Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1909-04-23
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TOMS TEMPERANCE LECTURE.
e. Turned His Companions from Their
Beer to Temperance.

1t was a bright autumn morning.
The fall term Of ST. Rudolph's school
had begun on Wednesday; now it was
Saturday, and the boys had long
holiday before them. Out on the play
ground Tom Haddon-a new boy who
had only arrived the night before
was standing by himself.
Hello, Tom Haddon; Is that your"
some one called suddenly.
Toms gloomy face frightened, and
he turned eagerly toward a group of
boys near him, who were talking and
laughing in a manner so expressive at
once of good comradeship.
Now for Cruger's," shouted several
of the boys, and they led the way to
saloon and boisterously pushed open
the door.
Tom held back He did not like the
appearance of the place.
What are you going in here for?"
he asked
For a spread, of course" one of
the boys explained. They cook great
dinners here; come on
Tom was quite ready for spread"
and willingly followed the boys into
a little back room where the saloon
proprietor assured them they would be
undisturbed Dinner over, Frank
Jones, their acknowledged leader, said
gayly: Now. fellows, before We go,
we'll have loving cup"
"A loving cup; what's that?" Tom
asked the boy nearest him.
You needn't be afraid of it, it won't
hurt you; it's only beer" the boy an
swered.
Beer? | don't want any," and Tom
pushed back his chair.
You are a fool, Tom," one of them
said What harm can glass of beer
DO your"
Come, Tom," coaxed another, don't
make row about nothing, be a man
and drink your beer"
Il won't" Tom said, sharply. Let
ne go"
I'VE aren't quite ready to let you
20 yet" Frank Jones said, angrily.
You are pretty fellow to kill sport
N this way; and now If you won't
rink you shall give us a temperance
lecture. If it is wrong to drink beer,
you shall tell us why. Come, boys.
Jay attention. You will now listen to
IN address on temperance from the
iOCuent orator, Thomas Haddon."
Tom Haddon waited moment. Once
II twice he swallowed hard. and he
N,n1+HC1 foot CnHHnnITr ha honk
lis head and Strengthened himself.
Boys he said, in a clear voice, II
will tell you story-a true story-a
story that belongs to my own life. |
new little boy once who had beau
;iful home. He had kind father and
mother, and he loved them both so
much that he could never tell which
re loved best. Boys, that little boys
father had always been a good man;
but once, when he wasn't WELL the
doctor ordered him to drink beer, and
he began to drink it, and" Toms
voice was thrilling in it's emphasis
now-'he soon began to drink strong
er things; and there came a time
when that little boys home was
so changed from the lovely place 1t
once was that it seemed as If a fiend
must live there. That little boy
heard his father rave and curse like a
madman-and he was mad, for rum
made him so-and he saw-oh, boys,
to his dying hour he will remember it
he saw his mother struck down by
his drunken fathers hand
do you wonderland no boy who
heard it ever forgot the pathos of
Toms tone-"do you wonder, boys,
that standing by his mothers grave
that boy looked up to heaven. and SOL
EMMY vowed never while he lived to
touch or taste the drink that had
made a mailman of his father, ruined
his home, and broken his mothers
heart"
Tom ceased, and for a moment not a
boy stirred.
Tom Frank Jones said, you are
a hero Why, l think you are drawer
than soldier. l am proud of you,
and l would do just like you If l were
in your place" The boy stopped:
new thought had come to him. He
looked around on his companions.
Boys" he said, earnestly, 1T seems
to me that what l would do If / were
in Toms place, had better do now in
my own place" And the other boys all
agreed.-Mary Hubbard Howell, in