questionable amusements and worthy substitutes-第4部分

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work　in　a　neighboring　town；　a　mere　village　of　a　couple　hundred

inhabitants。　　I　shall　never　forget　how　the　mother　of　a　dejected　home

cried　and　pleaded　for　help　from　the　ravages　of　her　drunken　husband。

She　said　that　he　had　spent　all　of　his　wages；　and　had　made　no

provision　for　the　home；　in　furniture；　in　books　for　the　children；　nor

in　clothing　for　them　nor　for　her。　　She　had　come　almost　to　despair；

and　was　blaming　God　for　allowing　her　little　ones　to　suffer　because

of　a　worthless　man。　　O；　the　world　is　full　of　this　sort　of　thing　to…day；

if　we　only　knew　the　sighs　and　heartaches　and　blasted　hopes　of　those

who　suffer！　　In　a　smoking…car　one　day　a　commercial　traveler　refused

to　drink　with　his　old　comrades；　by　saying：　　〃No；　I　won't　drink　with

you　to…day；　boys。　　The　fact　is；　boys；　I　have　sworn　off。〃　　He　was

taunted　and　laughed　at；　and　urged　to　tell　what　had　happened　to　him。

They　said：　　〃If　you've　quit　drinking；　something's　up；　tell　us　what　it

is。〃　　　〃Well；　boys；〃　he　said；　〃I　will；　though　I　know　you　will　laugh　at

me；　but　I　will　tell　you　all　the　same。　　I　have　been　a　drinking　man　all

my　life；　and　have　kept　it　up　since　I　was　married；　as　you　all　know。　　I

love　whisky；　it's　as　sweet　in　my　mouth　as　sugar；　and　God　only　knows

how　I'll　quit　it。　　For　seven　years　not　a　day　has　passed　over　my　head

that　I　didn't　have　at　least　one　drink。　　But　I　am　done。　　Yesterday　I　was

in　Chicago。　　Down　on　South　Clark　Street　a　customer　of　mine　keeps

a　pawnshop　in　connection　with　his　business。　　I　called　on　him；　and

while　I　was　there　a　young　man　of　not　more　than　twenty…five；　wearing

thread…bare　clothes；　and　looking　as　hard　as　if　he　had　not　seen　a　sober

day　for　a　month；　came　in　with　a　little　package　in　his　hand。　　Tremblingly

he　unwrapped　it；　and　handed　the　articles　to　the　pawnbroker；　saying；

'Give　me　ten　cents。'　　And；　boys；　what　do　you　suppose　that　package　was？

A　pair　of　baby's　shoes；　little　things　with　the　buttons　only　a　trifle　soiled；

as　if　they　had　been　worn　once　or　twice。　　'Where　did　you　get　them？'

asked　the　pawnbroker。　　'Got　'em　at　home；'　replied　the　man；　who　had

an　intelligent　face　and　the　manner　of　a　gentleman；　despite　his　sad

condition。　　'My　wife　bought　'em　for　our　baby。　　Give　me　ten　cents　for

'em。　　I　want　a　drink。'　　'You　had　better　take　those　back　to　your　wife；　the

baby　will　need　them；'　said　the　pawnbroker。　　'No；　she　won't。。She's

lying　at　home　now；　she　died　last　night。'　　As　he　said　this　the　poor

fellow　broke　down；　bowed　his　head　on　the　showcase；　and　cried

like　a　child。　　'Boys；'　said　the　drummer；　'you　can　laugh　if　you　want

to；　but　I　have　a　baby　of　my　own　at　home；　and　by　the　help　of　God

I'll　never　drink　another　drop。'〃　　The　man　went　into　another　car；　the

bottle　had　disappeared；　and　the　boys　pretended　to　read　some　papers

that　lay　scattered　about　the　car。　　Ah；　this　is　only　one　out　of　hundreds

of　such　scenes　that　are　being　enacted　every　day　in　our　saloon…cursed

cities。



We　should　study　the　drink　evil　to　see　how　it　makes　people　poor　and

keeps　them　poor。　　A　story　is　told　of　a　drinking　man　who　related　to

his　family　a　dream　that　he　had　had　the　night　before。　　He　dreamed

that　he　saw　three　cats；　a　fat　one；　a　lean　one；　and　a　blind　one；　and　he

was　anxious　to　know　what　it　meant　that　he　should　have　such　a

strange　dream。　　Quickly　his　little　boy　answered；　〃I　can　tell　what　it

means。　　The　fat　cat　is　the　saloon…keeper　who　sells　you　drink；　the

lean　cat　is　mother　and　me；　and　the　blind　cat　is　yourself。〃　　〃In　one

of　our　large　cities；〃　one　day；　〃a　laboring　man；　leaving　a　saloon；

saw　a　costly　carriage　and　pair　of　horses　standing　in　front；　occupied

by　two　ladies　elegantly　dressed；　conversing　with　the　proprietor。

'Whose　establishment　is　that？'　he　said　to　the　saloon…keeper；　as　the

carriage　rolled　away。　　'It　is　mine；'　replied　the　dealer；　proudly。　　'It

cost　thirty…five　hundred　dollars。　　My　wife　and　daughter　couldn't　do

without　that。'　　The　mechanic　bowed　his　head　a　moment　in　deep

thought；　then；　looking　up；　said　with　the　energy　of　a　man　suddenly

aroused　by　some　startling　flash；　'I　see　it！'　　'I　see　it！'　　'See　what？〃

asked　the　saloonkeeper。　　'See　where　for　years　my　wages　have　gone。

I　helped　to　pay　for　that　carriage；　for　those　horses　and　gold…mounted

harnesses；　and　for　the　silks　and　laces　for　your　family。　　The　money　I

have　earned；　that　should　have　given　my　wife　and　children　a　home　of

their　own　and　good　clothing；　I　have　spent　at　your　bar。　　By　the　help

of　God　I　will　never　spend　another　dime　for　drink。'〃　　South　Milwaukee

has　five　thousand　inhabitants。　　Three　large　mills　operate　there。　　A

reliable　business　man；　foreman　in　one　of　the　mills；　told　me　that　the

laboring　people　of　South　Milwaukee　put　25；000　each　month　into

the　tills　of　the　saloons。　　Dr。　J。O。　Peck；　one　of　the　most　successful

pastor　evangelists　of　recent　years；　tells　of　a　man　〃who　crossed　Chelsea

Ferry　to　Boston　one　morning；　and　turned　into　Commercial　Street　for

his　usual　glass。　　As　he　poured　out　the　poison；　the　saloonkeeper's　wife

came　in；　and　confidently　asked　for　500　to　purchase　an　elegant　shawl

she　had　seen　at　the　store　of　Jordan；　March　&　Co。。　　He　drew　from　his

pocket　a　well…filled　pocketbook；　and　counted　out　the　money。　　The　man

outside　the　counter　pushed　aside　his　glass　untouched；　and　laying　down

ten　cents　departed　in　silence。　　That　very　morning　his　devoted　Christian

wife　had　asked　him　for　ten　dollars　to　buy　a　cloak；　so　that　she　might

look　presentable　at　church。　　He　had　crossly　told　her　he　had　not　the

money。　　As　he　left　the　saloon　he　thought；　'Here　I　am　helping　to　pay

for　five…hundred…dollar　cashmeres　for　that　man's　wife；　but　my　wife

asks　in　vain　for　a　ten…dollar　cloak。　　I　can't　stand　this。　　I　have　spent　my

last　dime　for　drink。'　　When　the　next　pay…day　came　that　meek；　loving

wife　was　surprised　with　a　beautiful　cloak　from　her　reformed　husband。

She　could　scarcely　believe　her　own　eyes　as　he　laid　it　on　the　table。

'There；　Emma；　is　a　present　for　you。　　I　have　been　a　fool　long　enough；

forgive　me　for　the　past；　and　I　will　never　touch　liquor　again。'　　She

threw　her　arms　around　his　neck；　and　the　hot　tears　told　her　heartfelt

joy　as　she　sobbed　out：　　'Charley；　I　thank　you　a　thousand　times。　　I

never　expected　so　nice　a　cloak。　　This　seems　like　other　days。　　You　are

so　good；　and　I　am　so　happy。'〃　　The　drink　bill　of　our　Nation　for　last

year　was　over　a　billion　of　dollars；　more　money　than　was　spent　for

missionshome　and　foreignfor　all　of　our　Churches；　for　public

education；　for　all　the　operations　of　courts　of　justice　and　of　public

officers；　and　at　least　for　two　of　the　staple　products　of　use　in　our

country；　such　as　furniture　and　flour。　　More　than　for　all　these　was　the

money　that　our　Nation　paid　for　drink　last　year。　　When　the　people　of

our　country　get　their　eyes　open　to　the　cost　and　degradation　of　the

drink　evil；　something　definite　will　be　done　by　every　one　against　it。



The　drink　evil　in　its　relation　to　lawlessness　and　crime；　and　to　political

corruption；　reveal　still　more　ghastly　aspects　of　it　than　we　have　yet

mentioned。　　The　saloon　strikes　at　the　very　heart；　not　only　of　law　and

order；　but　at　personal　liberty　and　justice　in　securing　law　and　order。　　It

was　in　a　police　court　in　Cincinnati　on　Monday　morning。　　Before　the

judge　stood　two　stalwart　policeman　and　a　woman。　　She　was　charged

with　disorderly　conduct　on　the　street　and　with　disturbing　the　peace。

The　policemen　were　sworn；　and　one　of　them　told　this　story；　to　which

the　other　one　agreed。　　He　said：　　〃I　arrested　the　woman　in　front　of　a

saloon　on　Broadway　on　Saturday　night。　　She　had　raised　a　great

disturbance；　was　fighting　and　brawling　with　men　in　the　saloon；　and

the　saloonkeeper　put　her　out。　　She　used　the　foulest　language；　and　with

an　awful　threat　struck　at　the　saloonkeeper　with　all　her　force。　　I　then

arrested　her；　took　her　to　the　detention　house；　and　locked　her　up。〃　　The

saloonkeeper　was　called　to　the　witness　stand；　and　said：　　〃I　know　dis

voman's　vas　making　disturbance　by　my　saloon。　　She　comes　and　she

makes　troubles；　und　she　fights　mit　me；　und　I　put　her　de　door　oud。　　I

know　her　all　along。　　She　vas　pad　vomans。〃　　The　judge　turned　to　the

trembling　woman　and　said：　　〃This　is　a　pretty　clear　case；　madam；　have

you　anything　to　say　in　your　defense？〃　　〃Yes；　Judge；〃　she　answered；

in　a　strangely　calm；　though　trembling；　voice：　　〃I　am　not　guilty　of　the

charge；　and　these　men　standing　before　you　have　perjured　their　souls

to　prevent　me　from　telling　the　truth。　　It　was　they；　not　I；　who　violated

the　law。　　I　was　in　the　saloon　last　Saturday　night；　and　I　will　tell　you

how　it　happened。　　My　husband　did　not　come　home　from　work　that

evening；　and　I　feared　he　had　gone　to　the　saloon。　　I　knew　he　must

have　drawn　his　week's　wages；　and　we　needed　it　all　so　badly。　　I　put

the　little　ones　to　bed；　and　then　waited　all　alone　through　the　weary

hours　until　after　the　city　clock　struck　twelve。　　Then　I　thought　the

saloons　will　be　closed；　and　he　will　be　put　out　on　to　the　street。

Probably　he　will　not　be　able　to　get　home；　and　the　police　will　arrest

him　and　lock　him　up。　　I　must　go　and　find　him；　and　bring　him　home。

I　wrapped　a　shawl　about　me　and　started　out；　leaving　the　little　ones

asleep　in　bed。　　And；　Judge；　I　have　not　seen　them　since。〃　　She　did

not　give　way　to　tears；　for　the　worst　grief　can　not　weep。　　She

continued：　　〃I　went　to　the　saloon；　where　I　thought　most　like　he　would

be。　　It　was　about　twenty　minutes　after　twelve；　but　the　saloon；　that

man's　saloon〃pointing　to　the　saloonkeeper；　who　now　wanted　to

crouch　out　of　sight〃was　still　open；　and　my　husband　and　these　two

policemen　were　standing　at　the　bar　drinking　together。　　I　stepped　up

to　my　husband　and　asked　him　to　go　home　with　me；　but　the　men　laughed

at　him；　and　the　saloonkeeper　ordered　me　out。　　I　said；　'No；　I　want　my

husband　to　go　home　with　me。'　　Then　I　tried　to　tell　him　how　badly　we

were　needing　the　money　that　he　was　spending；　and　then　the　saloon…

keeper　cursed　me；　and　told　me　to　leave。　　Then　I　confess　I　could　stand

no　more；　and　said；　'You　ought　to　be　prosecuted　for　violating　the

midnight　closing　law