Year: 1878




IL is Il question whether the temper
ance story or rather the story of intcm
perancc-told by so many lecturers fol
the purpose of creating laughter is prof
table To the cause of reform. There are
persons who are fain to draw the con
clusion from IL that intoXicaiion is pro.
vocative of nothing but fun for il toe
often forgets the moral in behalf of the
amusement to be afforded the listeners
The relation of melancholy facts is far
better. The story that bids for tears i'm.
stead of laughter is certainly the one
most appropriate i'm the premiscs--for
If there is anything sad in this world il
il the fact of drunkenness with the in.
Vulnerable evils il always brings We
were impressed not long since, for in.
stance, with II brief expercn of good
old man who was slightly intoxicated
for one night only, rs related by himself
" went home angry and ashamed" hc
said, and half gone with horror i'm
anticipation of what my wife Sarah
would say about il. | took Tmy shoes
and hung them on the gate post in the
excess of my caution and timidity. |
got into the house with marvellous dcx-
terity and into the bedroom without
making the slightest noise. Sarah al
ways slept i'm front. The foot-board was
unusually high, and never was much
OF "A gymnast; but my success thus far
'had impressed me 80 that felt equal to
almost anything"


His sadness was such that his hearers
were sad, too; and one young person
was 80 agitated at his long pause and his
deep sighs that he burst forth, see
how it is; you probably fell and broke
your neck"


" No, my young friend" replied the
old man, it wasn't that | climbed
that footboard slowly, painfully and
with the utmost caution and secrecy.
You have heard, perhaps, how excess
lively large and threatening every noise
IL in the stiffness of dark night, par
ticularly when you are trying to keep
still yourself and occasionally straining
your ears in fear Of some sound that is
nevertheless expected and pretty sure 10
come. That was what allied me. NV
heart beat like n drum, and the clock IN
the room ticked as if il would have liked
TO arouse the entire neighborhood |
got safely down into that bed and under
the clothes. laughed TO myself till the
bed shook My fear had given place TO
an unnatural hilarity ! grinned and
chuckled and was exceedingly absurd.
| can never think of that time without
shuddering and wishing that somebody
would hand me n sponge wherewith to
wipe il out II struck me suddenly that
Sarah was unnaturally still. put my
hand over 10 her side of the bed and
merciful heavens -"


d" Was she dead ?" inquired the young
person, his jaw falling and his eyes
standing out with intense anxiety.


" No, young leller," replied the good
old man she was not there. She had
gone TO a ncighbor's to pass the night,
and, insuferable idiot that | wasl Ihad
forgotten all about it," He bowed his
head in his trembling hands, and the
tears trickled through his fingers and
ran down his long gray beard.


Now IL seems TO us that this is the
kind Of story TO tell. If people will in
sist upon being interested instead of in
structed and impressed, they should
have something mournful. Surely mis-
fortune is not a thing to laugh at and it
is sometimes difficult 10 Judge whether
the trouble treated by the lecturers in
question is as much misfortune as il is
a crime