Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1912-01-11
What Liquor Cost One Boy.

He was wholesome, hearty, happy,
boy, dependent on his own efforts, and
doing we'll. 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 a 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 intoxicants
it the supply OF customers is to be kept
up. Owing to the constant bringing in OF
innocent boys who think they are in no
danger, and the early death OF the aver
age drinking man, most OF the customers
OF the saloon are young men and boys.
As a writer in McClure's Magazine says,
after years Of bitter experience in more
than eighteen hundred saloons, Fifty per
cert. 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
a bar-room, the bartender offered him
glass of bottled beer, saying, "You're big
enough to drink beer now" The boy
was perspiring freely, and the beer look
ed so cool; besides, one bottle of beer
would not hurt him, he thought; and it
was good to take his place with the
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 it
was manly and pleasant to drink. Then,
he thought, there was no danger OF in
diligence proud OF his strength OF will,
he was sure that he could stop just when
he wanted to. The back door of the Of
flee where he worked was only a few
feet from the back door OF the saloon.
Frequently he would steal out during
working hours. returning only after ne
had enjoyed one or two drinks. OF
course, he was careful not to LET his en-
ployer 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 wonthe praise
of the bartender. whose best word for
him was "There's a boy that always
buys when he has the price with him."
or, al 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 habits
from his employers knowledge. But
when he had splendid position as Chief
clerk in a railroad office, he was discharg-
ed for drunkenness. After that, he went
from one poor position to another. was
discharged and was becoming
more and more a slave OF the habit which
he felt he was in no danger OF acquiring.
When he was foty-five, he sat down
and reckoned up what drink had cost him.
OF course, he could not estimate the loss
in seH-respect and usefulness; he could
only calculate the cost in dollars and
cents. As he had kept an accurate cash
account since boyhood, that was easy.
He found that he had spent in saloons
$l7, 1854. go, an average of $l.57 for every
calendar day of the thirty-year period
from fifteen to fory-five. But this was
only the first item in his financial loss.
OF other items he writes thus:
"In 1880. at twenty-six years OF age, |
held an official railroad position schedul-
ed on the payroll at two hundred dollars
a month. good during good"behavior, TIL
the occupant was sixty years of age, and
a pension later. My public drink lost me
that position. The total OF my wages re-
ceived during the subsequent period OF
twenty years is$lS,O60. Subtracting this
sum from the amount | would have re-
ceived in the twenty years had ! kept my
two-hundred- dollar job, ! find that my
loss in wages alone amounts to $4.s4O.
The interest on this loss. and on my sa-
loon account, reckoned at four per cent,
would be Sl4,6S62S. Thus my total loss
for the thirty years is $6i, ,ee0.SS. With
this SOL 900 SS in bank at four per cent,
| should be in possession OF an annual In
come of s., ,47s 63. It gives me pain to
put down the figures"
But there still were other consequences
which he could measure. Hewas alead-
er among his companions, and he was di-
rectly responsible for starting twenty OF
them on drinking careers. When ne was
casting up his accounts, he stopped to
think what had become of the twenty.
This record is far more appalling than the
items of financial loss he charged up
against himself. Here il is:
One of them lasted ten years. AT the
age oftwenty- seven, when he was spend