The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-10-06
DOMAIN OF TEMPERANCE
A WoMAN,s WARNING CRY.

There is a pathetic story in New
York newspaper about an actress dy-
ing in the city hospital on Blackwell's
Island. The object of charity and the
victim of intemperance, it is stated, is
the young and formerly popular
actress, Mabel Bouton
From the, slough of despond" she
cries out: ooh, how this despairing
wall rings in my head! My young life
is spent. All my hopes are withered.
cannot turn back. 1t is too late,
too late"
But it is not too late for you to
whom l am talking-all you women
who may take few moments to read
my poor little sermon which | preach
to you from this prison house of tears
you women. and young girls who are
just beginning to take an occasional
glass because you think you need it;
because you are tired, or blue or dis
couraged, or just want a little limo
cent fun and think it will do You
good. Good! If could only burn into
your souls what evil it will do-what
awful, irremediable evil"
The wall which comes from those
who have gradually approached and
| finally have fallen over the precipice
| OF intemperance should make others
fear to either touch or taste that
which is SO potent in it's fearful de-
structive powers. Young women, all
women, are pathetically appealed to
by the young victim in the pauper's
ward of Blackwell's Island.
Fortitude is the virtue that not all
possess. Some aresnot inclined to bat
tie against adversely and too easily
succumb to trouble. Mabel Bouton
tells us that she had the "blues" ow-
ing to a difficulty of obtaining a the
atrical engagement. A woman
friend then gave a glass of sherry
and then another. There was merry
evening, followed by others, and cor
| dials supplemented sherry.
The engagement came but the
'stimulants were not discarded Peo-
| pie who are color blind cannot read
| the danger signals. Frequently they
| learn of their defective vision only
! after the wrecked train is in the
| chasm and the walls land means of
| the victims pierce the darkness. So
| the drunkard is sometimes sobered by
the ruin and desolation he witnesses
as the result of his criminal folly.
The victim in Blackwell's Island is
writing for those of her own sex, but
all can learn a lesson from her ruined
life. We quote from her eloquent plea
the concluding words of her letter:
Take me as an example. Remem-
| Der my story when you are tempted
to take that first glass because you
are tired or blue, or because some
one says, 1t will make you feel bet
ter 1t will for a second or a mo-
protected by riches, it may bring you
where have told you l am.
| And l am in the dreariest, most
forsaken place in the world-the
almshouse of the greatest city in the
modern woodland all alone.
Don't drink because you are lonely
or sad. That first drink is only the
beginning of long loneliness and a
lasting sadness,
"Oh, how easy it is to begin bad
habit, and oh, how hard it is to stop!
Learn to conquer trouble within
| yourself. Conquer it by work, by
philosophy, by religion, through love
am lying here waiting, helpless, for
| my release, in the end drink will
conquer YOU"
The sister of Mabel, Madeleine Bou-
ton, two years ago married count.
But the countess was no more beauti-
full and no more talented than her I'M
fortunate sister. But Mabel, influ-
enced by an evil companion, took the
wrong road-the road that leads to
most every evil-the road strewn
with human wrecks, the road of in
toXicating drink.
Women, as we'll as men, are found
| on that highway and too many are en-
tering upon it almost imperceptibly.
When once a woman is branded as
drunkard, her race is run, her good
name is blasted, and the grave will
| not hide the shame and disgrace of
her life Milton we'll says:
"And they so perfect in their misery,
Not ONCE perceived their foul disfigure-
ment,
But boast themselves more comedy
than before,
| And all their friends and native home
forget, 4e
To roll with pleasure in a sensual
sty."
The Catholic UnfpeEse