Year: 1874

"Do you really believe that the passion


for strong drink can be inherited by


children of drinking parents 2 asked a


young lady friend as we were conversing


together.


Most assuredly believe it, and have


in my minds eye case that will go far


to prove it. When l first knew George


Aston he was little tow-headed urchin,


scarcely five years of age; but l can re-


member how proudly he used to draw


himself up as he would say, i belong to
the Temperance Army, for the devil is in


the whisky He had a gentle mother,


one who had been beautiful as a girl. and,
| though care and untold misery had


written deep lines of suffering all over
| her face she was lovely still. She had


made grave mistake in marrying man
who occasionally drank, and was now
reaping the bitter reward of her folly
But she tried to teach her boy godliness
and temperance, and she fattered herself
that she was succeeding admirably, little
dreaming that wine-bibbing father had
stamped her only child with this master
passion. Little George grew, and as his
body and mind developed this Unsuitable
thirst began to burn but with giant
will he kept it in subjection for his
mothers sake. oh, that l had died be-
fore l ever tasted the cursed drink then
my mothers head would not have been
bowed with shame or my name perpet-
ual disgrace. All, me, God knows | fought
it long and bravely, but it was too strong
for me, too strong and in calm despair
he turned his face to the wall and died a
drunkard's miserable, unhappy death
This was the way it happened SO his
mother told me, George never tasted
liquor of any kind till after he was eigh-
al Il l,
Conklin, who engaged his boyish affec-
tions. On her seventeenth birthday my
boy was invited to a party given in her
honor. They had wine there, but let
him go without a warning, so sure was
of his irmness, Yet when the toast
was to be drank to the young lady her
self, the sparkling Moselle having been
poured out, he drank with the rest, un-
able to withstand the temptation in it's
most seductive form. He was brought
home drunk, and the Rubicon once pass
ed, his downward career was swift The
very woman who had led him on to take
the first step was the foremost to gather
her skirts away from the common drunk
ard whom she had helped on the way.
May God forgive her, for | am afraid |
never can, said the poor mother. Such,
Helen, is one case out of many; and go
back to- our first subject what caused
George Alston to thirst for that which he
had never tasted? 1t was clear case of
inherited appetite, and bitter as it was,
was only natural result of such union.
think if young ladies all over our land
more fully understood this subject, if
they would give it more earnest, practi-
cal thought, they would hesitate before
they gave their being into the keeping of
men who drink moderately. 1t is a fear
ful experiment, one that fails nine times
out of ten, and eliminates in misery and
untimely death. There are girls, num-
bers OF them, who continually seduce
men from sobriety by tempting them to
drink, offering the cup with jjeweled hand
and dainty, fascinating smiles; but thank
God, they are growing less. The wine
does not flow as freely as of old at the
festive board nor in the gay saloon. The
people are slowly waking up to its inju-
ries, and a noble band throughout our
country are praying daily.to Be delivered
from curse that is Staying its thousands
and ten thousands every year"


You are growing eloquent cousin"
said Helen with a mischievous look.


Perhaps l am, but my whole heart is
in the work, and the temperance reform
fires all the energy within me- Ny only
regret is that my pen is so feeble and my
voice is so weak in its work.