The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-03-08

III tfnhtl dlHeIeuCtS QV6s NJ iliidhb y y
NE ANYWAY dsmande ID N. Brown
Iii would not drink II I it was q oi
5fered for sale on every corner i
town and there are hundreds the sam.
! way. Il On the other hand there a li,I
hundreds who win have II anyway: ii So .
looms or no saloons, and when tie!
can't get 1t here they go to c., whert
! tney can get 1t and spend their mon
Y ey there" "A
5"All you say may be very true
lsafd Billy earnestly but there is one
class o. citizens you have left out Of
your calculations. There are othel
hundreds Of earnest, honest men, alas
how well / know by experience Bill
8ly's face was pale and a look: OF pain
I'm his eyes as he spoke, rapidly and
vehemently. "who do nte want to
drink 'lle deyelish stun, who pray to
3be kept from the temptation Of It
who are striving might and main to
let It adone, who do not go J, to the
inelglboring town after Il, and yet II
THE open saloon WIS daily before their
4 lace aud the sounds Of revelry and
carouslng. the music and cllnk OF
g.asses and the smell Of the liquor
greeting their nostrils as they passed
along the sidewalk, might fall before
the awful temptation. For their sakea
for our sakes. Mr.. Brown. give your
Influence against this devilish busl'
ness; give US g chance to lead up
fright, carlstian Ives
He paused for breath and wiped
the persplrstion from his brow, but
1T was evident he had appealed In
vain. Ills ponlpous nelghbor turned
OIL him look Of insulted dignity and
said colby.
ANY man VINO Is too weak willel
to take care OF himself deserves no
consideration; besides am my broth
er's keeper"
Billy's face flushed and paled alter,
nately under those cruel words, but
he replied in panied voice, lit Is all
very well, Mr.. Brown. "or you to judge
others in the compltacency Of your
own self.sufllciency, but your quota.
ton Is unfortunate, for the man who
first asked that question, was This
brothers murderer. It Is for you to
choose whether or not you will be
another Cain" and turning on his
/ ineel he walked away.
Prophetic words! Mr.. Brown be-
fore many months recalled them with
heart burnlngs; but juyE now he was
| very indignant, and more resolved
than ever to fight for license.
About a week later, and a few days
before the election. Mr.. Bronson was
much disturbed In spirit to hear n
speaker Of national repute, who was
brought to the town by the "drys' and
spoke in church Of whicn Mr.. BronEon
was a member, refer to the same sub
iect. He said in substance:
BE careful, you church members
how you cast your votes. Thla's u
the influence the act may have npoll
your weaker brethren. Cain asked
am my brothers keeper? and an.
ywer: Yes, indeed, am my brothers
keeper and cannot escape from the
responsibility. Six Thousand years
have elapsed since Cain put this ques.
ton to tine Lord. in his perplexity and
lack Of anything better to say, and
the query has been ;reyenberating down
the centuries since, asked by every
man who wants an excuse to escape
from his duty to humanity. NO man
l:veth to himself alone Is n law Of
nature as surely as TINT water will
l o..
rise to It's own level. The acts that
you do will affect your fellow ma itr
good or for evil, and no act Is Of more
Importance now than casting a ballot
1T the coming election, There Is In
| this town many men striving to lead
sober, upright lives, free. from the
daily temptation Of the saloon, and
they look to the members Of the
church and ITO every moral man who
has. the good of his fellow man at
heart. to help them keep the saloon
out Of this fair town and give them 4
chance. What will be your answer?
! = . .r.#r.- q" 4 4 . .
Surely you are your brothers keeper"
Mr.. Bronson turned away and left
the church, with very lively sense
Of the fact that he still had con
science. and for few days lie scarce
| " knew where he stod on the issue
Of license or no license, but by the
morning OF election grovcling self In
tcrest and ayarlcc had won. and he
quilted conscience by deciding that he
had no right to interfere with the
rights OF mis- neighbors, who wanted
to drink, besides, the town really
could not get along without the mon,
a.. a. Il. 1n,y,,a1 'fran linoncns On hn