Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1911-03-16
What Liquor Cost One Boy.


boy, dependent on his own efforts, and
doing well. He hated the thought OF
drink, so that as he entered saloons to
sell papers, he felt he was safe from
temptation.
But the bartender OF one OF the saloons
had his eye on him as good material of
which to make future customer. The
boy was not on his guard, for he did not
know that the average saloonkeeper feels
that he must, if possible, get one boy
each week to take his first drink OF in
toxicants if the supply OF customers is to
be keptup. Owing to the constant bring
ing in of innocent boys who think they
are in no danger, and the early death OF
the average drinking man, most OF the
customers OF the saloon are young men
and boys. AS writer in McClure'S Mag
azine says, after years OF bitter expert
ence in more than eighteen hundred sa-
loon, "fifty per cent OF the total number
OF all drinkers in saloons are minors"
This magazine writer, years ago, was
the newsboy who thought there was no
danger OF his becoming drinking man.
But one warm day, as he passed through
bar-room, the bartender offered him a
glass OF bottled beer, saying, "You're
big enough to drink beer now" The
boy was persriring freely, and the beer
looked so cool; besides, one bottle OF
beer would not hurt him, he thought; and
il was good to take his place with the
sedate business men who stood drinking
at the bar. So he accepted the beer, and
the first links in the chain that bound him
for life were forged.
Two years later, the newsboy became
an office boy. BY this time he felt that
twas manly and pleasant to drink. Then,
he thought. there was no danger OF flndul-
gence; proud OF his strength OF will he
was sure that he could stop just when he
wanted to. The back door OF the Office
where he worked was only a few feet
from the back door Of the saloon. FIRE.
quently he would steal out during work
ing hours, returning only after he had
enjoyed one or two drinks. Of course,
he was careful not to let his employer
know of these stealthy visits. In the
evening, instead of spending his time in
reading or study or among helpful friends,
he found his way to the saloon or the
billiard room. Soon he won the praise
OF the bartender, whose best word for
him was "There's boy that always
buys when he has the price with MIN; ;"
or, 'I wish had hundred like you."
No wonder, for he was spending forty
cents day over the bar.
For years he was able TO keep his hab-
its from his employers knowledge. But
when he had splendid position as Chief
clerk in a railroad office, he was dis
charged for drunkenness. After that, he
went from one poor position to another,
was frequently discharged, and was be-
Coming more and more a slave OF the
habit which he once felt he was in no
danger of acquiring.
; When he was forty-five, he sat down
and reckoned up what drink had cost
him. OF course, he could not estimate
the loss in self-respect and usefulness
he could only calculate the cost in dol
lars and cents. AS he had kept an &C
curate cash account since boyhood, that
was easy. He found that he had spent
in saloons $l7, ,364.60, an average OF $l.5I
for every calendar day of the thirty-year
period from fifteen to forty-five. But
this was only the first itemin mis- financial
loss. OF other items he writes thus:
~n 1889, at twenty-six years OF age,
held an official railroad position schedul-
ed on the payroll at two hundred dollars
month, good during good behavior, TILL
the occupant was sixty years OF age. and
for a pension later. My public drink
lost me that position. The total OF my
wages received during the subsequent
period of twenty year, is slS,O6O. Sub
tracing this sum from the amount would
have received in the twenty years, had
kept my two -hundred-dollar job, | find
that my loss in wages alone amounts to
S29. $40. The interest on this loss, and
on my saloon account, reckoned at toui
| per cent. would be Sl4.6S628. Thus
my total loss for the thirty years is SOL
e9O.SS. With this Sol ,99O.SS in bank a
four per cent, should be in possession
| of an annual income of s., ,479.63. 1t gives
me pain to put down the figues.
But there still were other consequence:
which he could measure. He was lead
er among his companions, and he was
directly responsible for starting twenty o.
them on drinking careers. When ne was
casting up his accounts, he stopped tc
think what had become OF the twenty
This record is far more appalling thar
the items of financial loss he charged uE
against himself. Here it is:
One OF them lasted ten years. At tht
age oftwenty-seven, wnen he was spend,
ing two dollars day for drink, ne COM
mitted suicide as he stood at the bar.