The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-12-11
Flashlights On The
| temperance Question
No. :.
Tic Heroic Runaway.
CIV. NJ. Bickers. }


had not seen my old friend for years While
driving along country road | espied him
filling the soil, and called him. With elbows
resting on the rail fence. We had delightful
time recounting old memories that were pleas
ing. but l was saddened by his recital of a
chequered life since the days when ! knew
him az a clever popular and promising young
man He had wrestled with the monster
strong drink. and 1t had been his undong. Let
his story be given in his words: We'll.
rs you know. l came out from pure home
and had bright prospects. / made friends and
money. When the downgrade struck
had lucrative position and fattering pros
poets for useful life. Some of my chums
while not drunkards, frequented the saloons
for their 'bracers' and social drinks Presently
] stifed my conscience, and, stepping across
my ideal bounds of propriety. also became
social tippler. Soon the appetite was formed
and try l would there seemed no escape
And / did try Friends were not wanting TO
assist me to be free but when would think
myself safe, down l would go again, until no
body had any faith in me l any in my
self! Wife and children suffered. and that made
my heart ache. Oh! You folks who haven't
experienced this awful graphing with the
monster cannot understand how man can be
so lacking in will power. moral stamina or
whatever you call it, but. man, l have sur
fered agones of body. mind and soul that no
tongue can tell! Sober now you say? All. Yes
and have been for couple of years, thank
God, and because l have isolated myself from
temptation! Recently l was offered a fairly
good position in the city by a man who be-
lieved in me, but l wouldn't leave my mental
place here and take the risk l am run
away from the saloons. For fifty cents a day
and cabin to live in l stay here because 1t
means freedom, ] toll from early morn to
dewv eve and go to the cabin to meet the
smiles and caresses of my dear wife and little
ones The contrast Of the homecoming scene
at the cabin and that In the city is striking.
This Is a dry section. In fact we'll as name
and I am safe as long remain runaway
from the saloon"
AS babe my old friend goodbye I soliloauz
ed thus Here is brave man. noble man,
whose prospects in life shattered by the
licensed saloon, He suffers. his family suffers,
but he and they have found freedom in his
being a runaway from the saloon! Whatever
strength may be in the proposition that the
! saloons existence did not Justify him In be-
coming enmeshed in the snares of drink, the
.,wfui 4fact remains that but for these nsti-
tutions he would have been a prosperous and
useful citizen And yet this weak man Is strong
enough. and big enough to away from the
saloon and to pay the price for his freedom
of hard manual labor for fifty cents a day, and
prisations of Injuries and comforts. He Is q
hero. but what of my State that licenses the
saloon for revenue
Coming from reverie, right at you. reader,
this heros county Is dry, but he cannot go
10 the city, where prosperity awaits him be-
cause that city licenses the saloon! Lets drive
the last saloon from old Virginia, and instead
of making runaways Of the men. make a drove
/ Of "goaways' of the entire baiefui bunch of
drunka I'd making shops. And remember. these
little sdelight instances not fiction ou;
factsi