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of　cholera　were　one　for　every　one　hundred　and　eighty…one　inhabitants；

but　among　the　temperate　portion　there　was　only　one　case　to　each　two

thousand。〃　　〃Of　three　hundred　and　eighty…six　persons　connected　with

the　total　abstinence　societies　only　one　died；　and　he　was　a　reformed

drunkard〃　of　three　months'　standing。　　〃In　New　Orleans　during　the　last

epidemic　the　order　of　the　Sons　of　Temperance　appointed　a　committee

to　ascertain　the　number　of　deaths　from　cholera　among　their　members。

It　was　found　that　there　were　twelve　hundred　and　forty…three　members

in　the　city　and　suburbs；　and　among　these　only　three　deaths　had

occurred；　being　only　one…sixth　the　average　death…rate。〃　　〃In　New　York；

in　1832；　only　two　out　of　five　thousand　members　of　temperance

societies　died。〃　　The　Northwestern　Life　Insurance　Company　of

Milwaukee；　Wisconsin；　one　of　the　oldest　and　most　successful

Companies　in　the　Northwest；　has　lived　for　nearly　forty　years　next

neighbor　to　lager　beer　interests。　　The　shrewd　men　of　this　company

have　studied　the　influence　of　the　beer　industry　upon　those　who　engage

in　it。　　The　result　is；　that　they　will　no　longer　grant　an　insurance　policy

to　a　beer…brewer；　nor　to　any　one　in　any　way　engaged　in　the　business。

In　their　own　words　their　reason　is　this：　　〃Our　statistics　show　that　our

business　has　been　injured　by　the　short　lives　of　those　men　who　drink

lager　beer。〃



Then；　we　need　to　study　the　drink　evil　in　its　relation　to　society。　　〃A

recent　report　of　the　chaplain　of　the　Madalen　Society　of　New　York

shows　that　of　eight…nine　fallen　women　in　the　asylum　at　one　time；

all　but　two　ascribed　their　fall　to　the　effect　of　the　drink　habit。〃　　〃A

lady　missionary　makes　the　statement　that　of　two　thousand　sinful

women　known　personally　to　her；　there　were　only　ten　cases　in　which

intoxicating　liquors　were　not　largely　responsible　for　their　fall。〃　　〃A

leading　worker　for　reform　in　New　York　says　that　the　suppression　of

the　curse　of　strong　drink　would　include　the　destruction　of　ninety…nine

of　every　one　hundred　of　the　houses　of　ill…fame。〃　　〃A　missionary　on

going　at　the　written　request　of　one　of　these　lost　women　to　rescue　her

from　a　den　of　infamy　remonstrated　with　her　for　being　even　then

slightly　under　the　influence　of　drink。〃　　〃Why；〃　was　her　indignant

reply　as　tears　filled　her　eyes；　〃do　you　suppose　we　girls　are　so　dead

that　we　have　lost　our　memories　of　mother；　home；　and　everything

good？　　No；　indeed；　and　if　it　were　not　for　liquor　and　opium；　we

would　all　have　to　run　away　from　our　present　life　or　go　mad　by

pleadings　of　our　own　hearts　and　home　memories。〃



Only　by　a　study　of　the　drink　evil　shall　we　know　its　ravages　in　the

home。　　Those　of　us　who　have　lived　in　the　pure　air　of　free；　country

home…life　can　not　easily　realize　the　moral　plague　of　drunkenness

as　it　blights　the　home　in　the　crowded　districts　of　city　slum　life。

Nor　is　the　home　of　the　city　alone　cursed　by　the　drink　evil。　　Three

years　ago　this　last　holiday　season　we　were　doing　some　evangelistic

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