The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1912-06-27
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TERRIBLE LURE OF LIQUOR
Power Which Drsgs Down votsrlss Of
Cup 10 Little understood-Fsw
Awful Examples Related.

IF there sat a glass OF whiskey on
that table. and knew that II I should
drink II I would lose my right arm,
could not help but take the liquor,
even though my arm were chopped OF
piscemeaL"
Thus expressed himself to the writ
or q b6-year-old man who had spent IS
months in a Michigan prison for the
commission OF crime for which
liquor was most largely responsible.
writes William II. Vim in the De-
troit Journal.
How little we can understand the
power which drags down the votaries
OF the cup. Said a man to one OF our
police captains in Detroit: II have
not waking moment when I am free
from the craving for liquor" II we
knew more about the lives and expert
ences OF the men whose forms go stag
gering by on our streets. or who stand
before our bars OF Justice. pity would
often replace blame and sympathy
would occupy the place Of scorn.
Last week I met a poor fellow on
the street who had been released from
police court in the morning. From
his actions II needed no prophet to
foretell that he would face the Judge
ere long. and sure enough he was In
the same court next morning For over
q decade he has been under the com.
plete domination OF John Barleycorn.
His experiences cause one 10 think
Of the custom OF certain African chiefs
for certain OF their subjects by MAIN
ing their bodies. All sorts OF cripples
are thus made by these rulers and II
10 related that the persons 80 NAL
treated take q particular delight in
their sutferings. for 20 them II 10 a
mark OF the esteem Of their chief.
Some years ago. while under the In
nuence Of liquor. the man OF whom we
are writing lost q limb. He hobbled
about on a peg-ieg for a time. but
drink still held sway over him. About
four years ago. while drunk. he be-
came mixed up with q railroad train
and lost an arm at the shoulder-limb
OF on one side and arm on the other.
Still he chung TO the glass. or. rather.
moro properly speaking. the glass
chung TO him.
Somewhere IN this city tolls a little.
sweet-faced lady OF upward OF 10 years
OF age. still earning her own living at
Homework Of a light order. She Is
the mother Of the man above referred
TO. and he II her all. Her one prayer
10 that she may be spared TO bury her
boy Saying all that she could from
her scant earnings. she procured a
satisfactory artificial limb for her
drink-crafed boy. Were that limb pos
sessed OF the power OF speech II could
tell many tales OF adventure while
supporting its owner or while reposins
back of some bar where II had been
put up" for drinks.
One incident is recalled. Two years
ago Judge Stein requested the writer
TO take this unfortunate man TO the
carers for the county house. Motto
ing his limb was replaced by a wood.
en- peg. on inquiring we learned II had
been put up for security for a drink
bill In saloon not two blocks away
from the police court On payment OF
IS cents the limb was secured and the
man sent to Eloise. At present the
poor fellow II being upheld by the peg
leg again.
That was a peculiar stunt which
was pulled OF" by a resident at Nc.
Oregon mission many years ago. Re
coming very thirsty. and possessing no
belongings which would serve as Sc
curity. he bethought himself OF his
false teeth, and back OF the bar they
went as warrant for the payment Of
the drinks. Still. there was more
sense In this transaction than In the
one above referred 10. for while a
drinking man needs all the legs he can
get, he can very well dispense with
the molars. which are a useless lux
ury at such q time. as he cannot
drink heavily and eat.
No crusader ever followed Peter the
Hermit with a greater devotion than
the drinker pursues his cup" no
bowling or dancing dervish can equal
the utter abandon OF him who "tarries
long at the wine" What does he not
surrender at the call OF that demon
rum, Fortune. family, friends. health.
life even-all are ungrudgingly offered
TO his thirsty god. and he will beg.
steal or starve that he may keep TIE
fires aglow on the unholy altar. The
great Paul tells us God loveth a
cheerful giver." In the Greek the
word translated cheerful Is hill
arion.' from which comes our word
hilarious" Very few are the disci-
pies OF the Master who give them
selves and their belongings as hilar-
iously as does the votary at the altar
nj nacchus