The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-12-18
DOMAIN OF TEMPERANCE.
WHY HE QUIT SALOON KEEPING.

cit takes a mother 20 years to
make man of her son. 1t takes
another woman only 20 minutes to
make a fool of the same lad"
These words, the opening sentences
of a legend chalked on the counter
of "The Green Tree" cabaret, the most
notorious establishment in New Or
leans, tells why Alexander Holz-
scheiter, after counting the nights
| $500 receipts, shut the doors, locked
them and wrote across one Of the
panels: I'm through"
Householder, junior, who arrived at
the cabaret few hours later, found
the place sealed. It's motto is 1--WE
Never Close What's it Going to Be
Boys?" and so he was alarmed. With
blows of an ak which he borrowed
from a nearby store he broke the
front door and entered
| The place reeked with stale beer
and the lingering ghost of cheap per-
fume and cigarets. There was no
trace of life within the place, Or death,
as he had feared.
But on the counter, scrawled with
chalk, was the following:
This place has been pronounced the
nose disreputable joint in New Or
leans, SO no longer will | remain in
association with thieves, disreputable
women and men still worse. / lose
everything, but I will live among
clean people and make my living
honestly"
Il am going back to Alexandria,
La, my boyhood home | will go to
my little church, and l will live among
honest, clean people. | am going
home and look my wife and children
in the face, something have not been
able to do since l have been running
this place, you miserable dogs.
A reporter found Householder at
his comfortable home. He came to
the door in his shirt sleeves. Per-
SEPARATION was rolling down his face.
Excuse my appearance he said.
I'm packing. I've got two men help
ing me and this time tomorrow we
will be on the way to Alexandria.
"No, the Green Tree will never re.
open, if [ have anything to do with it,
I'm not going to sell out. The furnish
lngs are mine and my lease has six
months to run. / will pay the rent and
keep the place closed. By the time my
lease expires, the joint will have lost
its identity.
Il have been proprietor of the dive
for more than year. During all that
time l haven't had a peaceful mo-
ment. l worried all day and my
nights were restless.
I'm not fanatic. | haven't been
saved by any preacher, but last night
| saw timid, pinkfaced boy come
into my place at 10 o'clock. | heard
him talking. 1t was all schoolboy stuff
at first, football and this class and
the other. At midnight 1 observed
him, and he had undergone a COM
plete change. He was a drunken
young beast, and it was all through
the wiles of a woman whom [ paid
i $25 a week and a commission on
drinks to bring about just such
changes.
That's just one of hundreds OF
cases. But it came home to me, be-
cause I have a son of my own, Just
such fellow as the lad who left the
Green Tree last night Keeling on the
arm of Maud, or Myrtle or whatever
her name was. If any man did that
to my son, I'd kill him. -.
I'm through with the bright lights.
Before Christmas we will be on a
little farm, with COWS and chickens,
and best of all, clear conscience. 1
imagine feel just like a fellow does
when he gets out of the penitentiary."