope
youth the drinkers learned to drink.
In saloons. and With few exceptions,
not readily. but through repeated
sickness, pains, mental and physical
/ disgusts, self-denunciations kept ON
because the path was wen graded
and nearly respectable, and the 9TH
ers were going that way, until the
body and mind adjusted themselves
to the new conditions. and another,
habit climbed to the drivers seat and
laid lifelong hand upon the steering
gear.
knew a man in the country who
formed the habit of going each night,
/ after supper. to n neighbours porch
and just sitting, with nothing to give
or take. When the neighbors moved,
leaving the house empty, he still
went to the porch. After the house
burned he would go and sit on the
wall.
We had good saloons ii one may
so use the words. The keepers and
their families were our friends and
neighbors. But they were too many.
They grew lnsidiously upon us. They
took our best corners: they interpen-
etrated and clutched the town; their
hold was increasing upon all the
forces of our lives; but worst of all
they stood open there day and night
with no entrance requirements and
minimum fees-sancuoned by US, APP
parently.
And now a year. without them, and
what of It? WellsAno one disputes
that the gross quantity OF alcoholics
Consumed in tho Community. farms
and quarries and all Is greatly d.
Hlnlsheu, detnite physiological gain
anyway. The confirmed drinkers
have drank less and been drunk
more times. The DOCTORS tell US that's
better for them. Some have shown
considerable periods OF sobriety. The
wives, generally, with Mrs. Hurd,
prefer the "spreed" career. Variety
even in pusillanimity, Is worth some
thing.
Hard cider has been In increancd
demand, and one thoughtful tourist
son sent to his disgruntled and dys-
peptic father a full hogshcad of ia
maica rum. Only the stomach pump
saved some of of them after this.
But to our young men with habits
forming land our girls of course are
legally involved). with too much
mother feeling yet. and blood. to
sneak for drinks. who were going to
the bar because the man ahead went
to these we turn and find such n
years record OF advancement and so
cial good-living. of Increased town
pride and athletic success and right
marrying, that for these alone we are
ready, with the farmers wife. to go
down in the dirt TO keep the saloon
from re-establishment In our town.