THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 
 
 BY T. N. SOPKE, 
 
 BOSTON: 
 RAND, AVERY, AND COMPANY. 
 
 FRANKLIN PRESS.
 
 Entered according to Act of CongmM, In the year 1874, by 
 
 T. N. 8OPEE, 
 to the Office of the Librarian of Congrew, at Washington. D. (X 
 
 RAND, AVERY, AND COMPANY, PRINTERS, 
 
 117 FKANKI.IN >TKi;i 1
 
 HV 
 
 "C 
 
 , 
 PREFACE. 
 
 THK object of this little volume is two-fold : 
 First, to add a drop toward swelling the tide 
 against the use of intoxicating liquors. Secoml, 
 to furnish means for the support of one de- 
 prived of sight since early infancy. It is hoped 
 these objects will gain for it access to many 
 homes. 
 
 The Author would not prejudge his own 
 work, by offering here any apology for its 
 appearance ; but hopes adverse criticism will 
 be withheld until his story is told. 
 
 The incidents herein related are not only true 
 to life, but true in fact, for the most part. 
 
 1350668
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. Green Bluff Its Beauty Advantage! of 
 
 Total Prohibition 9 
 
 II. Carpenter Stone'a Family The Effects of 
 
 Sober Industry 2t 
 
 III. Mr. Thomas, the Covetous Man 40 
 
 IV. Walter Stone's Character A Miner In 
 
 Danger. 62 
 
 ' .V. The Rivals Success of Charlie Hayes 60 
 
 " VL Thanksgiving at Green Bluff Dr. Thomas 
 and Charlie Hayes gain Applause Bene- 
 fits of Prohibitory Laws...- 71 
 
 " VII. Thanksgiving Dinner at Mr. Stone's Dr. 
 
 Thomas and Lucy Stone 79 
 
 VIIL Danger of the First Glass Power of Appe- 
 tite 88 
 
 " IX. License, or No License Discussion in Town 
 
 Council 101 
 
 X. The Saloon Opened The Keeper Argues 
 
 his Case Correctly 122 
 
 " XL The First Step the Fatal One The Mali- 
 ciousness of the Saloon Keeper 132 
 
 " XII. Mr. Thomas Lets a Room for a Saloon 
 
 Strange Arguments 144 
 
 XIII. Pernicious Effects of Respectable (?) Saloons 
 
 and Billiard Halls 152 
 
 XIV. Expense of Liquor Traffic 164 
 
 XV. Charlie Hayes in Danger Walter Stone'a 
 
 Reward Sober Habits a Good Capital.. 170 
 XVI. Dark Scenes The Liquor Traffic the Cause 190 
 * XVII. Mr. Thomas reaps the Fruit of hu Sowing 
 
 Lucy Stone Suffers 204 
 
 " XVIII Conclusion. Green Bluff as it Now la- 
 Lucy Stone's Future Walter's Gain 
 The Cur&e of the Traffic in Ardent 
 Spirit* 219
 
 GREEN BLUFF 
 
 CHAPTER L 
 
 IT was at the close of day, in early 
 fall, when we first saw Green Bluff 
 It was then a village of a few hundred 
 inhabitants, lying among the hills of 
 our adopted State. Nature had lavish 
 ed her stores of loveliness on the whole 
 landscape. 
 
 In the centre of the town was the 
 public square, which consisted of sev- 
 eral acres of land, inclosed by a plain, 
 neat fence. In this square were large 
 oak and ash trees, placed there years 
 before by the original settlers. Beneath 
 these stretched the velvety sward of
 
 10 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 green, relieved by the gravel walks 
 that wound in and out among the trees, 
 affording delightful promenades for all 
 classes, after the toil of the day was 
 over. On the north and south sides of 
 this square were two large wells, situa- 
 ted just inside the inclosure. From 
 each of these extended a spout, leading 
 to a huge trough outside the fence, 
 where the farmer-traders watered their 
 horses, and where the lads of the village 
 held high carnival, morning and even- 
 ing, as they brought the sleek, spirited 
 steeds of the more wealthy to water. 
 Here, too, the tired laborer, or thirsty 
 traveler, slaked his thirst from the huge 
 iron ladle that hung suspended by a 
 chain from the oaken pump without 
 charge and without hurt. 
 
 On the evening of which we write-, 
 the promenades were filled with children
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 11 
 
 at play, while here and there under the 
 trees were groups of men laboring 
 men who, on their way home from 
 work, had stopped for a draught of the 
 clear, cold, refreshing, life-giving "bever- 
 age furnished by the great Creator for 
 his creatures, and now were chatting 
 cheerfully of their work, their families, 
 and news of various kinds. They were 
 dusty, sun-burnt and hard-handed, but 
 beneath the dusty, brown exterior, there 
 was true nobility. The bony hand told 
 of days of toil for others for wife, for 
 children, for civilization. It was with 
 them a badge of truest manhood, of 
 warmest heart and tenderest feeling. 
 As the shadows lengthened, they parted 
 and wended their ways homeward. Into 
 some of their homes we afterward went, 
 and of their beauty and real joyfulnesa 
 vve will tell by and by.
 
 12 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 Down one of the wide, quiet streets 
 we wandered. It led us by the ceiue 
 tery. The sexton old, gray -haired, 
 but buoyant in spirit, and nimble in 
 movement kindly received us, and 
 pointed out the places of interest, and 
 gave us a brief account of each. 
 
 "This," he said, pointing to a tall 
 monument of beautiful design and fine 
 workmanship, " marks the place where 
 Mr. Green was buried. It was put up 
 by the mechanics. Mr. Green (he built 
 that school-house over yonder, where 
 you see the spire glittering. Just be- 
 fore he died, he willed the whole thino-, 
 
 o" 
 
 house and all, to the town, to be used 
 for a school for the poor this is what 
 the mechanics and other men, too 
 but the mechanics went ahead in the 
 matter this is what they did for him) 
 he had some very queer notions about
 
 A TEiiPEjtJ^tTCE STOEY. 13 
 
 Borne things ; very good notions, I think 
 ^it some people think them very 
 quL'ir, One of his ideas was, that a 
 man ihat swore or got diunk, weren't 
 fit tc train up children. So, as long as 
 he li,'3d, he would never lt any man 
 teach vn that house that did either ; and, 
 in his will he provided that the town 
 should gi7e up the property, if the trus- 
 tees elected should employ a man that 
 did either. I tell you, sir, that man 
 done more than I can tell for this place 
 in his day. You saw the public square, 
 did you ? "Well, that was some of his 
 work. He paid for half of that ground 
 out of his own pocket. He always 
 argued that such things were great 
 helps toward keeping men sober." 
 
 " Haven't you any whisky shops in 
 town?" 
 
 " Not one, sir not one. There nevei
 
 14 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 was one here, and I hope never will 
 be" 
 
 "Why are you so decided in your 
 wish that there may never be one es- 
 tablished here ? It is thought by many 
 that they are a benefit to a community 
 they increase the business of the 
 place." 
 
 " That may be ; guess it is true : but, 
 sir, it doesn't pay ; I say, it doesn't pay 
 at all. Just compare our neighboring 
 towns with this. Take Middleville, for 
 instance. It has more business, I know, 
 but one-third of it is destroying what 
 may be done by the rest. They have 
 their lock-up and two or three police 
 every day We have neither lock-up 
 or police don't need them. They have 
 disturbances on street every night al- 
 most, and the Sabbath, there, is no 
 more than any other day, to many ; foi
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 15 
 
 there is an endless amount of street 
 lounging, and horse-racing, and whoop 
 ing, and all that sort of thing. Why, 
 last Christmas I was there on some 
 business, and was never so ashamed of 
 myself in all my life before. I was 
 ashamed I was a man. There was a 
 group of drunk men every few rods on 
 the streets, and they were uttering all 
 kinds of bad talk. That is not half 
 strong enough to put it but, sir, it was 
 awful [ I saw several ladies compelled 
 to go out into the mud and water, in 
 the middle of the street, to pass the 
 crowds on the sidewalk. All this time 
 the half-crazed wretches excuse me, 
 sir, I don't mean to be rough on them, 
 but I can't call them any less these 
 wretches actually clapped their hands 
 in delight when they saw the ladies 
 splashing through the mud. Where
 
 16 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 were the officers? They were half- 
 tipsy, too, and took care not to see the 
 quarrels or to hear the obscene talk. 
 That is the kind of business they have 
 there. Such things happen every pub- 
 lic day at elections, and such like. 
 No, sir, Green Bluff never had any such 
 times, and I hope it never will." 
 
 While repeating these words, the old 
 sexton was rapidly walking to and fro 
 before his little cottage, to which we 
 had come. The tone and gestures 
 plainly indicated how earnest he was 
 in his protest. 
 
 After further conversation with him, 
 in which he told of the happy, quiet 
 Sabbaths, of the well-filled church, the 
 attentive, neatly-attired worshipers, the 
 Bible class that met Sabbath after- 
 noon, of the brotherly kindness existing 
 among the people of this beautiful vil-
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 17 
 
 lage, of the thrift of all classes, we left 
 to go to our boarding-house, or hotel. 
 Here we found no bar-room, no loung- 
 ers, no smoking, swearing, gaming ; but 
 instead there was a reading-room, well 
 lighted, with walls ornamented, not 
 with lewd pictures, but with beautiful 
 landscapes, chaste ideal scenes. The 
 guests were seated at the long table 
 extruding the whole length of the 
 room, writing, or reading the late papers 
 and magazines, of which there was a 
 good supply. 
 
 Thus engaged, time flew rapidly, and 
 we were surprised when the old-fash- 
 ioned clock on the shelf struck the hour 
 of ten. Soon the guests were in their 
 rooms, and sleep shut out thoughts of 
 either the beautiful town or its happy 
 Inhabitants. 
 
 The next day was Sabbath. Nothing
 
 18 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 disturbed its sweet stillness save the 
 sound of the church bells and the pat- 
 ter of feet of the worshipers going to 
 and from the house of God. Were all 
 the people attendants at church ? No 
 Were all temperate, or abstainers from 
 intoxicating drink? No; but public 
 opinion was so strong against the use 
 of whisky or wine, or any drink of like 
 nature, that one would as soon openly 
 steal as to become intoxicated, or even 
 be seen using such beverages. All were 
 not habitual attendants at church, yet 
 this same high-toned opinion prevailed 
 with reference to Sabbath desecration, 
 so there was a powerful restraining 
 influence exerted in that direction too. 
 When men's minds are not beclouded 
 by stimulants and their baser nature 
 aroused by their influence, it is easy for 
 the Word of God to move them toward
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 19 
 
 the right. Hence the quiet condition 
 of Green Bluff. The village pastors 
 found it easy to persuade the youth to 
 attend Bible school and public worship, 
 for there was no counter-influence at 
 work. At the Bible school we found 
 not the children only, but, as intimated 
 the young men and ladies, were there 
 too. 
 
 We purpose not to give a full de- 
 scription of this charming village ; but 
 only to present a brief outline of it, and 
 let the reader fill up according to fancy, 
 assuring him that he can not overdraw 
 the picture. 
 
 Now we would introduce one of its 
 inhabitants, and let him and his family 
 tell of their joy; and from them, too 
 you will learn of other attractions of 
 Green Bluff!
 
 20 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 " LUCY, my dear, will you put your 
 book aside now see, the sun is nearly 
 down and start the fire in the kitchen ? 
 Father and Walter will soon be home," 
 So said Mrs. Stone to her daughter. 
 
 " Yes, mother." Without a moment's 
 hesitation the request was complied 
 with, while Lucy, singing gaily, filled 
 the house with sunshine. 
 
 Scarce had the sound of the hissing 
 kettle began, before a step was heard, 
 fcnd Lucy bounded away to meet the 
 comer. He was a noble-looking lad, her 
 senior by several years. His form was 
 attractive; his face beamed with hap- 
 piness; his forehead, high and broad, 
 told of unusual intellect. Black with
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 21 
 
 the dust of the mine (for he was a col- 
 lier), he was none the less attractive to 
 the maiden that stood by his side, with 
 both arms around his neck, putting one, 
 two, three kisses on his lips, despite the 
 dust that clung all around them. 
 
 "Be careful," he said, in mock sever- 
 ity, "you will muss me all up; he 
 pushed her from him, and hastened in- 
 to the house, but not to stay, for in a 
 few minutes he returned to the door- 
 step, where Lucy sat, and placing him- 
 self by her side said, 
 
 "Now, Miss, having removed my 
 royal robe of black, I am ready to be 
 entertained or to entertain; but first 
 take back the 'bussie or two' you gave 
 me " this e'en ; " and without more ado 
 he pressed his lips against the fair face 
 of the maiden, who blushed scarlet in 
 spite of herself.
 
 22 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 "Royalty," she said, is clothed in pur 
 pie and fine linen, and not in black." 
 
 " Our King robes himself in black, 
 and we, his courtiers, think ourselves 
 honored when we can be clothed like 
 him." 
 
 " Who is your King, that you follow 
 so closely. I would love to see him." 
 
 " You can not see him, but his works 
 you see every where. Judge of his 
 power and strength by these : The 
 grandest cities that the world has ever 
 known were reared by him ; the might- 
 iest navies owe their existence to him ; 
 the most delicate fabric you wear is 
 the result of his fiat; on his should evs 
 he carries all the nations of the earth. 
 He " 
 
 " Well, what is his name ? Tell me 
 that before you continue your eulogy," 
 she said, grasping his arm, with which
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 23 
 
 he was making impressive gestures, as 
 he stood before her mocking the pub- 
 lic orator in deep tones and impassioned 
 
 manner." 
 
 " I am speaking of his majesty, Kihg 
 Labor." 
 
 " But our friends just across the way 
 would not agree with you. Labor to 
 them is an ignoble slave." 
 
 " Which is the greater, the created or 
 Creator? the supported or supporter?" 
 
 "The Creator, of course." 
 
 " Well, then, since all their wealth is 
 the result of labor, is not he that wields 
 this influence greater in the true sense 
 than he that is the passive recipient of 
 the result?' 
 
 "Your logic and eloquence are alike 
 irresistible," she said, with a smile; but 
 let us drop this discussion and talk 
 of something less weighty. Woman's
 
 24 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 mind, you know, is not able to grasp 
 these great problems, so don't let us 
 waste our time in such futile attempts. 
 That is, I mustn't waste my time." 
 
 She drew him to a seat beside her 
 and confidingly put her head on his 
 shoulder, saying, 
 
 " I have been ever so happj' since 
 school this afternoon. It was the mid- 
 dle of the session, you know, and the 
 time for reports. When we were all in 
 the Seminary chapel, Mr. Clarkson read 
 the standing of each one in all the 
 studies when he came to my name, 
 what do you think I got ? " 
 
 " Your standing ? " 
 
 " Of course, but how high ? " 
 
 " Up stairs, I guess. " 
 
 " I got nine : ten is perfect, you know. 
 More than you would get for your witti- 
 cisms, unless you do better than now. w
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 25 
 
 u That reminds me that the superin- 
 tendent of the mines was down to see 
 us to day. What do you think he 
 promised me?" 
 
 " Increase of wages ? " 
 
 " Yes, and promotion." 
 
 " Oh, Walter ! Tell me all about it." 
 
 "Well, it seems that Mr. Gray, the 
 'boss' of our mine, is going to leave 
 soon to take charge of several mines in 
 Pennsylvania, and some one must take 
 his place. He recommended me to the 
 superintendent, because, as I afterward 
 learned, I was not addicted to the use 
 cf any kind of intoxicating liquor." 
 
 " Do the other miners drink ? " 
 
 " Nearly all of them. They send to 
 Middleville every week for a supply of 
 whisky and beer. They don't dare 
 drink enough to make themselves drunk, 
 but I can see that the desire for it ia
 
 26 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 growing on them. And, what is worse, 
 they cannot do as much work now as 
 formerly, and they, of course, are los- 
 ing in their wages daily." 
 
 "Walter, tell me, my dearest, you 
 will never touch any thing of the kind, 
 will you?" 
 
 Her arms clung closely around his 
 neck, and, with a tear in her mild Hue 
 eye, she gazed at him earnestly, tremb- 
 lingly. 
 
 " Never, my dear. Have no fear for 
 me. Well, as I was going to say, my 
 wages will be nearly or quite double 
 what they are now, and I will have but 
 little work to do." 
 
 " How strange that you should be 
 selected for that place when you are so 
 young only twenty last month. What 
 will mother say ? Won't she be proud 
 of her boy."
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 27 
 
 "You would make me vain, sister, 
 if I did not make allowance for the 
 magnifying power of the glasses your 
 affection wears." 
 
 "There is no danger of your being 
 vain. Only the ignorant are vain." 
 
 " Worse and worse. In trying to 
 atone foi flattering me, you -increase the 
 offence." 
 
 " Offence ! Do I offend you ? " 
 
 "No, dear, you speak what you 
 tli ink; hut you think more highly 
 than you ought." 
 
 " I have a right to think a great deal 
 of my own darling brother, haven't 1 2 
 Who is so kind, so true as he?" 
 
 " There go, now ; mother calls you." 
 With her characteristic promptness she 
 hastened to obey the summons of her 
 mother. Walter remained on the door- 
 step until his father came from his
 
 28 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 shop. They then entered the house, 
 and there talked of their future. To 
 them both it was rose-tinted. Mr. 
 Stone, a mechanic of considerable tal- 
 ent, had always received a good share 
 of the patronage of the villagers. The 
 day of which we write, he had just re- 
 ceived a job which promised him steady 
 employment all Winter in the shop, 
 and constant work the coming Spring 
 and Summer. 
 
 The tea was announced as ready. 
 The happy family gathered around 
 the table spread with luxuries? No. 
 The meal was frugal, but temptingly 
 prepared. The bread, snowy white 
 and light as possible; the butter, a 
 rich golden hue, and sweet-scented; 
 the milk, yellow with richness ; the tea, 
 savory in the extreme ; cold sliced ham 
 and cold beefs tongue, with sauce of
 
 1 TEMPERANCE S10RY. 29 
 
 apples, constituted the main part of the 
 fare. Plain? Yes; but a morsel with 
 quietness is better than rich viands 
 amidst contentions. Why did the hour 
 at the table seem so brief that evening ? 
 Was it not because each was intent 
 on supplying every means possible to 
 furnish pleasure for the other ? 
 
 As they gathered about the board, 
 Mr. Stone remarked, 
 
 " Walter tells me, mother (Mr. Stone 
 always called his wife mother), that he 
 lias promise of promotion and increase 
 of wages." 
 
 "So Lucy says," answered his wife. 
 ' Well, I believe he deserves both, and 
 I am sure he will not prove hirnsell 
 mi worthy the trust bestowed." 
 
 She looked, admiringly, lovingly at 
 her son. 
 
 "I have already begun to build air
 
 30 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 castles., mother; that is, you will call 
 them such, but I hope they will be 
 realities. I have thought of many 
 comforts I can furnish you, which you 
 have not now. And, if I can only 
 retain that place, I hope to have enough 
 laid by to keep you and father in your 
 old days." 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Stone glanced at each 
 other, and a tear might have been seen 
 trembling in their eye as they thought 
 of this feeling of affection in their son. 
 He noticed nothing of this as he turned 
 to his sister, and with a warmth rarely 
 seen, he said, 
 
 "As for Lucy, to-day, while lying flat 
 on my back in the mine picking at the 
 hard coal above me, I thought out what 
 I would do for her. This quiet, coun- 
 trified life is not the kind for her. She 
 must go to school, to college. Then, if
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 31 
 
 she wants to, she can come here and 
 teach in our school. She would be 
 strong enough on the temperance ques- 
 tion for Mr. Green's school trustees, 
 wouldn't she? Wouldn't you?" he 
 said, turning from addressing his par- 
 ents to his sister. 
 
 "I hope so; but Walter, dear, you 
 are too imaginative and sanguine. If 
 you do half what you propose, you 
 would have nothing left for self." 
 
 " Well, I was just saying if I had the 
 means I would do this. It is pleasant 
 to think about what we would do if we 
 could, you know." 
 
 Thus they talked until the church 
 bell warned them of the meeting for 
 singing. Walter was made to lead, 
 just as some are made to follow. In the 
 singing he was leader. Not because he 
 was better acquainted with the science
 
 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 and art of singing, but because there 
 was in him those traits of character that 
 mark the natural leader. Here, too, 
 success attended him, Having the con- 
 fidence, we may say the love of the 
 whole church, he exerted an influence 
 over them that was really marvelous 
 in one so young. The elder members 
 yielded to his opinion as they would 
 to a superior. The younger portion of 
 the church followed him as they would 
 an older brother. 
 
 When the two were gone, Mr. and 
 Mrs. Stone drew near to the cheerful 
 fire, blazing and crackling on the heartii. 
 
 "Just twenty-five years ago, my dear, 
 since we entered life together. We've 
 not had much of this world's good ; 
 but yet we've had enough. Want haa 
 never stared us in the face since the 
 time we moved into this little home.
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 33 
 
 Don't I remember the time well. I 
 thought no one had so pretty a wife 
 us I, nor none so spry. 
 
 "How joyous were those days! I 
 remember the first cloud that passed 
 over us. It was when we put little 
 Jt-ssie in the cold grave. She was the 
 first to come and the first to go. But, 
 then we must not mourn," he said, 
 wiping away a tear, "God has spared 
 to us Lucy and Walter. Two as good 
 Children as ever 'parents had, if I do 
 say it myself. Walter has no bad traits 
 about him, as I know of, unless it is 
 that lie is too generous." 
 
 "That is not a fault, surely!" said 
 Mrs. Stone. 
 
 " No, not a fault, I guess ; but, some- 
 times, I can't help feeling afraid it. will 
 K-iid him astray. He is so well liked 
 generally among his associates, that it
 
 84 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 gives him great advantage over them , 
 but, then, he is so kind that he would 
 suffer wrong rather than wound their 
 feelings." 
 
 " I understand the cause of your fear, 
 my dear; and I thought at supper, when 
 he was telling what he meant to do with 
 his earnings, that the same spirit thnt 
 
 would lead him to do so much for us 
 
 * 
 
 and his sister, might, if perverted, cause 
 him to give all his strength to riotous 
 living. Somehow I have felt sad so 
 often when thinking of this." 
 
 " Well, there is only one way in which 
 we can guard off the wrong. We can 
 give our precious boy into the hands of 
 God. He can keep him in the right." 
 
 "Yes; He can keep him in the right,' 
 repeated Mrs. Stone; "and 1 long so 
 earnestly to know that he has given hi* 
 heart with all its noble impulses to God.'
 
 A TEMPERAKCE STORY. 35 
 
 ;< You but speak the longings of ray 
 heart, dea,r wife ; he is not safe until 
 that is done." 
 
 "How thankful I am, that Green 
 Bluff is so free from temptation, in the 
 way of saloons and rowdyism." 
 
 ;< You don't think our Walter would 
 be influenced by such things,- do you ? " 
 
 Mr. Stone's manner, when asking this 
 question, was one of surprise and pain. 
 
 "Why, no; but, then, I am glad that 
 he is entirely safe from all such influ- 
 ences. We do not know when or how 
 they may become too strong." 
 
 " I know, I know," he said, and for 
 some minutes he sat musing. Finally, 
 lifting his head, and looking upward, 
 while one hand was pressed heavily 
 against his eyes, as if he would shut 
 out some horrible vision, he said, in a 
 low tone, "Father of mercy, save him ! "
 
 86 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 "My dear, are you ill?" his wifo 
 asked excitedly, hastening to him, when 
 she heard the suppressed groan, but did 
 not hear the words'. 
 
 " No, wife ; I was only thinking how 
 our poor old hearts would bleed and 
 break, if our boy should ever become a 
 drunkard." 
 
 " Oh ! that can never be ! " she said. 
 
 How often do we feel the coldness 
 which the shadow of coming evil throws 
 across our way. How often, too, is this 
 shadow imaginary. We are frightened 
 by fears of calamities that never come. 
 Yet, are not these premature fears angels 
 of mercy to us frequently ? Do they not 
 quicken our watchfulness, or arouse us 
 from stupor ? Who can say that many 
 disasters have not been turned aside by 
 prayers wrung from the hearts of the im- 
 periled, or their friends, by vague fears 1
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 37 
 
 After a few minutes 1 silence, Mr. 
 Stone, suddenly arousing from his rev- 
 erie, said, " Mother, let us pray." 
 
 They both knelt, and for a moment 
 or two poured out thoir souls to God, 
 after which, Mr. Stone prayed aloud, 
 imploring God's protection for their 
 children, and especially for. their son. 
 The prayer was the deep utterance of a 
 soul agonized with a sense of its help- 
 lessness and a feeling of greatest need. 
 When they arose from. their knees, the 
 cloud had given place to sunshine. 
 
 "Oh! my dear!" said the wife, "1 
 feel so secure in the arms of the Great 
 God my Father. He can keep our 
 precious children, and will, I believe. 
 The load of fear is all gone, now." 
 
 "Just as I feel," he replied. "The 
 Power that has kept us all these years, 
 will surely keep us to the end of the
 
 38 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 | 
 
 race, and admit us to His own loved 
 presence at last, and bring our chil- 
 dren to us by-and-by, when their work 
 is done." 
 
 " If we are only faithful." 
 
 " We must be." 
 
 "We will be." 
 
 " Drawing their chairs near together, 
 in the light of the cheerful fire, they 
 talked of youthful days, of childhood 
 scenes, boyish pranks, girlish fancies. 
 Had one been hid, so as to hear the 
 words and not see the gray heads so 
 near to each other, and the wrinkled 
 hands clasped together, he would have 
 supposed scarce a fortnight had passed 
 since the vows of mutual fidelity and 
 love were made they were so warm 
 and affectionate. This was as it should 
 be. 
 
 The clock had scarce told the hour of
 
 A TESfPEEANCE STORY. 39 
 
 
 
 nine, when Walter and Lucy returned 
 from singing. 
 
 " We have been waiting for you, 
 dears, so you could sing us one of those 
 good old songs before we went to bed." 
 
 " What shall we sing to-night, moth- 
 er?" said Lucy, seating herself on the 
 lounge by her and gently pressing her 
 lips to her forehead and then to her 
 lips. 
 
 " My favorite." 
 
 They then sang with great feeling : 
 
 " Guide me, then Great Jehovah, 
 
 Pilgrim through this barren land ; 
 I am weak hut thou art mighty ; 
 Hold me with thy powerful hand. 
 
 Bread of heaven, 
 Feed me till I want no more. 
 
 "Open, now, the crystal fountain, 
 
 Whence the healing waters flow ; 
 Let the fiery, cloudy pillar, 
 
 Lead me all my journey through. 
 
 Strong Deliverer ! 
 fie thou still my strength and shield.''
 
 40 GREEN BLUFF 
 
 CHAPTER JJI. 
 
 THERE was a Judas Iscariot among 
 the twelve apostles, but his treachery 
 did not stain the character of his com- 
 rades. In the Church of Christ in these 
 days there may be found men as treach- 
 erous as he, yet their evil deeds need 
 not mar ^the character of their brothers. 
 
 Why did Judas betray the Master? 
 Because he hated Him ? No. He car- 
 ried the bag, we are told ; he was the 
 treasurer, and a greedy man. The love 
 of gain was the ruling passion in him. 
 It was for thirty pieces that he betrayed 
 his Lord. But was there no palliation 
 for the crime ? Certainly. He had seen 
 his Master convey himself mysteriously 
 out of the multitude when they sought
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 41 
 
 to slay him ; and could lie not deliver 
 himself out of the hands of the soldiers 
 that should seek him? Besides, had 
 not his Master said that he must be be- 
 trayed, and must die? Then, since he 
 mutt be betrayed and must die, why 
 might not Judas gain a little ? Would 
 it not increase the amount in the treas- 
 ury? Surely, these were strong argu- 
 ments. So men in these days argue. 
 They, greedy for gain, sell safety of 
 family, Church and State, to the devil, 
 hoping that some fortuitous event will 
 
 deliver their innocent victims from the 
 
 i 
 
 power of the hands in which they have 
 been placed. Do you know any such ? 
 
 ***** 
 " Oh ! dear me ! I am so tired of darn- 
 ing this carpet. It keeps me half my 
 time working to keep things mended 
 up, and then they aren't half decent. If
 
 42 QEEEir BLUFF. 
 
 Mr. Thomas just cared half as much for 
 me and the house here, as he does for 
 his money, things wouldn't be half as 
 bad as they are. I have half a mind to 
 ask him at dinner to get a new carpet 
 for the front room, and let me take that 
 one for the sitting-room, and this one for 
 the kitchen. If he just would ! If he 
 would, I would be half-crazy with joy. 
 I believe I will ask him. He will be 
 half-mad, I know, but then it wouldn't 
 be half as bad as to be working myself 
 half dead, always darning this'old car- 
 pet, that ain't worth half a cent hardly." 
 Mrs. Thomas was talking to herself 
 as she sat on the floor of the sitting- 
 room, working sway at the carpet She 
 was Mr. Thomas' second wife. His first 
 had been dead many years. She left 
 him one child, a boj. He married the 
 woman, now his wife, soon after his first
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 43 
 
 loss. She was but a girl then, and was 
 attracted by his wealth, and not by love 
 for him. He idolized his child. His 
 wife was not a sharer in his affections. 
 Of course he was kind to her that is, 
 he was considerate enough to furnish 
 her comfortable clothes and sufficient 
 to eat, but he expected and exacted 
 the closest economy on her part. If 
 every thing was nice and in order at 
 home, when he came to eat and sleep, 
 he was pleasant. If things were other- 
 wise, so was he. 
 
 Abroad, from home, he was known as 
 8, close dealer, a shrewd tradesman, a 
 successful merchant. At church, he was 
 known as a faithful attendant, a devout 
 worshiper. He owned some half-dozen 
 commodious store rooms, and was en- 
 gaged in making preparations to build 
 three others. Mr. Stone had secured 
 this job.
 
 44 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 " A letter from John, to-day," he said 
 to his wife, as he seated himself at the 
 dinner- table. 
 
 "Had you?" She said no more. 
 She knew he would tell her of its con- 
 tents, if of any importance to her, and 
 would do so as soon without her asking 
 as he would with it. 
 
 " He graduates next summer." 
 
 "Does he?" 
 
 " He will come home, then, to stay." 
 
 "Will he?" 
 
 " I intend to fit him up a fine office, 
 in my new brick." 
 
 "You do?" 
 
 " If education is anything, he will be 
 the smartest doctor in these parts." 
 
 "He will?" 
 
 Thus the conversation went on, with 
 a short interval between each statement 
 by Mr. Thomas and response by hia
 
 A TEMPERANCE STOKY. 45 
 
 wife, who never ventured an answer 
 beyond monosyllables, until dinner was 
 over. "\\ hen Mr. Thomas arose to go, 
 his wife ventured to say, 
 
 "Mr. Thomas" 
 
 " Well, what is it ?" 
 
 He stood with hat in one hand, while 
 the other grasped the door knob. 
 
 "I was just thinking that" 
 
 She paused to see if it was safe to 
 proceed further in her request. Being 
 assured by his pleasant appearance, she 
 continued, 
 
 " I was just thinking that this car 
 pet was nearly darned into pieces." 
 
 " Why, I had not noticed it but 
 what of that?" 
 
 " I was just thinking it wouldn't be 
 half so Imd if we you had a new one 
 for the kitchen." 
 
 "What's that? A carpet for the 
 kitchen ! a new carpet fo" the kitchen !"
 
 4 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 She had never ventured so far before, 
 and she was so frightened at her own 
 boldness that she forgot all about the 
 way she intended to have a better car- 
 pet for the dining-rooin. 
 
 "You are half-beside yourself! " He 
 put on his hat and walked out. 
 
 His wife did what she could not help 
 doing she cried. She wiped the tears 
 away, and choking down her grief be- 
 gan to clear away the dinner-dishes, 
 when the door suddenly opened, and 
 Mr. Thomas stood before her. 
 
 " Marg'ret how now ! Been cry- 
 ing ? Any thing gone wrong ? " 
 
 "Everything goes wrong !" she felt 
 like saying, but instead replied, " Noth- 
 ing are my eyes red ? " 
 
 " I came back to say, that John thinks 
 of coming home to spend Thanksgiving 
 and I want things to look sort o'uice.
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 47 
 
 He is going to bring one of his chums 
 with Liin." 
 
 "I tell you, Mr. Thomas," his wife 
 said, summoning up all her courage, 
 " if I had a little " her courage faltered. 
 
 "A little what?" 
 
 " If I had a little money, I could make 
 things look half as good again as they 
 now look, and not work half as hard. 
 John will not he half pleased, if he has 
 to brinsr his friend on this half-worn- 
 
 O 
 
 out carpet." 
 
 This she said as rapidly as possible, 
 lest her courage should give out before 
 she had finished what she had to say. 
 
 " It does look rather dingy that's 
 so," said her husband, to her great as- 
 tonishment. " Do you want a carpet 
 for the kitchen, and this room, too?" 
 
 Surprised beyond measure by this 
 burst of liberality of expression if not
 
 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 intention she quickly said, " Yes," and 
 then hastily corrected herself, for fear 
 she had gone too far. 
 
 "No only one; one for the parlor. 
 Then I will take the parlor carpet for 
 this room, and this carpet for the kitch- 
 en. That's what I meant to say at 
 first." She was trembling all through 
 her frame, when she had finished this 
 sentence. She feared something she 
 could not tell what. 
 
 " Well, I will send one up to-day. 
 John must have things nice. How 
 many yards?'" 
 
 " Thirty." 
 
 He did not stop to inquire whether 
 she would like to go down and select the 
 pattern; neither did she suggest that 
 such a thing would be proper for him to 
 do. To have a new carpet, was victory 
 enough for one day. It was not for her 
 that be bought it: it was for John.
 
 A TEMPERANCE 6TOBY. 49 
 
 Mr Thomas hastened to his office. 
 He found the minister awaiting his ar- 
 rival. He greeted him cordially. 
 
 " Fine day, sir ! fine day ! " he said, 
 punching the fire, and putting on more 
 coal. 
 
 " Very comfortable in here, but quite 
 cool out-doors." 
 
 " I didn't feel the cold, much, coming 
 from dinner." He put aside his heavy 
 coat, and laid his fur gloves on the top 
 of the desk. 
 
 "Presume not; but yet it is quite 
 cold for the first part of November." 
 
 After a short pause, the visitor re- 
 sumed "At least, I have found it so, 
 as I have been out making pastoral 
 calls, to-day." 
 
 " Ah ! " 
 
 " Yes. I found one family in a very 
 distressed condition." 
 
 " Indeed 1"
 
 50 GREEN BLUFF,, 
 
 He turned to his desk and began to 
 write, as if to cut short further conver- 
 sation. Nothing daunted by this act, 
 the minister continued 
 
 " Colbert has not been able to work for 
 a week or more, and as his family are de- 
 pendent on his labor for their support, 
 and as he is getting small wages in th* 
 mine lately, this cold snap has caught 
 them without any wood or provisions." 
 
 " Indeed ! Why the town ought to 
 see to them." 
 
 " There is no officer appointed for such 
 business, I believe, by the town ; but, as 
 that is' a part of a minister's duty, I have 
 taken it upon myself to see to it." 
 
 " Yes ; I be lieve ministers ought to 
 look after the poor of the Church." 
 
 He was writing rapidly all the time. 
 
 " Just so. Now, Brother Thomas, 
 what will you do to help us ' see to it V "
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 51 
 
 He kept on writing, but found time 
 to say 
 
 " Well, really, I would like to do 
 something, of course but (still writing 
 away as for life) but I guess you will 
 have to excuse me for this time. I am 
 building, you know, and can't spare the 
 money, now." He stopped, raised his 
 spectacles, and smiling blandly on his 
 visitor, said, "It is a very worthy ob- 
 ject, and you have my best wishes. 
 Hope you will get all you want. Have 
 vou asked Mr. Stone for help ? He is 
 generally ready for such things." 
 
 " I did, sir, and he gave me five dol- 
 lars, without a moment's hesitation." 
 
 " Just like him ! I thought he would 
 fcelp." He smiled complacently. 
 
 "Hope you will call again. Good 
 afternoon." Smiling and bowing, he 
 showed his visitor out of the door.
 
 52 GREEK BLUFF. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE wind was blowing furiously, and 
 the snow falling thick and fast, piling 
 up in great drifts here and there, inter- 
 cepting travel, and forcing its way into 
 every nook and crevice. The well-to-do 
 wr? bcarcely prepared for so sudden 
 a st^rm, while the poor were actually 
 BUilering on account of its suddenness 
 and seventy. 
 
 At Mr. Stone's, the family were gath- 
 ered around the tea-table, and, as usual, 
 formed a picture of perfect happiness. 
 For several da/s, Walter had been oc- 
 cupying his new position, and giving 
 great satisfaction to the superintendent 
 and proprietors. Each evening he had 
 something interesting to tell of the work
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 53 
 
 or the workmen. At times he came 
 home in an unusually thoughtful mood, 
 which was a warning for the family to 
 prepare for a recital of some project for 
 i he help of some of the men or theii 
 families. 
 
 This evening, leaning back and push- 
 ing his plate from him, he said : " I 
 am uneasy about Colbert; he has not 
 been to the mine for 'a week ! I believe 
 I will go to see him; perhaps he is 
 sick." 
 
 " I know he is," said Mr. Stone, " for 
 to-day the minister came to me for assis- 
 tance, to buy some wood and provision 
 for the family. I meant to tell you 
 before, but it slipped my mind." 
 
 " Well, that settles it. I must go 
 right over there." 
 
 "Not to-night, Walter?" said Lucy, 
 sorrowfully and inquiringly. " See how
 
 54 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 it storms!" she said, going to the win 
 dow and peering out. 
 
 "The very time I should go. Per- 
 haps, they are suffering and need help. 
 Now, dear, you just put up some of that 
 good bread and butter and meat, and 
 I will take it over to them. The little 
 ones will be glad to get it, if Colbert 
 and his wife are not. Guess they'll not 
 object very seriously. Don't be uneasy 
 if I do not come back soon. Good-by ! " 
 So saying, he kissed mother and sister, 
 and, buttoning his great coat close up 
 to his neck, he started. 
 
 It was a half-hour's walk that night, 
 as the drifts had made it almost impass- 
 able. He found Colbert sick, indeed : a 
 fever raged, and he was quite delirious. 
 The snow beat in at the windows and 
 the door, but the room was comfort- 
 able, as the wood procured by the kind
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 5C 
 
 V was already at hand, and a part 
 of it *oared in the stove and sent out a 
 genial warmth. 
 
 Mrs. Colbert sat at the bed-side weep- 
 ing, while the children, (three in mini- 
 1 H-I-) clung affrighted to her. Provision 
 had been brought ; but the wild state 
 of her husband prevented her prepar- 
 iiio- it. Walter took her place beside 
 
 O A 
 
 the sick man, while she gratefully re- 
 ceived the basket of food, and, quieted 
 by her friend's appearance, proceeded 
 to spread the table for the children, 
 who ate heartily, having had nothing 
 save a crust or two in the morning. 
 
 It was toward dawn when Colbert 
 opened his eyes and recognized Walter 
 by his bed. 
 
 "Ah! 'boss,' it's a bad go for me; 
 bad go." 
 
 " I see it is. How came you so?"
 
 56 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 " I took a severe cold, a week or more 
 ago, and this is the end." 
 
 "How did that happen ?" 
 
 " A few of us men were over to Mid- 
 dleville, one night, and we didn't get 
 back till late. It was a rainy time 
 awful roads. All got wet. We walked, 
 you see, and that made it worse." 
 
 " He was the sickest man I ever saw, 
 when he came home," said his wife. 
 " He could hardly stand alone when he 
 came in. I had sat up to wait for him. 
 I didn't know he would stay long. He 
 was just wet all over, and seemed so 
 limber like. He went to bed, and has 
 been there ever since. Poor man ! " 
 
 She leaned forward and kissed the 
 brow of her husband. He turned his 
 head away and remained silent. 
 
 "That is the way he always does 
 whenever I say 'anything about hii
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 57 
 
 getting sick," she said in a low tone 
 to Walter. " He seems so ashamed 
 that he 'give out' that night. Says he, 
 yesterday, 'Now. wife, don't tell any 
 one how I came in the house so weak. 
 The boys will make fun of me for 
 being so no 'count like, if they hear 
 it.' Poor man ! he has worked himself 
 to death, most. For some time he has 
 complained of feeling bad whenever he 
 would come home from the mine. 
 He says he can't earn as much now 
 before, because he can't work as 
 well. Indeed, for more'n a week he 
 has given me about half as much as he 
 used to. Things look terrible gloomy 
 for me an' the children if there isn't 
 a change pretty soon. He is so kind 
 to us." 
 
 Here tears, which had struggled for 
 vent, gushed out, and her voice quiv-
 
 (.8 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 ( red so much she could not talk. 
 L id been said in a half whisper.) 
 
 Walter replied : " Never mind ! there 
 is a brighter time coming, Mrs. Colbert. 
 I will try to help your husband all I 
 can. I think I know the cause of his 
 ailment, and I will talk to the doctor 
 About it. You see I know how it is 
 in the mines." 
 
 " Do you really think he will get 
 well?" she asked, anxiously. 
 
 " Oh, yes : he will be up in a few 
 days. But I must go now, as it is nearly 
 daybreak. I will tell sister Lucy, and 
 she will come over and stay with you 
 awhile to-day. The storm has ceased," 
 he said, opening the door. " God bless 
 you, Mrs. Colbert." 
 
 Again he was trudging homeward, 
 weary in body, but buoyant in spirit. 
 Throwing himself upon the lounge in
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 69 
 
 
 
 the sitting-room, near the blazing fire 
 that Mr. Stone had built in anticipation 
 of his son's return, he soon fell asleep, 
 and slept soundly until two hours after- 
 ward, when he was wakened by the 
 pressure of lips to his own. 
 
 " Come, my precious boy, and eat 
 the warm breakfast your mother has 
 prepared for you." 
 
 "It is worth a night's watching by 
 the sick to be wakened that way," he 
 said, rising and putting his arm around 
 his mother and drawing her close to 
 him.
 
 60 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 "THREE weeks from to-day, children, 
 is Thanksgiving. I have concluded to 
 have no school on that day. Of course ? 
 Yes ; for you know we never do have 
 school on such days. But that is not 
 what I was going to say. I was going 
 to say, we would not have any school on 
 the day before Thanksgiving, either. 
 
 " Here, you little bovs O^M* there in 
 the corner, just keep quiet, please ; you 
 are net dismissed yet. 
 
 " Well, that is not exactly what I was 
 going to say yet. I meant to say, that 
 we teachers have concluded to give you 
 a treat on that day. 
 
 u Don't be smiling so loud over that 
 way, boys and you, girls, don't look 
 so disappointed
 
 A TEMPERANCE STOEY. 61 
 
 "We are not going to treat you to 
 candies, and cakes, and pies, and all 
 such things. 
 
 " What is the matter, now, little chil 
 dren ! you, there, on the front row of 
 seats ? Where are all those smiles you 
 had a minute ago ! 
 
 " We intend to have a literary treat. 
 You little folks don't understand that, 
 do you ? Well just wait, and you will 
 see what it means. Come, young ladies 
 and gentlemen, be cheerful, for you will 
 not have to write compositions or ora- 
 tions, or declaim, unless you want to. 
 Now, all that are willing to prepare an 
 oration or a declamation, please rise to 
 heir feet. None up ! Well, that seems 
 to furnish poor prospect for entertain- 
 ment. Very well, though. Now for 
 some thing else. The trustees have de- 
 cided to give twenty dollars in gold foi
 
 62 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 the best delivered oration or declama- 
 tion, and have appointed the day before 
 Thanksgiving as the trial day. They 
 desired to have the whole male portion 
 of the school compete for the prize : that 
 is all those who have entered the Junior 
 department. But you have decided dif- 
 ferently. Now I wish you to select" 
 
 "Please, sir," said a student rising, 
 let us vote on that again." 
 
 " No, sir ; be seated and listen to my 
 proposition. I wish you to select, by 
 vote, two of your number who will com- 
 pete for this prize. They are to pre- 
 pare a declamation, if from the Junior 
 Department ; or an oratioD, if from the 
 Senior. Whom will you nominate ? " 
 
 There was a pause for a second, when 
 several voices at once said : 
 
 " Charlie Hayes." 
 
 "Very good for one; now for the 
 other," said the teacher
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 63 
 
 Another pause, when the name of 
 Judas Jambres was proposed. There 
 were no other names presented ; so these 
 wo lads, aged fourteen and sixteen 
 respectively, were the competitors. 
 
 "Charlie Hayes is not present thi 
 afternoon," said the teacher. " Can anj 
 one tell me why?" 
 
 "Please, sir," said John Jaccol, "he 
 was compelled to remain at home, as 
 his mother is quite ill." 
 
 "A good excuse, certainly. And let 
 me say, just here, boys, that it is a mark 
 of true manhood to be kind and obedi 
 ent to your parents, and to your mothei 
 especially. You are dismissed." 
 
 "Which will get the prize?" was 
 asked by each pupil, of half a doze' 
 others, and received various answer. 
 The unanimous opinion among the 
 greater portion was, that Charlie Hayea 
 w fluid be the fortunate one.
 
 64 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 " Wish lie would," said John Jaccol, 
 cause he needs the money. He and his 
 mother have had a hard time to make a 
 livin'."- 
 
 " He'll get it sure pop," said another 
 " for he beats in every thing." 
 
 "That's- so, to a T," said another. 
 "I'd 'bout as lief work 'gainst stone 
 wall as 'gainst him." 
 
 " He ain't like most boys, either ; he 
 always goes right home from school, to 
 see if his mother don't want nothing, 
 and then he comes back to the play- 
 ground, if she don't," said John. 
 
 "Seems to me, you boys have forgot 
 most all your grammar, from the way 
 you talk. A body would suppose^you 
 belonged to Primary instead of Junior." 
 
 " You hold your tongue, Sam ! We 
 ain't talking grammar, now ; we're talk- 
 ing about Charlie Hayes, and the prize.
 
 A TEMPERANCE 8TOR3T. 65 
 
 You needn't say much; you don't know 
 any more grammar than we. You said 
 ' forgot !' instead of forgotten." So said 
 one of the students. 
 
 It was evident from their conversa- 
 tion that Charlie was a favorite among 
 them, on account of his gentlemanly 
 manners and studious habits. As one 
 of the boys said, " he always beat in 
 every thing." 
 
 He was tall, for his age; had light 
 hair and eyes; fair face, with a ruddy 
 spot on each cheek. Scrupulously neat 
 in dress, and naturally graceful in 
 movement, he was universally admired, 
 not only for his intrinsic worth, but 
 also for his appearance. At home, he 
 was an example of devotion to his 
 mother and younger sister. His mother, 
 though delicate, earned sufficient funds 
 by sewing, to keep her family in food
 
 68 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 and clothing. She looked longingly 
 into the future, hoping that her dear 
 boy would, in time, grow to the man 
 she pictured in her imagination. " Will 
 he ? " she often asked herself. 
 
 The day for the trial came at last. 
 At an early hour the chapel of Green 
 Bluff Seminary was filled by anxious 
 spectators. The competitors sat on a 
 front seat, in full view of all, and the 
 centre of attraction to all. 
 
 Charlie was calm and unembarrass- 
 ed, and apparently forgetful of all sur- 
 roundings. A seat or two from him 
 sat his mother and sister. His mother's 
 head was bowed, and occasionally her 
 lips moved as if in prayer. Charlie 
 was forgetful of all, apparently, save of 
 tli is lady. Ever and anon he glanced 
 that way, and seemed longing for a look 
 from her. He felt that with the beue
 
 A TEMPERANCE STOBY. 67 
 
 diction of her eyes only he could be 
 calm and brave and successful; that 
 is, he knew he could declaim every 
 word of his selection. 
 
 Judas was more careless. He glanced 
 at every new comer, and nodded famil- 
 iarly at acquaintances as they came in. 
 He was a genius, and knew it. His 
 talent as a decl aimer was known by all, 
 as he had won many laurels on similar 
 occasions. He felt his ability, and could 
 have no fear of failure. 
 
 The hour for commencing drew near. 
 The hall was full, and yet more came. 
 The doorway was crowded, and many 
 stood without, despite the cold. It was 
 evidently a gala day for Green Bluff. 
 The five trustees, who were also to be 
 judges in this, came and took theii 
 seats on the platform. 
 
 Judas spoke first. A suppressed che^r
 
 68 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 greeted liis appearance. The careless 
 manner lie wore a few minutes previous, 
 gave place to a calm, dignified look, that 
 won the hearts of many. His opening 
 sentences fell like music upon the car, 
 and hushed every breath of noise. Gra- 
 dually, but surely, he won the minds 
 and hearts of those that listened, and 
 carried them on, as the rapid, rushing 
 river bears onward the leaf on its waves. 
 He closed amidst bursts of applause. 
 
 Then Charlie arose. For a moment 
 he stood and looked over his audience, 
 as a general views the enemy's fortifica- 
 tions. In many of the upturned faces 
 he read his doom, as the incredulous 
 smile that played over their counte- 
 nances said, " Judas has the prize you 
 need not try." Glancing but a second 
 at the seat where sat his mother, his 
 eye met hers, and there he read such
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 6'o 
 
 depth of faith in his ability, that a new 
 spirit seemed to breathe in him. 
 
 Back from his white forehead his- 
 light locks were thrown, from his eye 
 beamed a fire that seemed to burn the 
 eye it met. He spoke, and silence fell 
 on all again as at first. 
 
 The lad seemed moie than human as 
 he threw new life into words that often 
 before had been declaimed from the 
 same place. 
 
 His theme was pathetic and tragic by 
 turns, as it was a picture of a drunk- 
 ard's doom. He finished. Scores sat 
 weeping, and many leaned forward, as if 
 drawn by some invisible power toward 
 the youthful speaker. No applause 
 greeted him. 
 
 The judges retired for consultation. 
 Scarce a minute elapsed until they re- 
 turned, and made known their decision 
 to the principal.
 
 70 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 Few were the words that had been 
 spoken since the speaker ceased. All 
 *vere intensely anxious to know the de- 
 ision. The principal arose and said : 
 
 "Charles Hayes" 
 
 Applause after applause burst from 
 lips that before had seemed sealed, and 
 strong arm gathered up the lad and 
 lifted him on the platform in view of all, 
 before the principal could finish his sen 
 tence. When quiet was restored, he said, 
 
 "Charles Hayes receives the prize." 
 
 Again were cheers repeated in rapid 
 succession, while Judas, almost wild 
 with delight, grasped the hand of his 
 young conqueror, and, swinging his hat 
 above his head, cheered more lustily 
 than any, forgetting the place and time 
 in his joy. Judas had no selfish blood 
 in him, notwithstanding his name. 
 
 That was a joyful night at Mra 
 Hayes' '
 
 A TEMPERANCE STOET. 71 
 
 CHAPTER VL 
 
 THANKSGIVING day was a time as 
 eagerly watched for as Christmas, both 
 by young and old of Green Bluff. This 
 year it was destined to be more than 
 usually joyous. Arrangements had 
 been made, by which the customary 
 sermon was to give place" to a variety 
 of exercises in the town hall. 
 
 The day dawned bright and cold. 
 The snow covered the earth and man- 
 tled every tree and shrub, glistening in 
 the sunlight, but refusing to disappear 
 beneath his warm rays. 
 
 From the mansion of the wealthy and 
 the cot of the humble but noble day 
 laborer, parents and children hastened 
 to the place of assembly. The clergy,
 
 72 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 town-officers, and the speakers of the 
 day, occupied the platform. In front of 
 them the Sabbath Schools were seated. 
 A more lovely scene can scarcely be 
 imagined than that of scores of children, 
 neatly, tastefully, comfortably clad, 
 gathered together to praise the Great 
 God in song. Back of these were the 
 older people the mechanic and mer- 
 chant, the collier and banker, side by 
 side in the social gathering, as they 
 of necessity must be in the business 
 world. 
 
 Most conspicuous among the speakers 
 for the day, was Dr. John Thomas. His 
 manner was prepossessing in the ex- 
 treme. High and broad his forehead, 
 dark and keen his eye, and musical his 
 voice, he could not fail to attract atten- 
 tion wherever he appeared. 
 
 The programme called for prayer,
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 73 
 
 son^s, recitations and orations. For 
 
 O ' 
 
 three hours the audience remained in- 
 tensely interested, and in nothing more 
 than in the Doctor's speech, which 
 abounded in flashes of wit and strains 
 of eloquence. Unusually gifted, edu- 
 cation had made him an attractive 
 speaker as well as an accomplished phy- 
 sician. His gifts and accomplishments 
 were the more striking from the youth- 
 ful appearance he bore. 
 
 As might have been expected, the 
 youthful victor of the preceding day 
 was called to repeat his declamation. 
 His appearance was greeted by such 
 applause as would well-nigh turn the 
 head of a much older person. 
 
 At the close, the oldest clergyman 
 present gave a brief statement of the 
 condition of the little village. He said . 
 
 "Where, my friends, in the whole
 
 74 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 extent of the United States, is there a 
 romrnunity of people who have more tc 
 t>e thankful for, than we have? Very 
 meet is it, that we, as a community, 
 should assemble here, to-day, to give 
 expression of our gratitude to God for 
 His manifold mercies. Where shall we 
 begin to enumerate them, or where shall 
 we leave off? Verily, they are past 
 numbering. Yet I cannot refrain from 
 presenting a few of the benefits which 
 we enjoy above many of our neighbor- 
 ing villages. 
 
 " How pleasant our situation ! Nes- 
 tled here among the hills, sheltered alike 
 from the fierce blasts of Winter and the 
 burning heats of Summer, bordering the 
 clear waters of our own beautiful 
 river, we can boast of natural loveliness 
 and pleasantness of situation, above any 
 town of our state. And it seems right
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY 75 
 
 that so happy a people should have 
 such beautiful surroundings. 
 
 " But it is not the surroundings that 
 make us happy. It is a trite saying, 
 4 Be virtuous, and you will be happy' 
 yet it finds an illustration in oui 
 community, and hence its force. Will 
 you listen while we tell of our virtue 
 as a town ; tell of it by pointing to its 
 effects ? 
 
 "Seldom, this past year, very seldom, 
 has the deep tones of the church bell 
 told in measured notes of the presence 
 of the dark-winged messenger, Death. 
 There are few graves in our cemetery 
 on which the grass has not grown -few, 
 I say and verily believe it would be 
 true to say, none. 
 
 " Who of you have seen ragged chil- 
 dren, or hungry women, walking our 
 streets, begging a pittance to keep soul
 
 76 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 and body together? True, it is, that 
 we have had occasion to open our 
 hearts and purses to supply the want 
 of some one or two of our worthy Li- 
 borers, upon whom sickness had come 
 suddenly but such cases are rare. 
 
 "Walk on our streets after night-full, 
 on Sabbath eve, when nearly all of our 
 people are gathered into the churches, 
 and be astonished to see the windows 
 of our houses left unfastened, and doors 
 unlocked yea, even open in the Sum- 
 mer time! Does that argue anything 
 in behalf of the honesty of our people? 
 I tell you, friends, it speaks volumes. 
 
 "See that stately building just over 
 the way, standing in a yard beautiful 
 even in its nakedness of Winter. Go 
 there, and look into the faces of those 
 gathered within its walls, to study and 
 think and fit themselves for places of
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 77 
 
 honor and of usefulness in the coming 
 
 ii-s. What is it that you read in the 
 1 tright eyes, lovely faces, quick steps, 
 manly deportment, and womanly graces 
 of the pupils? Bright hopes for the 
 future. 
 
 " I do no one any wrong, and am flat- 
 tering no oiu', when I say, that, to-day, 
 there have been, on this platform, 
 pupils of that school which would do 
 honor to any town or city in our great 
 domain. 
 
 " Xeed I tell of the business enter- 
 prise of our village? No; for its his- 
 tory is written, never to be effaced I 
 hope, in the commodious, well-filled 
 stores, the mills and manufactories, 
 and mines of our vicinity. 
 
 "Read the report of our police mag- 
 istrate recently published. "What facts 
 for our rejoicing does it furnish. On
 
 78 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 arrest! And that of a besotted trav- 
 eler, who purchased his liquor at our 
 neighboring village, Middleville. 
 
 <-J O & / 
 
 " Who can stand up here, to-day, and 
 say his taxes for town purposes have 
 been burdensome ? Who can say that 
 our streets and sidewalks are not in al- 
 most perfect order ? And yet we learn 
 that there is no debt hanging over us 
 but, on the contrary, there is a re- 
 spectable sum in the treasury with 
 which to begin the next fiscal year. 
 
 " Why is it that we are so much more 
 blessed than many others? for a com- 
 parison with the condition of any other 
 town of equal size, will show our supe- 
 riority in all the points mentioned 
 why, then, I say, are we thus blessed ( 
 
 " I know of but one answer We have) 
 closed our doors to tlie destroyer to tie 
 vile monster, i Liquor Traffic I '
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 79 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 AFTER the events narrated in the lat 
 chapter had transpired, the people of 
 Green Bluff separated to go to their 
 homes, and partake of the bounties pre- 
 pared beforehand. 
 
 At Mr. Stone's there were unusual 
 preparations made. The snowy cloth 
 seemed to glisten with unwonted bright- 
 ness. The few pieces of silver (gifts 
 from Walter to his mother) could not 
 be burnished more carefully, while the 
 arrangement of the various dishes on the 
 table, was almost perfect. It was Lucy's 
 deft hands that accomplished these 
 cliau 
 
 O 
 
 Mrs. Stone's motherly face wore its
 
 80 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 usual smile of contentment and love, and 
 her husband never seemed more com- 
 pletely at ease with himself and all the 
 rest of mankind. Walter was in the 
 highest spirits, and overflowed with wit 
 and repartee. Lucy was more quiet than 
 ordinary, yet there was something in her 
 look and manner that told of more than 
 ordinary joy. Despite herself, blushes 
 came and went in rapid succession as 
 they discussed the meeting from which 
 they had just come. 
 
 " It was the very best Thanksgiving 
 meeting I ever saw," said Walter, 
 bringing his hand down on the table 
 with an emphatic thump. "Didn't 
 Charlie Hayes do splendidly? and what 
 a perfect model speech was that of Dr. 
 Thomas'!" 
 
 Lucy's eyes fell but she was silent 
 "All was very good. I should think
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 81 
 
 Mr. Thomas would be very proud of hig 
 son," said Mrs. Stone, 
 
 " Proud of him ? That isn't half of 
 it ! " said Walter. " I believe he wor- 
 ships him. Didn't you see how nervous 
 he was, with joy, when John was ap- 
 plauded? He laughed and twisted 
 about on his seat, looking first at John 
 and then around on the audience, and 
 seemed almost ready to burst with glee." 
 
 " Well he might ! Guess I would 
 have done so, too, if it had been you up 
 there, my son," said his father. 
 
 " My talent isn't in that line. Lucy 
 what makes you so silent. What do 
 you think ? Seems to me you and John 
 were pretty good friends, before he went 
 off to college. How is it now, eh ? " 
 
 Walter gave his mother a knowing 
 wink, and awaited Lucy's reply. 
 
 " I thought it was nice," she said, with
 
 82 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 as much indifference a" she could sum- 
 mon. 
 
 " Quite P definite answer, to be sure," 
 said her brother. " Was it nice to have 
 the young doctor's friendship? Well, 
 L guess that's so." 
 
 " Why, no ! I meant nothing of the 
 kind. The performance was what 1 
 meant." Blushes came. 
 
 " Come, sister, be more explicit. Did 
 your heart beat high with joy, when you 
 heard one of your own townsmen to 
 say nothing of any other relationship 
 speaking so acceptably., so eloquently ? ** 
 
 "I certainly did. I have always 
 thought Charlie Hayes a most delight 
 fill speaker, especially for one so young " 
 
 " Oh ! but the other one, I mean. How 
 about him ? " persisted Walter. 
 
 "Why, you know, .Mr. flibson is my 
 favorite preacher. How oould it be
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 83 
 
 otherwise, when he is so kind a pas- 
 tor?" 
 
 " Very well ; we will let it rest at 
 that ; but it seems to me the doctor has 
 been left quite out of the reckoning with 
 you." 
 
 " Perhaps so," was her seemingly in- 
 different reply. 
 
 ****** 
 
 "Well, now, this is really kinder than 
 I was expecting you to be to-night, sis- 
 ter" and Walter walked into the neat 
 but plain parlor, and seating himself in 
 the easy chair, in front of the grate, 
 said " but, the fact is, I must ask you 
 to excuse me. I have an engagement, 
 to-night at Squire Johnson's. His young 
 folks asked me around, and I must go. 
 Really, I am very sorry that you have 
 gone to the trouble to have every thing 
 so comfortable for me here. I know J
 
 84 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 would enjoy a tete a tete with you more 
 than with any one else almost." This 
 he said with a mock earnestness that 
 was laughable in the extreme. 
 
 " Give yourself no uneasiness," she 
 said, in the same spirit : " for I will not 
 be left to enjoy the warm fire and easy 
 chairs alone, if you do go. You are ex- 
 cused.'' She bowed him out of the door. 
 
 A rap at the door ! 
 
 "Good evening, John excuse me! 
 Dr. Thomas, I suppose I must say, now 
 since you have nearly completed your 
 college course." 
 
 "No, Lucy, not Doctor, yet and I 
 hope never to be called by so formal a 
 name when you speak to me in your 
 own parlor. It is John simply, John." 
 
 She took his hat and gloves, and mo- 
 tioned him to the cliair that Walter had 
 vacated a few minutes before.
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 85 
 
 " It does seem a long time since you 
 were here last almost two years." 
 
 "They have been weary years tome," 
 he said, "in some respects, and full of 
 pleasure in other. Did you receive my 
 last letter?" 
 
 "Not until yesterday the very day 
 you came. I wondered why you didn't 
 write. It was miscarried some way." 
 
 A gentle rap at the parlor door. 
 
 " Come, father," said Lucy. 
 
 Mr. Stone entered, and advancing to 
 the doctor, said 
 
 " I come to congratulate you for my- 
 self, and for Mrs. Stone, on the speech 
 to-day. I hope it may prove to be only 
 the forerunner of continued success. God 
 bless you ! " A warm, hearty pressure 
 of the hand, followed this benediction. 
 
 The doctor bowed low in token ot 
 his appreciation of the blessing.
 
 86 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 "I will not intrude further," said the 
 father, turning to leave, " for, no doubt, 
 you and Lucy will have all too little 
 time to talk over old scenes and pleas- 
 ures ; yet it seems that you might have 
 written all you had to say in the nu- 
 merous letters that came. How many 
 was it, Lucy? seven a week? Well, 
 good night." 
 
 " Bless his dear old soul," said Lucy, 
 as the door closed behind him. 
 
 " One thing is certain, John you 
 may repent of your selection for a wife ; 
 but a nobler, truer, kinder father-in-law, 
 you could never have found." 
 
 " I will risk my repenting," he said, 
 taking her hand in his and pressing a 
 kiss upon it. 
 
 Of all they said and did, we cannot 
 tell. This we know, ten o'clock came 
 too soon for them, as much remained
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. $7 
 
 unsaid that for months they had treas- 
 ured up in their hearts for this hour 
 It was, to them, too sacred to be writ 
 ten. Ten was their hour for retiring, 
 and no infringement was permitted. 
 
 " How long must it be ? " 
 
 " At least three years, John. I can 
 not get through school in less time. I 
 will be, then, just a little over twenty > 
 which is full young enough to assume 
 the duties of a wife. You know that, 
 John. By that time you will have se 
 cured a good practice here, and we will 
 be ready to start right." 
 
 "Ah, you are a reasoner, indeed! I 
 will be patient. Good night, dear." 

 
 88 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 CHAPTER VIH. 
 
 THE next morning found Walter at 
 his post early. Some time before the 
 hour for work to begin, Colbert came, 
 and stepped into, the office to leave his 
 dinner-bucket and to remove his heavy 
 coat. 
 
 " Good morning, Colbert ; hope you 
 had a pleasant time yesterday. Glad 
 to see you back, ready for work. It has 
 been some time since you were here." - 
 
 "Yes; I have had a hard time of it. 
 Everything seems 'gainst a poor man, 
 these days. Kind 'o thought for a time 
 I would be laid up all Winter." 
 
 " But you weren't laid up all Winter, 
 BO be encouraged. How are the fam- 
 ily ? r Walter motioned him to a seat,
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 89 
 
 and, sitting near, put his hand on his 
 ^lioulder kindly, and said, " Colbert, I 
 am getting uneasy about you. Do you 
 kno\v why ?" 
 
 " Course not. How should I ? " 
 
 " Don't you think you go too often 
 to Middleville?" 
 
 " Why, no ; guess a fellow has a right 
 to go where he please, and as often as 
 he please, in this land." 
 
 This he said rather pettishly, and 
 arose and walked the floor of the office. 
 
 ' Don't know so well about that, Col- 
 bert. You have no right to go into my 
 trunk and take my clothing." 
 
 " What do you mean ? " 
 
 lie stopped short in front of the 
 speaker, and gazed at him inquiringly. 
 
 " I mean that you have no right to go 
 where you please, if in so doing you 
 injure another. To make it plainer:
 
 90 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 You have no right to walk into your 
 neighbor's garden in the Spring, when 
 seeds sown by him are just sprouting, 
 and trample the life out of them, so he 
 and his family are deprived of any of 
 their food." 
 
 " I don't understand what that has to 
 do with my going to Middleville." 
 
 "You don't? Well, my friend, let 
 m?. be still more plain. Now do not be 
 offended at me. Every cent you spend 
 for liquor at Middleville, takes that 
 much food or clothing from your fam- 
 ily. Now, have you the right to rob 
 them of what is theirs, any more than 
 you have to rob me of my property? 
 Not so much. You have promised to 
 love, and cherish your wife; but, in- 
 stead, you are preparing to bring misery 
 upon her." So said Walter. 
 
 " Guess my family is not suffering."
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 91 
 
 This was said in a churlish tone, while 
 Colbert sat down with his back to Wal- 
 ter, and moodily thumped with his foot 
 against the floor. 
 
 "They are not suffering? Why, 
 man, what would they have done two or 
 three weeks ago, if the town had not 
 bought wood and provision for them ?" 
 
 "Well, a fellow can't help getting 
 sick can he ? " 
 
 "Not always; but you could have 
 helped that. If it had not been for that 
 tramp over to Middleville, you could 
 have been at work these last two weeks 
 yes, three weeks. But, as it is, you 
 have lost twenty-five or thirty dollars, 
 besides having to pay a doctor's bill of 
 some ten or twelve dollars. Making a 
 total loss of nearly forty dollars, just 
 by one spree." 
 
 " Well, a fellow must have some-
 
 92 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 thing to cheer him up, occasionally. He 
 can't live always down in these mines 
 without something to help him." 
 
 " Something to cheer him up ? Does 
 it cheer you up, to know that you have 
 lost forty dollars ? Do you feel more 
 like work now than you did before you 
 were sick ? " 
 
 Colbert did not know how to answer 
 these questions, without condemning 
 himself, so he was silent. Finally, he 
 said, " I believe a fellow could do more 
 work if he had a dram every morning ; 
 for about noon I feel kind o' sick and 
 faint, and can't half work until I get a 
 drink from some of the men." 
 
 "Your belief amounts to nothing, 
 when your experience furnishes such 
 strong proof to the contrary. Why do 
 you feel sick and faint about noon ? Is 
 it the appetite you have created, calling
 
 A TEMPERANCE STOBY. 93 
 
 out to be satisfied? Of course. You 
 used dig as much coal as any man 
 here ; but, now, you are far behind 
 Jones. How is it ? Why, it is plain to 
 any one. You have lost real strength 
 since you began your dram-drinking. 
 It is true with reference to all the other 
 men who drink." 
 
 " 1 hardly ever drink whisky : I 
 don't like the taste of it, really. The 
 most I ever drink, is beer There can 
 be no harm in beer." 
 
 " It invariably creates an appetite for 
 some thing stronger. There is where 
 
 o o 
 
 the great mischief is. But it is false 
 tlmt beer is beneficial in the long run. 
 It may make you stronger for a time, 
 but its effects pass off and leave the 
 system weaker than before any was 
 taken. Your own experience teaches 
 this. If it wasn't so, why do you feel
 
 94 GKEEN BLUFF. 
 
 so faint and sick about the time its 
 effects have passed away ? " 
 
 " Oh, well, you needn't be afraid of 
 me I will never become a common 
 drunkard. I will never abuse my wife. 
 Why, I love my family as well as any 
 man. If I ever do take a little too 
 much, I go right home. I never will 
 be found on the streets drunk." 
 
 "So you may think, now; but the 
 time will soon come that you cannot say 
 your family is not disgraced. Every 
 drunkard that ever lived, thought just 
 as you do now. I tell you, sir, there is 
 but little difference between the beer 
 drinker, or tippler, and the common 
 drunkard. About the same, as I once 
 heard, as that between a pig and a hog 
 it is only a question of time." 
 
 " Why, I know there's no danger in me 
 ever becoming a gutter-man I could 
 quit to-day, if I thought it hurt me."
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 95 
 
 " If you can quit to-day, as you say 
 fou can," here Walter arose and put 
 one arm around the neck of his friend, 
 and kindly, almost affectionately, said 
 "quit I in the name of all that is pure 
 and good, quit ! for your family's sake, 
 QUIT! Can you bear the thought of 
 seeing your little girls exposed to the 
 taunts of their schoolmates, because 
 their father is a drunkard? Think of 
 them. Colbert. In the name of your 
 soul's best interests, I beg of you to 
 QUIT! Kemember the warning of your 
 God No drunkard shall enter the 
 kingdom of God ! This may be the last 
 time I will ever speak to you thus ; but 
 I must, once again, beg you to beware 
 of the awful danger into whi^h you are 
 running ! There is the wi>:ile ! we 
 must go to work." So saying, he turn- 
 ed and left Colbert, who hastened down 
 to his place in the mine.
 
 96 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 That afternoon, as both were on their 
 way home, Colbert walked up by th% 
 side of Walter, and in a tremulous tone 
 said : " * Bos,' I have heard those words 
 of yours ringin' in my ears all day. 
 God knows I love my wife. She has 
 been a noble woman, sure. Don't think 
 me a brute, ' bos.' I do love my little 
 ones bless their hearts ! I tell you 
 what I am going to do I am going to 
 quit ! " 
 
 " What's that you say ! " said Walter, 
 excitedly, grasping the weeping man by 
 the hand ; what's that ! say that again, 
 my man, while I say, 'Amen,' to it." 
 
 " I am going to quit beer, cider, whis- 
 ky, and every thing of the kind; and 
 here is my hand on it," said Colbert, 
 earnestly, at the same time pressing 
 Walter's hand in his own bony fingers 
 as if in a vise.
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 97 
 
 "Amen!" said Walter. "Your wife 
 does not yet know that you have been 
 drinking. She has thought that you 
 were sick. May she never know it 1 
 The future begins to look cheery again. 
 Remember, Colbert, total abstinence is 
 the only safe course. No man can take 
 fire into his bosom and not be burned. 
 Do you seej" 
 
 " I see," he said. 
 
 The next morning the road from Col- 
 bert's house to the mine echoed songs 
 of gladness that he sang snatches of 
 sacred songs learned at church songs 
 of praise, songs of prayer. He was 
 determined to keep his pledge. 
 
 u Here, old fellow, come this way a 
 minute," said one of his comrades beck- 
 oning around the corner of the super- 
 intendent's office. " I have the best ' Old 
 Rye' you ever tasted. Take a little.
 
 98 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 for your stomach's sake. See how it 
 sparkles ! What you standiu' there for ? 
 Coine, I say, and take a little. I haven't 
 forgot that you treated last." 
 
 " Thank you," said Colbert ; " I guess 
 I can get along without it, to-day." 
 
 "Nonsense, nonsense, man. You look 
 pale and weak-like. This will give you 
 strength and ruddy cheeks." 
 
 "No: I have decided not to drink 
 any more." 
 
 "You have, eh? We will see how 
 long you keep your pledge. 'Spect 
 Stone has been lecturing you hasn't 
 he ? and you are afraid to be a man, 
 and do as you please, eh ? " 
 
 This was followed by a derisive 
 laugh. Colbert advanced, and took the 
 bottle in his hand. He looked at it a 
 moment, and then handed it back, say- 
 ing "No, I will not drink this morn
 
 A TEMPERANCE STOBY. 99 
 
 
 
 He turned to leave, but his com- 
 
 ' 
 
 rade grasped his arm and held him fast. 
 
 " Here, Colbert, don't be a baby, to 
 l) j led around by other people's opin- 
 ions. Drink, man ! drink!" 
 
 Here he removed the cork, and held 
 the fatal bottle near Colbert's face. He 
 inhaled the fumes he grasped the bot- 
 tle, and, closing his eyes, as if to shut 
 out some horrid picture, he quaffed the 
 poison, and laughed at his former fears. 
 
 Before night came, the effects of the 
 lijjuor began to pass away and then 
 came a raging thirst for more, and bit- 
 ter remorse because his vow had been 
 broken. He now began to see how firm 
 the tyrant held him. He had, before, 
 thought himself master of his appetite ; 
 but now he felt that he was a plaything 
 in its hands. 
 
 He stopped his work several times,
 
 100 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 being lost in reverie. At times, he felt 
 as if he was rapidly descending a steep 
 hill, at the foot of which was a pit, 
 dark, deep and dreadful, into which he 
 must descend, as there was nothing to 
 stay his downward course, but every 
 thing to accelerate it. In imagination, 
 he felt himself on the very verge of the 
 gulf, and made one desperate effort to 
 avoid the last fatal plunge. This wak- 
 ened him from the reverie. 
 
 " O God ! save me ! " burst from his 
 lips. There he again renewed his 
 pledge, with God as his witness, and 
 until late in the evening worked hard 
 to recover what he had lost by his 
 dreamy stupor. 
 
 He went home, a sadder, but a wiser 
 man.
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY 101 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 WINTER has passed. Many have 
 been the changes in Green Bluff. The 
 railroad, long in contemplation, has 
 been completed as far as this village. 
 To put a bridge across the .river here, 
 required no little time and not a few 
 men. The majority of the workmen 
 were strangers. They brought their in- 
 temperate habits with them. Attracted 
 by the natural beauty of Green Bluff, as 
 well as its convenience to their work 
 and cheap living, they purchased or 
 routed houses and became bona fide 
 citi/ons of the place. 
 
 Spring election of town-officers is 
 over. Three new councilmen are elect-
 
 102 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 ed. Two of the former Board are re- 
 elected. 
 
 Since the incorporation of the village 
 there has been an ordinance in force, 
 fixing the rate to be paid for license to 
 sell liquor so high, that no one ever for 
 a moment entertained the thought that 
 any one would apply for a license, for 
 had the application been granted (which 
 was next to impossible, on account of 
 the stern temperance principles of the 
 community and of the councilmen usu- 
 ally elected) had the application been 
 granted, the fee would have consumed 
 all the profits and dipped deep into the 
 capital of the dealer. 
 
 The first meeting of the new Board 
 passed off without any unusual occur- 
 rence. The second meeting was not so 
 fortunate. Of its doings we have to 
 speak in this chapter.
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 103 
 
 
 
 " Is there any other business to come 
 before this Board to-night?" said the 
 chairman, pushing aside the papers 
 before him on the desk, removing his 
 glasses, and preparing to adjourn the 
 Board. 
 
 "There is, sir." 
 
 So said Mr. Templeton, one of the 
 new members, rising to his feet, and 
 bowing patronizingly to the chair. 
 
 The chairman looked at him in sur 
 prise, as he had been silent nearly all the 
 evening during the session of the Board, 
 while the other members leaned for- 
 ward to catch the words of the speaker, 
 who seemed somewhat embarrassed. 
 
 " I move you, sir," he continued, " that 
 this Board grant James Snow, when 
 be shall have complied with the re- 
 quirements of the ordinance, license to 
 sell liquor, as a beverage, in this town."
 
 104 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 Trembling with excitement which this 
 bold step had caused, he sat down, -wip- 
 ing great drops of perspiration from his 
 brow, and glancing anxiously at Mr. 
 Furtherton, another new member, who 
 hesitated a moment, and then arose, 
 saying, "I second the motion." 
 
 Had an earthquake shaken the room 
 in which they were assembled, the 
 chairman and the two old members 
 could not have been more astonished 
 and alarmed. 
 
 One of them, Mr. Stone, sprang to his 
 feet, and forgetting parliamentary usage 
 and order, said : "I move he don't." 
 
 " Order, gentlemen ! " said the chair 
 man, recovering from his surprise, yet 
 agitated greatly. "We surely have 
 nothing to fear from this motion. Let 
 the subject be thoroughly discussed, 
 and J am persuaded the mover will see 
 his mistake and withdraw his motion."
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 105 
 
 " Not much, he won't," said Temple- 
 ton, in an undertone. 
 
 The chairman then said : 
 
 " It is moved and seconded, gentle- 
 men, that this Board grant James 
 Snow when he shall have complied 
 with the requirements of the ordi- 
 nance license to sell liquor as a bever- 
 age in this town. Are you ready for 
 the question'?" 
 
 " No, sir ! " said Mr. Stone, rising. 
 " We hope never to be ready to vote on 
 that question in this Board. It is a 
 disgrace to the hitherto fair name of our 
 loved town, that such a motion should 
 ever be made. I can scarcely believe 
 my ears. I can account for the course 
 pursued by the mover on no grounds 
 whatever. 
 
 " He is a young man, sir, with no son 
 exposed to the danger which a licensed
 
 106 GBEEN BLUFF. 
 
 whisky saloon would present, else he 
 could not have the courage to make 
 such a motion here. I say again, sir, 
 I cannot see what motive presses him 
 to such a course. The fate of our neigh- 
 boring villages ought to be enough to 
 deter him from such a course. 
 
 "You see that I am excited, sir. I 
 do not deny it : I am glad of it. I hope 
 never to get to a point where I will not 
 be excited, when such a proposition is 
 made. 
 
 " I love my son, sir, and my daughter 
 but rather than see the one a drunk- 
 ard, or the, other connected with a 
 drunkard in marriage, I would follow 
 them gladly to the gr ' 
 
 "I call the gentleman to order I" said 
 Templeton, excitedly. 
 
 "What is your point of order, sir?" 
 asked the chairman.
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 107 
 
 " He is off the question. We are not 
 discussing his love for his children. 
 That has nothing to do with this 
 motion." 
 
 " It has very much to do with it, sir 
 Proceed, Mr. Stone," said the chairman 
 
 "I was going to say that, however 
 much I love my children, I would rath- 
 er follow them to the grave, to-day, 
 than to see them made intemperate 
 and die drunkards. If they die now, I 
 believe that in the bright hereafter 
 I will see them again. If they fill a 
 drunkard's grave, I'll "never see them 
 any more. I know how frail human 
 nature is, and I will always use every 
 means possible to keep temptation 
 away from my son or daughter. There- 
 fore, 1 will never vote for licensing 
 saloons. Never I . Hope my arm may 
 fall withered by my side, if ever I raise 
 it to further such damnable traffic."
 
 108 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 " My old friend seems much in earn 
 est about this question," said Mr. Wise, 
 another new member, and a lawyer, re- 
 cently come to town. He had been 
 there barely long enough to make him 
 eligible to a position in the Board but 
 elected he was how, no one scarcely 
 could tell. He was about middle-age, 
 and was prepossessing in appearance; 
 often keen in argument, and deliberate 
 and impressive in delivery some- 
 times, he rose to impassioned oratory. 
 
 On this night, he stood with one foot 
 resting on the floor, and the other on 
 the chair in which he had been sitting; 
 while he toyed with his glasses, which 
 hung suspended by a silken cord in a 
 button-hole. The glasses he wore more 
 for effect than utility. He continued : 
 
 " I like his earnestness ; but unfor 
 tunately, he forgets the question, seem-
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 109 
 
 in.irly, and endeavors to move this 
 Imard to vote according to his views 
 Dot by presenting arguments to move 
 their minds, but by appealing to their 
 sympathies. Such a manner of arguing 
 i> puerile. Sir, we must look at this 
 question from a business stand-point, 
 and leave our feelings, as fathers, quite 
 out of consideration; for we are here 
 to legislate for the best interests of the 
 town, without allowing our personal 
 feelings to prejudice our actions. You 
 know, perhaps, of the Roman consul, 
 who signed his own son's death war- 
 rant, when he saw, by so doing, he would 
 add to the stability of the government 
 he represented. Such an act was then, 
 and is now, considered in the highest 
 
 * O 
 
 decree heroic, and was the purest kind 
 of patriotism. The same spirit should 
 actuate us in our actions here as repre- 
 sentatives of this town.
 
 110 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 " My position is this : " If we can see 
 that, by licensing saloons, we can add to 
 the wealth or beauty of our village, it 
 then becomes our duty to license them. 
 That it will add to our wealth, is a fore- 
 gone conclusion. Yet, that these present 
 may see it clearly, I will undertake to 
 show how this is done. 
 
 " Now, you must admit, that whatever 
 adds to the business of this place, adds 
 to its wealth. There is no use denying 
 that there are scores of farmers, living 
 in adjacent neighborhoods, who would 
 come to this place with their produce, 
 if they could get here their usual daily 
 dram. This, they will have, somehow 
 or other. If they cannot get it here, 
 they will go where they can get it. We 
 make no inebriates ; we only take 
 advantage of an existing evil if you 
 contend that moderate drinking is -
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. Ill 
 
 evil and cause it to minister to our 
 good. Is that not right? Anothe/ 
 point I would mention, is this: lately, 
 our place has had an addition of soma 
 fifty or more citizens. These spenl 
 their earnings here, and consequently 
 add to the income of our place. But, 
 sir, we cannot hold these laborers if 
 their privileges are restricted. They 
 huve come to us with habifcs- firmly es- 
 tablished. One of those habits is dram 
 drinking. The drinker can not do 
 without his whisky any more than my 
 old friend here can do without his cof- 
 fee, morning and night. Now, sir, if 
 we open a saloon here, they will not go 
 to Middleville to buy their whisky and 
 other necessaries, but will remain here, 
 with all their money buying both 
 whisky and provisions of our mer 
 chants. Thus you see, sir, our business
 
 112 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 will be materially increased, and conse- 
 quently our wealth, too. 
 
 " Do you ask how our town will be 
 increased in beauty ? Sir, the amount 
 named in our ordinance is simply enor- 
 mous. When that amount is paid in 
 which will be done, of course, before 
 license is granted by the town clerk 
 we can appropriate the amount five 
 hundred dollars I believe to beautify 
 om already handsome square, and then 
 in other years to grading our streets, 
 ornamenting our cemetery, and in vari- 
 ous other ways. 
 
 " Now, sir, I see no cause for the fears 
 which my old friend has given expres- 
 sion to that is, fears that his boy will 
 become an inebriate That is no argu- 
 ment, as I take it, for or against the 
 question but I speak now to soothe his 
 troubled heart (sarcastically). His boy
 
 A TEMPEBANCE STOBY. 113 
 
 is quite a young man, if I am not in- 
 formed incorrectly, and has passed quite 
 out of reach of such influence. He 
 sports the dignified title of Superintend- 
 ent of Green Bluff Mines ; surely he 
 would not stoop to such a practice as 
 dram drinking, especially since he has, 
 no doubt, been so faithfully instructed 
 in the righ f way by my old friend. 
 
 "I hope, sir, the question will be 
 voted on to-night, and trust the motion 
 will prevail." 
 
 He sat down, chuckling inwardly at 
 what, he thought, sharp thrusts at Mr. 
 Stone, and looking wisely toward Tern- 
 pleton and Furtherton, who seemed de- 
 lighted with his little speech. 
 
 "Mr. Chairman," said Mr. Stone, 
 rising as soon as Wise had finished, " 1 
 am no lawyer, and may not present my 
 thoughts as clearly and forcibly as the
 
 114 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 gentleman just seated, nor may I be 
 free from allowing my sympathies to 
 get the better of me; but, yet, there 
 are some things connected with this 
 question, which I know as well as any 
 one. 
 
 " I admit, sir, that it is our duty as 
 councilmen to act for the best interests 
 of the town, without regard to personal 
 feelings. I grant the gentlemen, who 
 have presented and supported this mo- 
 tion, the highest regard for our town's 
 welfare ; but must say they have a mis- 
 taken way of showing it. 
 
 "I admire the heroic spirit and pa- 
 triotism of the Roman consul, who 
 signed his son's death warrant when he 
 saw that, by doing so, he would benefit 
 his country I am willing to imitate 
 him under similar circumstances. The 
 fact is, sir, that his son had violated a
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 115 
 
 law, the penalty of which was death. 
 That the law might remain inviolate as 
 to penalty, he caused his son to die. 
 On the same principle, I am willing to 
 sacrifice both the wealth and beauty of 
 our State or town, if the law of OUT 
 Great and only rightful King, God the 
 Father, may remain inviolate. He has 
 said, Love your neighbor as yourself! 
 Now, sir, I would not set a trap to-night 
 in my path home, where I may lose my 
 life by stumbling into it, because of my 
 poor sight caused by old age. Neither 
 will I set a trap where my friends, 
 whose judgment is blinded by their 
 strong appetite for drink, may lose not 
 only their natural life, but may be lost 
 eternally. 
 
 "My lawyer friend has presented 
 some arguments in favor of license, on 
 the ground that saloons will increase
 
 QBEEN BLUFF. 
 
 our wealth : but, sir, lie argues against 
 facts! A comparison bet ween the thrift 
 and wealth of this place and that of any 
 village where the license system pre- 
 vails, is sufficient to overturn his seem- 
 ingly plausible arguments. 
 
 " He says, sir, that unless we open 
 this saloon, that we will lose some fifty 
 or more citizens. Who are these citi- 
 zens? The laborers on the railroad. 
 
 " Now, sir, I am a poor day laborer, 
 and I have no word against these people 
 on that score but the sooner we get 
 clear of such people, the better. Why ? 
 They, sir, were the remote cause of this 
 motion to-night. It was their cunning 
 and votes that put these men into our 
 Board. Their example is pernicious. 
 If they cannot stay in our midst with- 
 out bringing their debasing habits let 
 them go. Which, sir, is greater the
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 117 
 
 few dollars they will add to our wealth, 
 or the souls of some of our best boys ? 
 The gentleman may sneer at my fear 
 that my son, or your son, may be lured 
 into the hell-hole he would have opened 
 but, I tell you, our only safe course 
 is to keep clear of all danger. That 
 was a wise coachman, who said he kept 
 as far from the edge of a precipice as 
 possible; and he was foolish who, to 
 test his skill, drove as near the edge a? 
 possible. 
 
 " If we grant the license, and receive 
 the sum of five hundred dollars, verj 
 little of it will go to beautifying oui 
 place. The greater part will be needed, 
 to hire police to keep order in day time, 
 and to employ watchmen to guard us 
 while we sleep. Do you want proof? 
 Go to our neighbor, Middleville. Why 
 men will present theory, when practicf 
 is entirely against it. is strancre to m* *
 
 11 S GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 Mr. Newcome then arose, and said, 
 in his dry, yet clear and practical style : 
 
 " Mr. Wise said we could ornament 
 our cemetery with the proceeds of this 
 traffic, and could beautify our square. 
 Just so ! Imagine a dozen of our best 
 mechanics, or a dozen of our bright, 
 promising town's boys, lying under the 
 trees of our park, insensible, vomiting, 
 cursing. What beauty it adds! In- 
 stead of the orderly company gathering 
 around our public wells, imagine a score 
 of reeling, swearing men, marching 
 down our streets. How charming the 
 sound of their ribaldry! Go to our 
 cemetery, years hence, and read the 
 record on a score of graves. Died of 
 delirium tremens ; aged 16 ! Killed by 
 a drunken friend; aged 20! What 
 ornaments ! 
 
 "No sir! I'll never vote for any
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 119 
 
 such motion. God has said, ' Cursed is 
 every man that putteth the bottle to 
 his neighbor's lips,' and if I vote for this 
 motion, I put myself liable to that 
 curse. ' God is not slack concerning 
 his promises as some men count slack- 
 ness,' for the day of vengeance closely 
 follows the transgression. If we grant 
 this request, our fate as a community is 
 sealed." 
 
 During the delivery of the last two 
 speeches, the other three councilmen 
 sat sullenly thumping their chairs with 
 their fingers, or exchanging words and 
 looks of scorn. When Mr. Newcome 
 had finished, they called for the ques- 
 tion, which was put by the chairman, 
 and resulted in three votes for the li- 
 cense and two against. 
 
 All hope was not gone. Mr. Stone 
 and Mr Newcome did not believe th
 
 120 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 license fee would be paid by Snow, so 
 the saloon could not be opened. 
 
 "Any further business," asked the 
 chairman, as was customary. 
 
 u Yes, sir, said Templeton. "I move, 
 sir, that the ordinance be so changed as 
 to require seventy-five dollars per an- 
 num for license to sell liquor, instead of 
 five hundred, as it now is." 
 
 " I second the motion," said Further- 
 ton. 
 
 All hope was now gone. 
 
 The chairman put the question, which 
 resulted as forseen. 
 
 Furtherton, Templeton, and Wise vo- 
 ted for it. Stone and Newcome voted 
 against it. 
 
 " An' how did it go, Mr. Wise ? " said 
 Snow, as that gentleman stepped out 
 into the street where Snow awaited 
 him.
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 121 
 
 " All right, James ; all right, of course. 
 We had it too well fixed up to lose our 
 case ! " 
 
 "An 1 did you git the license put 
 down, too ? " 
 
 "You bet we did." 
 
 "An' I'm right glad of that; for 
 shure it'd be all day wid me if you 
 hadn't. An' how much is it now ? " 
 
 " Only 'seventy-five, James."- 
 
 " Only she veu ty-five, is it. Golly ! 
 that's good v now, shure ! Can make 
 money, an' no doubt." 
 
 " Going to open out right away, 
 James ? " 
 
 " Just as soon as I git my papers. 
 An' when will that be \ " 
 
 " You can get it to-morrow." 
 
 " Well, then to-morrow, she will be 
 opened out shure, sir. Here's your 
 money."
 
 122 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 THE next afternoon, true to promise 1 . 
 Snow had his sign swinging in front of 
 his door " Sunny Side Saloon," was 
 roughly sketched upon it. The house 
 was small and poorly furnished, situ- 
 ated in an out-of-the-way place, yet suf- 
 ficiently conspicuous to attract the at- 
 tention of those desiring any of the 
 goods he had for sale. 
 
 The news of this saloon's existence 
 caused no little consternation in Green 
 Bluff. It was the subject for discussion 
 in every store-room and at every work, 
 shop in the town. Many and bitter 
 denunciations were heaped upon the 
 proprietor, and his accomplices, Wise, 
 Templeton, and Furtherton; but they
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 123 
 
 availed naught the mischief was done. 
 For one year at least it must remain 
 a fountain of corruption in the com- 
 munity. 
 
 Few were the customers that Snow 
 had until after nightfall. After dark- 
 ness came, his little room was well filled 
 by men and boys. Some came to see ; 
 some to buy. 
 
 The proprietor was in exuberant 
 spirits. He was shrewd. Beer and ale 
 and whisky were dealt out with great 
 freedom, and almost without cost. He 
 knew that an appetite, once created, 
 knew no bounds scarcely, hence his de- 
 sire to have all present take a little. 
 
 Toward the hour of nine he mounted 
 a bench and began a harangue. 
 
 4; My friends, I have never ben much 
 at speech making, but I must tell you, 
 to-night, that James Snow knows as
 
 124 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 well as any one how to mix up first-rate 
 dhrinks, an' that right chape. I mean 
 to kape no low house no, sir'ee. Mine 
 is to be a respect'ble house. I'm your 
 friend. I know you git tired of your 
 shops and homes sometimes, and want to 
 be free for a little while. Ye's want 
 to be free to do as ye like. To sleep 
 if you like, and to dhrink if you like. 
 Come, then, to my house to my Sunny 
 Side an ' you'll al'us find James at 
 home, an' a hearty welcome to you. 
 Come, now, my boys, let's have a good 
 old dhrink aU'round?" 
 
 So saying, he took his place behind 
 the counter, and dealt out the beer as 
 
 
 
 fast as called for. His speech and treat 
 was received somewhat indifferently by 
 most present ; a few persons, however, 
 cheered him by promises of patronage. 
 When they were gone, he sat musing
 
 A TEMPERAJNCJi, STORY. 125 
 
 on the prospect before him. It was not 
 as flattering as he desired or expected. 
 Suddenly starting up, he hurried to his 
 money box, saying half aloud, " And 
 shure I 'most forgot to reck'n up my 
 'arnings. Purty slim show, now, in- 
 deed, seeing an' thare's a whole keg of 
 beer gone already ! Well, never mind, 
 now. We will get it all back, I guess, 
 before meny days." 
 
 Snow was not of the lowest class. 
 His appearance was somewhat attrac- 
 tive. Brought up without any religious 
 training at all, he knew but little about 
 moral obligations, and cared less. His 
 object was to keep out of the clutches 
 of the law, and make all he could by 
 any means whatever. His shrewd na- 
 ture told him that there was money in 
 the liquor traffic to the dealer, even if it 
 did bankrupt the buyer. What did he
 
 126 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 care for that ? To use his own language 
 when upbraided by some citizens for 
 opening his saloon 
 
 "An' it is nothin' to me, gintlemen, 
 if men do spend all their 'arnings at my 
 shop. Let them see to that. If it is 
 wrong to sell beer an such like, why did 
 your good people license me to do it, 
 now, an' I'd like to know ? 
 
 "You see yerself it's right, or else 
 your mimbers of congress, or what do 
 you call it, whould not say I might sell. 
 The boys will grow up drunkards. 
 Well, well, the more drunk they get, the 
 more liquors they buy. Ila ! ha ! that's 
 what I like. 
 
 " Do not other merchants do all they 
 can to git custom .and keep it? Then 
 so will I. And shure I will." 
 
 In vain they remonstrated. He had 
 the law on his side and felt safe. They.
 
 tA TEMPERANCE STOBY. 127 
 
 the force of his argument, that he 
 h:i 1 a legal right to sell as long as the 
 legislature or town council granted a 
 
 O 
 
 license, thus recognizing his wholesale 
 murder as a legitimate business. 
 
 Before, the week was out, Snow found 
 he had quite a good run of custom, as 
 he had all the men who were work- 
 ing on the bridge and many of the mi- 
 ners who formerly had gone to Middle- 
 ville for beer. The latter class visited 
 his saloon only at night. The other 
 class were more bold, and openly went 
 for their dram. 
 
 Snow was a good violinist, at least 
 so thought the boys of Green Bluff, 
 and he was not long in discovering their 
 liking for such music. Nightly, they 
 would gather in the vicinity of his shop 
 to listen to the music. They did not 
 often venture inside. He did not urge
 
 128 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 them to do so. He knew it was not wise 
 to do so. 
 
 " Ah, James," said Wise, on the Mon- 
 day morning following the opening of 
 his shop, " you got a sound drubbing 
 yesterday." 
 
 " Indeed, your honor, you're mistaken, 
 shure. Never has James Snow ever ben 
 drubbed, an' surely not yisterday." 
 
 " Yes, you were, James, but I sup- 
 pose you didn't feel it but, perhaps, 
 you will." 
 
 " And what is it you mean ? " 
 
 " Why I understand all of the parsons 
 in town let loose all their thunder and 
 lightning against your little shop. They 
 are going to make it hot for you, James. 
 Can you stand it \ " 
 
 " I'll give 'em back as hot as they send, 
 now you see if I don't." 
 
 " That's right, James ; stand your
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 129 
 
 ground : but you will have a hard fight. 
 They mustered all their children up at 
 Sunday School, and made them take a 
 pledge of total abstinence." 
 
 " An' what's that I " 
 
 " Made them promise never to drink 
 wine, whisky, beer, or cider." 
 
 " Ila ! ha ! ha ! That's a good joke. 
 I'll tell your honor. I'll fix it. I'll 
 have the best of them driink, shure, 
 bef re winter comes ag'in. Now you 
 just see." 
 
 " I don't know about that, James. 
 You had better go slow. I would hate 
 to see some of those lads rolling round 
 these streets. Besides, it is getting 
 rather hot for me any how in these parts. 
 They blame me for this whole thing. 1 
 believe (if I were you) I would keep 
 clear of selling to the boys that come 
 around your shop."
 
 130 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 " An' what's that you say ? Keep 
 cl'are sellin' to boys as come around my 
 shop? No, sir. I pay my license to 
 sell, an' I sell. I sell to man, woman, 
 or children, just all the same. If it is 
 not right to sell to the boys, it is not 
 right to sell to the men. If it be right 
 to sell to the men, it is right to sell to 
 boys." 
 
 " But, James, you mustn't forget your 
 friends. You see it is getting rather 
 warm for me here, because everybody 
 says I was the cause of your opening 
 this thing, and they are doing all they 
 can to hurt my business." 
 
 " And shure I don't see that at all. 
 Didn't the other men help out \ 
 Didn't Tempultun and Furdertun vote 
 with you 1 " 
 
 " Yes : but, you see, I did all the 
 talking and wire-working."
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 131 
 
 ** And didn't James Snow pay you for 
 
 itr 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " Then what are you growlin' 'bout 
 him forgettin' his friends for ] " 
 
 ^Yise was somewhat alarmed at Snow's 
 attitude, as he was working for popular 
 favor. Having made all he could out of 
 him, he sought now to get back to his 
 old place in public opinion. 
 
 That night Snow began to lay plans 
 for thwarting the designs of the pastors 
 and Sunday-school superintendents of 
 Green Bluff. A legion of devils seemed 
 to have taken possession of him. He 
 aimed at the brightest marks in the 
 town.
 
 132 GBEEN BLUFF. 
 
 SPRING had gone, and Summer waa 
 waning fast. Sunny Side Saloon waa 
 increasing in business, and its keeper 
 becoming more bold and unscrupulous 
 in his workings for patronage. Thus 
 fur, the evil effects of the saloon were 
 seen ouly in the loungers who gath- 
 ered on the street corners and stood 
 around the door of Snow's establishment. 
 The fear that existed in the hearts of 
 some was passing away. Pastors and 
 church officials, teachers and parents, 
 were less active in their warfare against 
 the traffic in their warnings were less 
 constant and earnest. Not so with 
 Snow. He remembered and cherished 
 the vow to ruin the strongest of the
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 133 
 
 temperance band that had been formed. 
 \> do this, was no small task. He felt 
 If aggrieved in that the town had 
 granted him license to sell, and yet 
 )ermitted, even encouraged, systematic 
 >pposition to his business. lie wanted 
 revenge, and was determined to have it 
 -but these thoughts he kept in his 
 >wn heart. 
 
 Charlie Hayes was not a ,boy whose 
 >ride ruled his judgment; yet he was 
 in no way deficient in the former. The 
 flattering remarks of his friends did 
 much toward increasing his stock of 
 self-esteem. That was natural. After 
 a time it became apparent that he loved 
 to hear his name spoken in connection 
 with "best declaimer," "fine gestures," 
 " perfect grace of manner." That be- 
 came his weak point. Who of us have 
 not our weaknesses?
 
 134 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 " And I just was telling these men, 
 that they never heard the like of you in 
 speakin'," said Snow to Charlie, one 
 afternoon, as he was passing his shop. 
 
 " You natter me," said Charlie, how- 
 ing and passing on. 
 
 "Not a bit of it. Jest you step in 
 here and let these gintlemen hear you." 
 
 " And we will be pl'ased if you will," 
 said one of Snow's " gintlemen," rising 
 and bowing profoundly. 
 
 "Indeed, we will," said a half-dozen 
 others in chorus. All who happened 
 to be then present were of Snow's 
 kind. 
 
 " But I am afraid I would not please 
 you if I should. My declamation that 
 I speak best, is a temperance address, 
 called the "Drunkard's Fall," said 
 Charlie, blushing." 
 
 " An', indeed, that will please us. We
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 135 
 
 are no dhrunkards and mane niver to 
 be. Do ye think no better of us thin 
 that 1 " replied Snow, hi an assumed 
 manner of injured innocence. 
 
 "Speak it for them," whispered 
 Pride ; " for (as an excuse and argu- 
 ment) it may do them good." 
 
 " Remember your pledge," said Con- 
 science. " It requires that you go not 
 into the way of the destroyer." 
 
 " Unless to rescue some friend," said 
 Pride and Ambition, together. 
 
 " It is useless to try to save these men 
 so long have they been slaves to their 
 appetites," said Conscience, " so do not 
 place yourself in danger when there is 
 no hope of success." 
 
 These thoughts passed rapidly 
 through his mind as he stood half 
 
 O 
 
 undecided. 
 
 "Come right in, men; he will spake 
 to us. I know."
 
 136 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 They all followed Snow into the 
 saloon and ranged themselves around 
 the room, while Charlie took his place 
 on a bench set out for him. He spoke, 
 but with little ease to himself. When 
 he had finished, all were loud in their 
 praise. Some declared they never 
 would drink another drop. Unsuspect- 
 ing, Charlie did not notice that their 
 pledges of abstinence were ironical. 
 
 He hastened home, pleased with his 
 afternoon's work. But could he tell his 
 mother? "No," he said to himself; "I 
 must not. She is so peculiar about my 
 going near such places, it will only 
 frighten her. I won't tell any one. I 
 wish I hadn't gone in. Wonder if those 
 men were in earnest? If they only 
 were ! Pshaw ! how foolish to think I 
 2ould move them from the wrong." 
 
 " An' shure, I didn't belave he'd bite
 
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 131 
 
 BO easy. Just be easy, men ; things 
 move all riglit. The ice is broke. Kc's 
 been in. That much of the pledge is 
 broke, eny how. We'll fix him ! " said 
 Snow, after Charlie had gone. 
 
 " You did your parts nice, men. 
 Come an' drink a glass of beer to the 
 temprince pledge." 
 
 " You have him shure, James. And 
 you may count on us to help you." 
 
 Charlie's ambitious spirit would not 
 let him remain idle during the vacation 
 
 O 
 
 months. During this time he usually 
 made such progress in his studies as to 
 gain a full term on his class. This close 
 application told on his health. The 
 ruddy glow faded from his cheek, and 
 the sparkle passed from his eye, unless 
 excited by reading or conversation. 
 
 His mother watched him with tender 
 solicitude, and little May, his sister,
 
 138 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 though so young, noticed the change, 
 and oftentimes tried in vain to call back 
 the buoyant spirit. 
 
 Snow noticed the change, too. 
 
 " Charlie, your as thin as a shade, 
 and as pale as the moon ; your not sick 
 now ? " he said one day, as he met him 
 on the street, reaching out his hand, 
 and giving Charlie a hearty clasp. 
 
 " Not sick, but very tired." 
 
 " Tired 1 And what have you ben 
 doing?" 
 
 " Nothing but reading, and such like." 
 
 " And does your bones ache, and is 
 your feet and hands cold, and head hot ? " 
 
 " Just exactly," said Charlie, interested. 
 " How do you know so well how I feel 1 " 
 
 " Ah ! my boy, I know," said Snow, 
 with a knowing shake of the head. 
 And I know what'll set you up all 
 right."
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 139 
 
 " Do tell me. I have suffered so 
 much this summer from pains in my 
 bones, and cold feet and hot head, that 
 I would take almost any kind of medi- 
 cine." 
 
 " Well, my remedy may not suit you 
 but it's good an' shure." 
 
 "What is iU" 
 
 " And it's nothin' but London porter." 
 
 " Oh ! I can't take that ! " said Char- 
 lie, quickly. 
 
 "And why?" 
 
 " Because I've signed the temperance 
 pledge, and it says we must not drink 
 any kind of ale or beer." 
 
 " Just so : but it says as biverage, 
 doesn't it ? This is midicine, shure. 
 Great dale of dif'rence. 
 
 " Yes, I know. But mother would 
 not want me to use it." 
 
 " Nonsense, child ; your mother would
 
 140 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 let you have any thing that will help her 
 boy ; an' I'm shure you're too smart a lad 
 to die when you can live." 
 
 " How do you know it will do me 
 good?" 
 
 " I know it will. But try it, and see 
 for yourself. I'll bring you a bottle, as I 
 go home, to-night. It shan't cost you a 
 cent. You can try it, an' if it isn't as I 
 say, you needn't buy any more. That's 
 all." 
 
 Charlie went home and told his 
 mother all about the conversation with 
 Snow. At first she refused to let him 
 take the prescribed remedy ; but finally 
 concluded it was her duty, as a mother, 
 to do all she could to preserve her son's 
 health, and consented to his receiving 
 the ale and using it. How much better 
 and safer it would have been for her 
 to have removed the cause of Charlie's
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 141 
 
 poor health, by putting aside his books 
 and forcing him out into the fresh air, 
 instead of allowing the cause to remain, 
 and trying to counteract the effect by 
 another opposite cause. 
 
 That night Snow stopped aud left 
 the bottle of ale at Mrs. Haves', and 
 expressed great concern for the health 
 of her boy. His kindness touched a 
 tender chord, and she felt .that he had 
 been traduced by many. 
 
 " He is not such a hard-hearted man, 
 after all," she said to Charlie, as she 
 was afterward talking the matter over 
 with him. "I offered to pay for the 
 bottle of ale, but he refused, and said 
 he would be paid if you could only get 
 well and stout again." She looked ad- 
 miringly at her boy, who lay stretched 
 on the sofa, thin and haggard. If she 
 could have only seen the serpent hid
 
 142 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 away in Snow's heart but she did not. 
 If she had only remembered the com- 
 mand to avoid every appearance of evil 
 but she did not. 
 
 True to Snow's word, Charlie did 
 feel better after drinking the ale a day 
 or two. He came to the table with a 
 renewed appetite. Some of the old 
 lustre came back to his eyes; some of 
 the buoyancy of spirit returned. With 
 these came a love for the remedy. At 
 first it was disagreeable to the taste 
 now it was pleasant. He sought it for 
 every symptom of pain. It generally 
 proved efficient. Weekly he visited 
 Snow's to get a new supply. Snow was 
 considerate, and sold it to him at cost. 
 But, even then, it was dear medicine for 
 him. This Snow knew. 
 
 Could Charlie and his mother have 
 seen the maliciousness that lurked hi
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 143 
 
 seen the maliciousness that lurked in 
 Snow's heart, and have heard the boasts 
 he made, they would have been more 
 wary. 
 
 Why did they not suspect his de- 
 signs? Would they trust a professed 
 burglar, and welcome him to their 
 homes? Would they toy with a ser- 
 pent, and fold it in their bosoms J 
 They did.
 
 144 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 THE' sluice-gate had been raised, and 
 Green Bluff was threatened with inun- 
 dation by intemperance and its accom- 
 panying vices. 
 
 The railroad was completed. It Lad 
 given a new impetus to the business of 
 our town hitherto a quiet, attractive 
 village; now a wide-awaVe, bustling 
 young city. 
 
 Mr. Thomas was in ecstasies. Ilia 
 property had increased in value nearly 
 two-fold. His new store-rooms were 
 done and all occupied, save one, which 
 he had been holding for better terms 
 than had been offered. He sat alone in 
 his office, in early autumn, not engaged 
 in writing, as usual, but in a reverie.
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 145 
 
 Immense wealth lay just before him. A 
 few years more must come and go, and 
 then he could retire from active busi- 
 ness a millionaire. He was already 
 trembling with age, but was as eager 
 for wealth as if he had just entered life 
 and had every assurance of many years 
 to live. The thoughts that occupied his 
 mind thrilled his every nerve by their 
 strange power. He could sit still no 
 longer. Springing to his feet, and fold- 
 ing his arms behind him, he strode to 
 and fro across his office with sparkling 
 eye, flushed face, and tightly compress- 
 ed lips. He seemed to strain every 
 nerve, as if he would force time in its 
 sluggish movements, and bring within 
 his immediate grasp what he was sure 
 lay but a few years perhaps only one 
 year from him. As before intimated, 
 he had two idols money and his son.
 
 J46 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 He was regularly at church, and 
 watched the speaker with fixed atten- 
 tion ; but his thoughts were not of God 
 they looked not so high. In the quiet 
 of the sanctuary he planned his busi- 
 ness. From the house of worship he 
 went home thoughtfully but the text 
 he pondered was money. " I will stay in 
 this city, and get gain," he said contin- 
 ually to himself. Was he a Christian ? 
 He thought so. He gave of his earthly 
 substance to the support of the Gospel ; 
 he prayed when called on in public- 
 prayed the same prayer always ; he 
 prayed at night before retiring he 
 could not shake off this habit of his 
 earlier years. 
 
 He was interrupted in his walk and 
 reverie by the entrance of a neatly at- 
 tired man, who accosted him with 
 
 "Mr. Thomas, I believe. Jones, is 
 my name."
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 147 
 
 " Be seated, Mr. Jones." 
 
 " I understand, Mr. Thomas, you 
 have a store-room, on Main street, un- 
 occupied, which you desire to rent." 
 
 " Just so, sir ; do you wish to rent it ?" 
 
 "I do, if we can make satisfactory 
 terms." 
 
 " My price is seemingly high ; but 1 
 will rent for no less. I can get that by- 
 and-by, if not now. I want forty dol 
 lars per month, always in advance." 
 
 Jones raised his eyes in astonish 
 ment. After a few other words, with- 
 out affecting a reduction, he agreed to 
 take the room. 
 
 "What is your business?" queried 
 Mr. Thomas. 
 
 "I desire to open a respectable bil- 
 liard saloon, sir. with a genteel bar in 
 connection with it," he replied blandly. 
 
 "Indeed!" said Thomas, somewhat 
 surprised.
 
 148 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 " Yes, I think so enterprising a 
 place as this needs some such place 
 for the amusement of the young men. 
 There is nothing so entertaining as bil- 
 liards ; it is really an intellectual game." 
 
 "Yes, yes: I suppose it is. But I 
 am thinking you will find poor patron- 
 age, here. As to your bar, I think one 
 saloon is enough for a place like this." 
 
 " Never fear for my patronage. I un- 
 derstand my business, sir. I intend to 
 make my room as attractive as possible. 
 As to the other saloon, I have nothing 
 to fear from that. Indeed, it has been 
 my best friend I have already been 
 told that pome of the gentlemen of your 
 place, who have gone to Snow's occa- 
 sionally, have desired a respectable place 
 to visit : such a place mine shall be." 
 
 " I fear it will cause some of our 
 young men to grow up profligates
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 149 
 
 (said Thomas, half to himself this con- 
 fession was forced oat by his troubled 
 conscience) and if it does won't I be 
 blamed for it?" 
 
 "Not at all, sir; not at all. Just, let 
 me show you how that is. Your busi- 
 ness is to build store-rooms to rent. In 
 doing that, you add to the wealth and 
 attractiveness of your town, and do your 
 duty as one of its citizens/ Don't you 
 see? Well, now, when a man comes to 
 you to rent one of those rooms, you rent 
 it to him, provided he pays your price. 
 Now, it is not your place to inquire what 
 use he is going to make of it, just so he 
 don't abuse it. Don't you see ? If I go 
 to a merchant, and buy a rope, he doesn't 
 inquire if I am going to hang myself, or 
 some one else. Don't you see ?" 
 
 Thomas thought he saw. lie was 
 very willing to see. The four ten dol-
 
 150 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 lar bills, fluttering iu the hand of Jones, 
 opened his eyes, and hastened his efforts 
 to still his conscience that was crying 
 out against the act. He took the 
 money and nervously tucked it away in 
 his purse. His conscience lashed him 
 as it never had before. 
 
 " It is not my fault. I didn't know 
 what his business was." He said to 
 himself. 
 
 "It is your fault. You did know 
 what his business is, before you ever 
 touched the money," said Conscience. 
 
 "I can't help it now." 
 
 "You can help it. Take the money 
 back, and add another ten to it, rather 
 than be an accessory to such a crime," 
 replied Conscience. 
 
 "It isn't a crime. The town licenses 
 such places. I can't help it." 
 
 "It is "*-ime. ^ T ou can help it."
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 151 
 
 " If he doesn't get my room, he will 
 rent some other" 
 
 "Then, clear your own skirts. He- 
 member, 'Cursed is the man that put- 
 teth the bottle to his neighbor's lips.' " 
 
 " I'll use the money for charitable 
 purposes at least part of it." 
 
 Stilling his conscience by this plea, 
 he gathered up his hat and hurried out, 
 to rid himself of any further thoughts 
 on the subject. In vain were all his 
 efforts, until time hushed the warning 
 voice within him. 
 
 As Judas betrayed his Master for 
 thirty pieces, so had Thomas betray- 
 ed the safety of his own' son and the 
 interests of his town for a paltry sum. 
 Judas' remorse of conscience came too 
 lute to save him from the penalty of his 
 crime. Will Thomas reap a like bitter 
 harvest I " He that soweth to the wind 
 ; l i:ill reap the whirl wiiu 1 "
 
 159 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 JONES was not dilatory in opening his 
 billiard-hall. True, it was as he said. 
 he understood his business. A musical 
 instrument, which played a variety of 
 tunes in a most charming manner, was 
 purchased, and immediately installed 
 A passer-by, hearing the sweet sounds 
 within, would imagine that a brass band 
 of the oreatest skill was the cause. At 
 
 o 
 
 other times, when the instrument was 
 changed, he would suppose an orchestra, 
 composed of organ, piano, flute, violin, 
 bass viol, and cornet, rendered the 
 music. 
 
 It requires no strong imagination to 
 conceive the influence th's combination 
 of curious mechanism and sweet sound
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 153 
 
 would have upon the youth of Green 
 Bluff. As the simple music of Snow's 
 violin and vocal powers lured them near 
 to his den, so the exquisite strains of 
 Jones' establishment tempted them to a 
 scat within its doors. Once within, they 
 could not resist the temptation to stay 
 and witness the sharp contest between 
 expert billiard players, that had been 
 brought to the place by Jones as a bait 
 for the unsophisticated. 
 
 To what lengths will the emissaries 
 of Satan go to accomplish the death of 
 a single soul ! How slow are Christians 
 to use the means at hand for thwarting 
 the designs of these Satanic agents. 
 
 Jones, himself, was attractive in man- 
 ner. He spared no pains to ingratiate 
 himself into the good graces of the 
 young, especially but of the old, too. 
 
 He was too wary to denounce, out
 
 154 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 right, their prejudices in favor of strict 
 temperance principles. Indeed, he wag 
 an advocate of temperance himself, he 
 said ; as he claimed, that any man could 
 control his appetite, if he would, and 
 need not drink to excess. He would 
 frequently say to the group of young 
 men and boys gathered in his saloon : 
 
 " Why, I'm as much opposed to in- 
 temperance as Parson Gibson, every 
 bit. I never get drunk and roll in the 
 streets. I would be mortified beyond 
 measure, if I should ever so far forget 
 my dignity as to do that. But, then, I 
 see no harm in a social glass, now and 
 then indeed, I think, it is good for 
 one's health. Besides, one can't go in- 
 to respectable society, if he don't drink 
 a little wine, or gin, or something of 
 that kind that is, in a town of any 
 size. Oh, you can, here, to be sure
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 155 
 
 but, then, you can't by-aud-by. Things 
 are changing, even here. I wouldn't 
 sign any temperance pledge. Ha ! ha ! 
 ha ! The idea is absurd ! Ha ! ha ! Why, 
 my manhood is enough pledge for me. 
 It is an old fogy notion, that we 
 mustn't have any pleasure in this world. 
 I say, let every man do as he pleases. 
 If any of you, young men, want to come 
 here, and have a good social game at 
 billiards, and then a glass of beer, or 
 wine, or gin why, I say, your fathers 
 are old fools, if they say any thing 
 against it. You'd better be here, learn- 
 ing something of the world, than at 
 home moping over an old book, or play- 
 ing servant to your mother or sister. 
 Besides, there's time enough, by-aud- 
 by, boys, to settle down and be old folka 
 but, now, while you have no wife or 
 children hanging to you, you'd better be
 
 156 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 having a good time, for you can't liavo 
 any after that. I go in for temperance 
 of course, I do : but not for absti 
 uence. No, sir." 
 
 Thus, this oily-tongued, nicely-attired 
 man, spread broad -cast his ideas of right 
 and wrong, and sowed seeds of disobe- 
 dience to parents, and tempted the youth 
 into his clutches. 
 
 More than one home in Green Bluff 
 felt the effect of his baleful influence. 
 The once-dutiful lad became restive un- 
 der parental restraint. The studious, 
 quiet, loving brother, changed into the 
 listless, noisy, impatient boy. Where 
 once was an unbroken family circle 
 around the fire-place, or gathered about 
 the social board, there was one or more 
 empty seats. The parents that once 
 bade their sons and daughters " Good 
 Night," and retired in peace, now go ti
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 157 
 
 their beds without the parting kiss of the 
 son, just budding into manhood, and re- 
 tire to toss restlessly on their couches, 
 until the heavy tread on the stairway, 
 and the half-angry mutterings in the 
 room above, tell of the return of the 
 boy that once was their pride, but now 
 bids fair to be the curse of their old 
 age. 
 
 The sales of the two liquor establish- 
 ments were immense, and their profits 
 large. This was evidenced by the cost- 
 liness of their furniture and the extrav 
 agance of their proprietors. 
 
 Snow removed his saloon from the 
 by-street, where he had first opened 
 it, to a commodious room on Main 
 street, that he might successfully com- 
 pete with his formidable rival. Ilia 
 apartment was but little less attractive 
 than the latter
 
 158 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 If these two men could grow rich by 
 this traffic, why not others ? Certainly, 
 that was a correct and sensible ques- 
 tion, and received an affirmative answer 
 from several other men as unscrupulous 
 as to the means of obtaining wealth 
 as were Jones and Snow. Not many 
 months elapsea after Jones was estab- 
 lished, before Green Bluff had the mor- 
 tification of reading among her othe- 
 signs over store doors, those of " Sunny 
 Side Saloon," "Jones' Billiard Hall," 
 "Quiet Retreat," "The Poor Man's 
 Rest," and "The Anchor House." 
 
 These all sprang up as in a night. 
 Whence they came, none could scarcely 
 tell. That they all lived, was a contin- 
 ual wonder to some. "Where do they 
 get their support?" was often asked, 
 but seldom received a satisfactory an- 
 swer.
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 159 
 
 One day, as a miner was returning 
 home from work, he stopped in front 
 of Snow's " Sunny Side," and looked 
 admiringly at the beautiful sign that 
 swung in the breeze, over his door, and 
 gazed at the nicely-painted windows 
 
 (saloons always have their windows 
 painted, and a screen before the door- 
 they are those who love darkness rather 
 thc'in light, because their deeds are evil) 
 
 through which, however, he could 
 Bee the glow of the red-hot stove. He 
 opened the door and entered. Hands 
 and feet benumbed with cold, he grate- 
 fully drew near to the fire, and, while 
 warming his cold limbs, looked about 
 on the pictures in gay colors, tastefully 
 arranged, and felt that he was in a little 
 paradise. It was so unlike his work- 
 shop his narrow, dark, damp, dismal 
 den, under the ground, where day in
 
 160 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 and day out he toiled so unlike hia 
 own home, with its scanty furnishings, 
 bare walls, bare floors, creaking doors, 
 broken windows, poor, ill-fed fire, dis- 
 tressed-looking wife, hungry children 
 so unlike these, that he wished he 
 could stay here always. He looked at 
 Snow, behind the counter, arrayed in a 
 clean white shirt, clean apron, blue 
 pants, and blacked boots, and thought 
 him his best friend. He wondered at 
 the goodness of the man that would 
 provide all these comforts for him, a 
 poor, hard-worked miner. He was as- 
 tonished at the condescension of the 
 man that would let him come into his 
 house, and, although black with the 
 dirt of the mine, permit him to sit by 
 his fire, or stretch himself upon a 
 bench and rest. As he gazed at Snow, 
 the author of his present happiness,
 
 A TEMPERANCE 8TOEY. 161 
 
 he loved him in his heart, and felt no 
 task too hard to perform for him. 
 
 Rising from his chair, brimful of 
 kind feelings, excited by his thoughts 
 just mentioned, he approached the 
 counter, and grasping Snow's hand in 
 his own black, bony one, he said : 
 
 " Ah, James, I'm glad yon have fitted 
 up ' Sunny Side ' so comfortably. You 
 may look for me -here every night, sure. 
 IIo\v could you afford it, though ? " 
 
 " I can afford any thing for such cus- 
 tomers as you. Don't I know what you 
 like?" 
 
 " Indeed, you do, James, and you 
 shall never be the loser by it. I spend 
 MS much more, sometimes, every week, 
 for liquor, than I do for my whole fam- 
 ily, clothing and all." 
 
 Just so, poor, blinded man ! Here 
 is the secret! You, and all the other
 
 162 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 poor men, give more than half of all 
 their earnings to the dram-seller, and 
 then wonder why they can afford to fit 
 up such nice apartments for your ben- 
 3fit. Yvur benefit! Those gilded pic- 
 ,,ures, that warm fire, the comfortable 
 chairs, the easy lounges, are only baits 
 to draw you on. 
 
 Do you draw a contrast between the 
 attractiveness of these places and your 
 own scant homes? Give to your wives 
 the money and the kind words yoa 
 lavish on these emissaries of Satan, and 
 your homes will come up out of their 
 degradation, and become not paradises 
 in appearance only, but paradises in 
 reality. Then the wife will no more go 
 with a broken heart and bowed head, 
 but will be the bright, joyous creature 
 she was when you married her. Look 
 no more at the man that robs you of
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 163 
 
 your money, and steals the food from 
 the mouths of your wife and little ones, 
 and tears the clothing from their backs, 
 to beautify his own den of wickedness, 
 and lure your soul to certain and eter- 
 nal ruin, and call him your friend. lie 
 is a fiend in human shape. Let the 
 words of God's own book be a warning 
 to you: "Wherefore do ye spend money 
 for that which is not bread ? and your 
 labor for that which satisfieth not!"
 
 164 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 THE time for the election .of new 
 council men came again. The advocates 
 of anti-license, depending upon the 
 strength of their principles, put forth 
 no extra effort, and, indeed, met the op- 
 position with no organization, and con- 
 sequently no concert of action. The re- 
 sult was as might have been predicted 
 from such carelessness the license par- 
 ty gained the day, again electing three 
 out of five couucilmen. 
 
 There was high glee in the various 
 saloons when the vote was announced. 
 The temperance party were chagrined 
 and grieved beyond measure. Another 
 year, at least, of ruin was before them. 
 
 The experience of the past year de-
 
 A. TEMPERANCE STORY 165 
 
 monstrated the fact, that the police force 
 must be increased. Hitherto, one mar 
 shal was sufficient to keep order. Now, 
 they found it necessary to employ three 
 policemen besides the marshal. Two of 
 these were on duty during the day, and 
 two during the night. The salary of 
 each policeman was three hundred and 
 fifty dollars, and that of the marshal five 
 hundred, to which was added a fee of 
 one dollar for every arrest of disorderly 
 person and fine for every detection of 
 violation of town regulations by saloon 
 keepers. The economy of the license 
 plan now became apparent. It was not 
 difficult for any one to calculate how un- 
 wise, in a luoney point of view, was the 
 license scheme. Five saloons, at seven- 
 ty-five dollars each, brought into the city 
 ury three hundred and seventy-five 
 dollars, while the salaries of the mar-
 
 166 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 and policemen amounted to fifteen 
 hundred and fifty dollars, leaving a clear 
 loss to the town of eleven bundled and 
 seventy-five dollars, besides the amount 
 paid out for arrests and detection of 
 irregularities of the dealers in liquor, 
 which amounted to one or two hundred 
 each year. To this, add the fees of city 
 attorney and police magistrate, and you 
 have another hundred, which makes a 
 total loss of nearly fifteen hundred 
 dollars. 
 
 These facts appeared in the report of 
 the treasurer, made public after the 
 election. Had they been known before, 
 the result might have been different. 
 They were not known. The result was 
 not different. 
 
 The quiet of the town suffered. It 
 was just after midnight, in early spring, 
 vlien the bells rang out the alarm of
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 167 
 
 fire. From every house rushed ineii 
 aud boys, gazing this and that way to 
 discover the place of the fire. The hook 
 and ladder company were soon at their 
 room, and had their car, heavily laden 
 with ropes, ladders, buckets, axes, 
 hooks, &c.j under way, drawn by a score 
 or more men roused from their slum 
 bers. To the surprise of every one, 
 flames lighted up the windows and 
 cupola of the school building. Intensest 
 indignation swayed the hearts of all as 
 they almost flew along the streets to 
 rescue this precious piece of property 
 from destruction. What could equal 
 their anger, to find the alarm caused by 
 a pile of burning boxes aud barrels in 
 the yard, ignited by a let of drunken 
 boys, who had also broken into th 
 church towers to ring the bulls to give 
 the alarm. Thankful, iiidtu-il, were all,
 
 168 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 that it was a false alarm, and yet great 
 was their anger at the depravity of the 
 ruffians that had done the deed. 
 
 "Why didn't the night watch dis- 
 cover the actors ? " 
 
 Why? 
 
 When Spring had fully come and flow 
 ers were dotting the yards and filling 
 the air with perfume, when the early 
 vegetables were ripening for use, fur- 
 nishing many poor families with a de- 
 lightful change from the unvarying diet 
 of Winter, the spirit of Satanic mischief 
 was let lose to enter the hearts of the 
 saloon loungers, so that the sun rose to 
 light up broken, dying rose bushes, 
 marred flower beds and trampled gar- 
 dens, as gates from barn-yards and gar- 
 dens had been unhinged and hid away or 
 thrown wide open, permitting cows and 
 hogs to enter and devour and destroy.
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 16S 
 
 The watering troughs at the public 
 \\clls were torn from their places and 
 piled up for blockade in the middle of 
 the street, while many of the trees in the 
 park were hacked and stripped of bark 
 and left to die. In the roads, near the 
 suburbs of the town, fences were built 
 across the highway, and boards from 
 bridges were torn up, exposing travelers 
 to imminent danger of broken limbs or 
 necks. 
 
 " Where were the night police ? " do 
 you ask ? We answer, " Where ? " 
 
 Such scenes were uncommon in Green 
 Bluff two years previous. Uncommon, 
 did I say ? Let me correct that, by 
 saying, they were not known at all 
 What wrought the change? Who so 
 blind as not to see?
 
 170 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 NEARLY two years have passed since 
 the reader first looked into Mr. Stone's 
 house. It is evening again, and we see 
 the same group gathered about the tea- 
 table. There have been some changes 
 in the appearance of two of the group. 
 A year at college has added a new beauty 
 to Lucy's face, always attractive. Her 
 affection for Walter has diminished not 
 a whit, but rather increased. It was his 
 generosity that gave her the advantage 
 of an education abroad. She knows and 
 appreciates it fully, so we wonder not at 
 the tenderness of her manner toward 
 him. Two lovers could scarcely be 
 more closely attached than are these 
 two. Scarcely, I say, for however much
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 171 
 
 love Lucy has for Walter, she has more 
 for another. The young doctor is the 
 chief of her earthly affections. 
 
 A change very marked in its outline 
 has been wrought in Walter's manner. 
 The responsibility thrown upon him for 
 the last two years has gi^en every act 
 and word the air that belongs to the 
 mature man. He is twenty-two, but at 
 times he looks ten years older. Not 
 that he has lost any of his boyish buoy- 
 ancy of spirit. His eye sparkles as 
 bright as ever, and his step is no less 
 light, but firmer. The real nobility of 
 his character is rapidly developing it- 
 self. His face betokens thought. His 
 conversation shows culture. He is a 
 collier, it is true, but for all that, he has 
 a spirit that can never be shut up in tha 
 dark mines any more than the sunlight 
 be imprisoned by doors and bolts.
 
 172 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 He has influence wherever he goes, 
 His learning is not extensive, but i.s 
 thorough and practical. His nights 
 have been spent with his books, when 
 they were not occupied with deeds of 
 love, such as visiting the sick fami- 
 lies of his men. His refinement is the 
 effect of his reading, observation, and 
 practice in the home circle. His moth- 
 er, regarded as a queen as she is to 
 him and his sister as a princess. To 
 them he manifests as much politeness 
 as he would show if in the presence 
 of the mightiest potentate. His home 
 training makes him at ease in the pres- 
 ence of the rich, the cultivated, and 
 gives him a passport into the best so. 
 ciety, and gains for him the admiration 
 of all his acquaintances. 
 
 No change is visible in Mr. and Mrs 
 Stone, uuless it be a few more gray
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 173 
 
 hairs, a little faltering in step, and a 
 slight quiver in the voice. They are the 
 two fond, proud parents we first knew. 
 
 "I do not like to be suspicious," said 
 Mr. Stone, on the evening of which 
 we write; "but, I am afraid, I have 
 grounds to be." 
 
 " Suspicious of whom, father ? " ask- 
 ed Walter. 
 
 " Of Charlie Hayes." 
 
 " Charlie Hayes ! " 
 
 "Yes. It seemed to me, as I met 
 him on the street to-day, there was a 
 tottering in his step, and " 
 
 "Father!" said Lucy, in astonish- 
 ment, dropping her knife and fork. 
 
 "And it seemed," continued her 
 father, " that he spoke very queerly." 
 
 " What will his poor mother do, if he 
 does drink ? It will surely break her 
 heart"
 
 174 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 "Well, I guess he does drink," said 
 Mr. Stone, thoughtfully. 
 
 " And so young ! " 
 
 A silence fell on alL For some min- 
 ates no one spoke. 
 
 Mr. Stone nervously thumped his 
 knife handle against the table, while 
 his head rested on his hand in a 
 thoughtful manner. 
 
 " Just as I expected," and he gave his 
 knife a harder thump. " I saw all this 
 the night a vote was taken on the li- 
 cense of Patterson. When I think of 
 the mischief that man and Jones have 
 done, I can scarcely contain myself. 
 It is murder deliberate, malicious, 
 murder in Charlie Hayes 1 case. I was 
 told, to-day, that Snow had been boast- 
 ing over his victory. It is awful ! " 
 
 "It is awful, father," said Walter, 
 " but let us hope for the best. Charlie
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 175 
 
 is iiot "beyond recovery. He is young 
 and the love for drink has not taken 
 a deep hold on him, I think." 
 
 " Perhaps not ; but that does not 
 make Snow's crime any the less, nor 
 does it excuse those men who voted 
 for his license. God's wrath is said to 
 slumber, I believe; but it will surely 
 wake up, and then where will these 
 men stand ! " 
 
 " Colbert is on the decline, too," said 
 Walter. " He is not at the mine more 
 than five days out of each week. 1 have 
 talked with him, and tried to show him 
 his danger. Sometimes he is penitent 
 and weeps like a child, and promises to 
 reform, but in less than a week he is 
 down again. He did do better for 
 awhile, before the saloons were opened. 
 Now he finds no escape from tempta* 
 tion."
 
 176 GREEN BLUFF 
 
 "If you begin to count up the vie- 
 tims, you will not be able to stop to. 
 night. And, what is worse, it is creep- 
 ing into our churches, and stealing our 
 most promising young men. There is 
 young Jambres that is going just like 
 Hayes." 
 
 "Why, father," said Lucy, in great 
 pain, "is it possible that all this has 
 been done in the last two years ? " 
 
 " All this ? " Why, my dear, you can 
 have no idea of what ruin is wrought 
 
 o 
 
 in our town until you have been on 
 the street, as I have been, and see the 
 scores of men a.nd boys that are becom- 
 ing drunkards as fast as time moves." 
 
 "And, what is worse," said Walter, 
 the sale of liquor is not confined to the 
 saloons, for many of the grocery keep- 
 ers have it to sell, or rather, as they 
 claim, to give to their customers. They
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 177 
 
 must do this to keep the trade. The 
 drug-stores deal it out as medicine con- 
 stantly." 
 
 "It is awful to think of, I declare," 
 said Mr. Stone. "What provokes me 
 worse, is to see some of our church 
 members helping the damnable traffic 
 along." 
 
 " Why, father, do they visit the sa- 
 loons?" 
 
 " No ; but worse than that, they furn- 
 ish the house to sell it in, and that for a 
 mere pittance. I would beg bread from 
 door to door, before I'd do it." 
 
 " Who does that ? You haven't told 
 me of it in your letters." 
 
 " Haven't we ? Why, no other than 
 Mr. Thomas." 
 
 " Mr. Thomas ! " said Lucy, in sur- 
 prise. "Why does John let him? He 
 surely can control his father in that!"
 
 178 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 "He claims, I believe, that business 
 is business, and that he has no right to 
 ask a man what he will put into his 
 store-room." 
 
 "Miserable excuse!" said Walter. 
 " If he should propose to use the room 
 for a hospital for the cure of yellow fever 
 or small-pox, I think he would refuse 
 to let it, and the town would rise up, en 
 masse, to prevent his letting it for such 
 a purpose." 
 
 " So they would, and justly, too. As 
 it is, he has rented it for a purpose far 
 more dangerous to the moral health of 
 the community than is small-pox to the 
 physical. What could have possessed 
 him to do it?" said the daughter. 
 
 "What possessed him? One of Sa- 
 tan's blackest imps covetousness." 
 
 "And I am afraid," said Mrs. Stone, 
 slowly, "that, like Gehazi of old, cov-
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 179 
 
 etousness will bring upon him an aw- 
 ful penalty. As the leprosy fastened 
 upon Geliazi and his family, I would be 
 afraid a like terrible disease would fas- 
 ten upon me and my family, if I should 
 do such a thing." 
 
 " That's too terrible to think about," 
 said Lucy, tremblingly, for her thoughts 
 were of the young doctor, and she shud- 
 dered to think of the consequences if lie 
 should become intemperate." 
 
 "It is not so terrible, my sister, to 
 think about danger ahead, and avoid it, 
 as it is to endure its pangs. Don't be 
 frightened, darling, but there is danger 
 of just such a consequence attending the 
 doctor and his family. God has cursed 
 the man that puts the bottle to his 
 neighbor's lips. I have never heard of 
 that curse being recalled. Use your in- 
 fluence with Jehu to persuade his father
 
 180 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 to close up that sink-hole in his store- 
 rooms. It is doing as much harm aa 
 all the other saloons put together un- 
 less it is Patterson's just because of its 
 respectability, so called." 
 
 Lucy sat musing. A tear trembled 
 on her eye-lids. Choking sobs rose, but 
 she pressed them back, and brushed the 
 tears from her eyes, and persuaded her 
 self that it was foolish to weep ovei 
 imaginary evils. Despite her efforts, 
 though, thoughts of the doctor as a 
 common drunkard, brought tears and 
 choking grief again and again. 
 
 " Let's talk of something more pleas- 
 ant," said Mrs. Stone, after a few min- 
 utes' silence. "Lucy has just come, 
 and we must not throw a cloud over her 
 path in the start." 
 
 l I wish you could have been here," she 
 continued, addressing Lucy, " the night
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 181 
 
 your brother was received into the 
 church. It was a joyful evening to me. 
 I had prayed long for just such a step 
 on his part. I feel so much more se- 
 cure now since he has taken our blessed 
 Jesus to be his Guide." Her voice 
 trembled with emotion, and tears of joy 
 chased each other down her checks, 
 while her husband fervently respond- 
 ed " Bless the Lord, O my soul, and 
 let all that is within me praise his holy 
 name ! " 
 
 " Ah ! mother, I have felt the influ- 
 ence of those prayers, and have treas- 
 ured up the words of instruction you 
 have given me. The religion you urged 
 upon me, found a living testimony in 
 the lives of you and father and Lucy I 
 could not have resisted, if I wanted to 
 -which I didn't." 
 
 The young man arose and pressed a
 
 182 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 warm kiss on the wrinkled face of bis 
 mother, and felt himself honored in the 
 privilege, and then added, with feeling: 
 
 " How grateful I am ! This after- 
 loon, as I came from the mines, I saw 
 several young men about my age, 
 lounging in front of the billiard hall, 
 bloated and filled with whisky, some of 
 them rolling on the dirty pavement, and 
 all of them swearing and quarreling, 
 and I said to myself, ' See what a pious 
 father and mother, and God's grace 
 hrve done for you. If it were not for 
 these, you might have been in their 
 pkoc.'" 
 
 "True," said his father," these have 
 beeii great helps but you could have 
 been there, anyhow. God made you a 
 free u^ent. Much depends on our own 
 will in such matters, and much depends 
 on parental instruction. Neither the
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 183 
 
 eL Id or parent is free to neglect every 
 mrAiis of salvation." 
 
 "I have another source of thankful 
 ness," added Walter, pausing a moment. 
 
 "What now?" 
 
 "One of the partners in the mine, 
 wishes to withdraw, and the others offer 
 to take me in." 
 
 " That's quite a compliment, I am sure 
 but then you can't accept the offer, 
 can you ? you haven't the money, have 
 you ? " said his father, while Lucy and 
 his mother watched his beaming face. 
 
 " Don't need any money, just now. I 
 am to put my labor in, instead of money. 
 Of course, I will receive more or less, 
 according to the .profits; but I am cer- 
 tain I will receive more than my present 
 salary besides, it will be a permanent 
 situation. Strange as it may seem, when 
 I expressed surprise at the offer, thev
 
 184 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 all remarked, that sober, steady young 
 men were so scarce, that they were dis- 
 posed to show a preference for such, not 
 only as a reward, but to exert a good in- 
 fluence over the wild ones, showing that 
 places of honor and profit are always 
 open to honesty and industry." 
 
 "Well, well" said Mrs. Stone, 
 thoughtfully. 
 
 " My precious brother ! " said Lucy, 
 throwing her arms around Lis neck. 
 
 During this conversation, Dr. Thomaa 
 was in Jones' saloon, leaning over the 
 counter, talking with the proprietor. 
 Looking at his watch, he said, 
 
 u Nearly seven ! I must be off. Have 
 an engagement to-night. The sweetest 
 girl in town, too, Jones." 
 
 " So ? Going to propose to-night, eh ! " 
 
 " Pshaw ! no ; that's settled long ago, 
 Let's have a little more of that gin
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 185 
 
 Now, some spice, cloves, or something. 
 Must be very careful, where she is 
 That is, until the knot is tied, and then 
 I'll do as I please but yet awhile must 
 not let her know I ever take any thing 
 stronger than water. Can you smell 
 any thing?" So saying, he puffed his 
 breath into the face of the saloon-keeper. 
 He had taken at least one glass too 
 much already, else he never would have 
 BO demeaned himself. 
 
 " Nothing but cloves," Jones replied, 
 and dared not show his disgust for the 
 ungentlemanly act of the doctor. 
 
 "All right, then here we go for 
 Stone's." 
 
 " He is a goner, sure" said Jones to 
 himself as his customer passed out. "It 
 will not be a year until he is in the ditch, 
 at the rate he is going now. But what 
 need I care ? he is paying a good portion
 
 186 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 of my rent each month, and probabili- 
 ties are he will pay it all, by-and-by." 
 
 It has been a year since Lucy and the 
 doctor parted. No wonder, then, her 
 heart refuses to be still and the blood 
 mounts to her face at every step heard 
 on the street. He hastens on as rapidly 
 its possible. He paints in mind the wel- 
 come he will receive, and laughs to him- 
 self in joy. Fearful of detection, he 
 uses every available means to remove 
 the smell of liquor. 
 
 A rap is heard. Lucy answers the 
 summons. 
 
 "John, my darling !" 
 " Lucy ! my own sweet one 1 " 
 Their lips meet. A sudden tremor 
 runs along every nerve of Lucy, and a 
 deathly paleness drives the rose tints 
 from her cheek. The doctor sees it, 
 and hastens her to the sofa.
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 187 
 
 " Lucy, what's the matter ? You are 
 so pale, and trembling like a leaf in the 
 winds of Winter." 
 
 " Nothing, John," and her head falls 
 on his shoulder, only to raise again as 
 if stung by an adder. Rising suddenly 
 she stands before him with pallid face, 
 saying, 
 
 "John, my dear John ! tell me truly !" 
 
 "Certainly, my dearest, anything you 
 would know." 
 
 The doctor summoned all his wits and 
 strength to talk straight and soberly. 
 
 " Pardon me, if I wrong you, but" 
 
 She could go no further, but sat down, 
 weeping. 
 
 " Speak freely, dear, whatever you 
 have to say. You trouble me so," and 
 a look of pain crossed his face. 
 
 "John I am foolish, I know; but we 
 have just been discussing this terrible
 
 188 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 liquor traffic, and I thought when you 
 came I inhaled some of its fumes." 
 
 " Ah ! my dear, you must trust me 
 more than that. You did smell some 
 gin, I guess. I stopped at Jones' on some 
 business, and he insisted on my tasting 
 some gin he had received, and I did so : 
 just like I would taste any drug, to test 
 its virtue, that is, its strength." 
 
 The last part was a deliberate false- 
 hood. Lucy, in her simplicity, received 
 the explanation as satisfactory, and hum- 
 bly begged pardon for having suspected 
 him. He complained of unusual weari- 
 ness that night, ascribing fatiguing rides 
 that day as the cause, and left much 
 earlier than was his custom. 
 
 Lucy upbraided herself constantly for 
 her suspicious nature, and made vows to 
 be more considerate in the future. Rash 
 vows. It is always safe to keep a good
 
 A TEMPERANCE STOKY. 189 
 
 distance between you and dangei The 
 wife of a drunkard suffers untold ago- 
 nies. The wife of a genteel tippler is 
 in a fair way to become the wife of a 
 drunkard. No girl should ever receive 
 the attentions of a man that has so far 
 forgotten his manhood as to barter it for 
 
 o 
 
 momentary pleasure. If he cares not 
 enough for her love, now, to refrain for 
 her sake, he will be less likely to do so 
 after marriage. 
 
 When the tendrils of woman's affec- 
 tion twine about a congenial spirit, it is 
 like death to break them loose ; but if 
 the object of her affection is an inebriate, 
 she must prepare to suffer death itself 
 if she unites tier fortunes to his. Before 
 the vows have been ratified in the 
 presence of witnesses, there is escape 
 after that, none.
 
 190 GREEN BLUFF 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 WHY need we hesitate in our narra 
 tive ? Just before us lies a dark scene. 
 We would willingly close our eyes and 
 drop the pen, if by so doing we could 
 clear our conscience. We are describ- 
 ing realities and not fiction, save in the 
 matter of names. We can not, then, 
 turn aside. 
 
 Kosa Colbert was beloved by her 
 teachers and almost worshiped by her 
 schoolmates. She inherited all of her 
 father's natural aptness and industry, 
 and her mother's beauty and winsome 
 ways. To these attractions add unusual 
 attainments at school, and you have the 
 cause of her power to gain and retain 
 friends. In the Sabbath school, there
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 191 
 
 was no better pupil for regularity of at- 
 tendance and perfect recitation. 
 
 Several Sabbaths passed during the 
 Summer, and she was absent from her 
 class. The teacher went to her house 
 to learn the cause of her absence. 
 
 Her visit was opportune. 
 
 Rosa opened the door and admitted 
 the visitor, not with her usual bright 
 face and cheery voice, but with a shy 
 look and a trembling voice. Once with- 
 in the room, where no one else was ex- 
 cept the teacher and pupil, she gazed in 
 astonishment at the change since her 
 last visit, 
 
 "Rosa," she said, holding the little 
 girl's hand in hers, " what does this 
 mean?" Well she might ask the ques 
 tion. The floor was bare, not a picture 
 adorned the wall ; bureau and chairs 
 were gone; curtains from the windows
 
 192 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 which place was supplied by news- 
 papers. Rosa, herself, attired in a 
 frock that was little less than patch- 
 work, but neat withal. 
 
 "My dear child, what does thia 
 mean ? " 
 
 " Father had to sell them all, to pay 
 some debts." 
 
 " Doesn't he make enough at hia 
 trade to support his family ? I have 
 always heard he was the best man in 
 the mines." 
 
 " He can't work all the time he is 
 sick," said Rosa, while the tears rolled 
 down her cheeks, and sob after sob es- 
 caped her lips. 
 
 " Sick ? Why did he not let his wanta 
 be known. The church would gladly 
 have helped him." 
 
 " The men wouldn't wait, he said." 
 
 " Wouldn't wait for what T
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 1D3 
 
 "For him to pay them. They carne 
 last night and got the things. We 
 begged them to let us keep the beds, 
 for ma she is so ill." 
 
 " Beds ! child ! have they taken beds, 
 too." 
 
 "Yes, ma'm" (a sob). 
 
 " Who was so inhuman as to do that?" 
 
 "Mr. Snow" (sob after sob). 
 
 " What, James Snow," the saloon 
 keeper 1 " 
 
 " Yes, ma'm " (weeping as a child 
 only can when nearly heart-broken). 
 
 " For what does your pa owe him ? " 
 
 "For rum." 
 
 "My dear, dear little Rosa, has it 
 came to this? Your father a drunkard ! 
 Heaven have mercy upon you, and send 
 its wrath on the traffic that robs wi\v.s 
 of food and drags the beds from under 
 them ! Oh ! the inhuman traffic ! Rosa
 
 104 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 let me see your mother, if she is ill. 
 Perhaps I may do her good." 
 
 ' Oh, no, you can't help her. She 
 says you can't," she answered,- pulling 
 her teacher back, as she started toward 
 the bed-room door. 
 
 " But I must see her." 
 
 "Please don't; pa said he would whip 
 me, if I let any one in. Please don't ! " 
 
 But in vain; the lady was determined 
 to see her, and pushing open the door 
 she stood before the sick mother. Two 
 little children, younger than Rosa, lay 
 fast asleep on the floor. Mrs. Colbert 
 was lying on an old blanket in the room, 
 her head tied up in a handkerchief, put 
 on by Rosa. She was quite insensible 
 at times, and glared out of her eyes as 
 if wild. Removing the bandage, to bathe 
 her face in cold water, the lady started 
 back in hoiTor at the sight of a deep cut
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 195 
 
 above and below the eye, where the 
 drunken husband had dealt a heavy 
 blow the night before. Rosa stooped 
 and kissed the feverish lips, again and 
 again, and bathed the hot face in her 
 own hot tears. Recovering from the 
 first shock, the teacher bathed the face 
 and hands, and left to procure help and 
 necessaries. 
 
 Need we tell more? -Returning to 
 consciousness, she begged her friends not 
 to have Colbert arrested and tried. She 
 still loved him, and hoped for him yet. 
 Truly has it been said, that woman's 
 love is like the ivy which clings close 
 to the dead tree, as her love seems to 
 increase for its object as others seek to 
 destroy. 
 
 " How could Snow have the heart 
 
 to do such a thing ? " asked Mrs. Stone, 
 
 \Vulk-r was telling her the facts as
 
 196 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 he learned them from his teacher. 
 (Walter was now Sunday-school super 
 intendent.) 
 
 " Would you ask how a murderer 
 could have the heart to steal ? " was his 
 reply, as he walked the floor of his 
 mother's room, and thought' of this 
 scourge. 
 
 There seems to be times -for epidemic 
 crime. It was so in Green Bluff. 
 
 Charlie Hayes visited Snow's frequent- 
 ly. It was late one afternoon when 
 he returned. His sister met him at 
 the gate, and playfully clung to his arm 
 as he walked in. He was under the in- 
 fluence of liquor, and sought to shake 
 her off, but could not. He sprang upon 
 the steps at the door, and in a moment 
 of anger kicked back with his heavy 
 boot. He walked into the house and 
 sat down. His sister did not come. A
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 197 
 
 vague uneasiness filled his mind. He 
 went to the door. What a sight! 
 stretched on the ground was the form of 
 his darling sister, cold dead ! A black 
 spot showed the place where the blow 
 fell. The sight sobered him but too 
 late ! He was a murderer I No one saw 
 the deed but the sleepless eye of God. 
 He could escape. He could tell that 
 she fell headlong from the steps. He 
 did neither. Under the impulse of bet- 
 ter feelings, he picked up the precious 
 burden and told his mother all the facts. 
 For months her heart had ached for her 
 boy, and now it seemed bursting. On 
 his knees, by her side, he begged par- 
 don, and promised to leave forever the 
 cup. His sorrow was deep and pungent. 
 A few friends were called in ; to them 
 were intrusted the facts. All were anx- 
 ious to do any thing that Wv/uld sav
 
 198 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 Charlie, not only from imprisonment 
 for life, but from a drunkard's grave 
 which is far worse. Of the first, there 
 were no fears, as there was no one to 
 prosecute him and if there had been, 
 there were no witnesses. To save his 
 character, to rescue him from a life of 
 shame they all united. The corpse 
 was carried to the cemetery, and laid 
 away in its narrow home. Who can tell 
 the burden that rested on Charlie's 
 heart ? Could he ever again drink a 
 glass of beer without seeing the sweet 
 face of his sister dancing in every bead 
 of its foam ? Could he ever again see 
 Patterson, without thinking he was the 
 prime cause of all his misery ? It seems 
 not. Could Snow ever hour of Col- 
 bert's family without feeling in his in- 
 most soul condemned for robbing them 
 of their alH Can a wolf feel remorse
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 199 
 
 at the destruction of a child it attacks 
 and devours in the forest ? Yes, it may 
 feel sad that it is gone so soon: so 
 may the other. 
 
 There was a saloon situated in a side 
 street. Many persons frequented this 
 place, because of its seclusion. 
 
 One afternoon, late, just as the sun 
 was sinking out of sight, a wagon drove 
 up to this place; a lady" and two little 
 children dismounted, and went into the 
 den. What a sad face was hers ! the 
 tear-stain yet on it ; the color all gone ; 
 voice trembling with emotion ; frame 
 shaking with fear and smothered ansrer. 
 
 o o 
 
 She pushed open the door. The keep- 
 er looked up amazed. The loungers 
 leered from their red eyes. She no- 
 ticed none, but gazed anxiously around 
 the room. A cry of pain, scarcely audi- 
 ble, burst from her lips. She passed
 
 200 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 swiftly across the room to the cornel 
 where a well-dressed farmer sat dozing. 
 His head hung down, his hat drooped 
 over his eyes, his hair was disheveled, 
 and his body swayed to and fro under 
 the influence of liquor and sleep. It 
 was her husband, the father of the little 
 boy and girl that clung to the woman. 
 
 Oh ! the agony of that wife's heart. 
 She spoke not a word she could not ; 
 her grief mounted up like great stones 
 in her throat, and prevented utterance. 
 Taking him by the arm, she lifted him to 
 his feet, and, bearing part of his weight, 
 led him to the door out of it and 
 helped him into the wagon, after repeat- 
 ed efforts in vain on his part. Once in, 
 he fell like a log, and remained there, 
 while she drove home, the children 
 clinging close on either side. 
 
 Righteous Heaven ! is there no slum-
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 201 
 
 bering vengeance for the wretches that 
 thus deliberately break frail wives' 
 hearts, and make beggars of children ! 
 
 When the door closed behind the re- 
 treating form of the woman, what a de 
 mon-like " Ha ! ha ! " burst from the 
 lips of the bar-tender. Yea, even while 
 she was in his presence, what a devilish 
 smile covered his face, and what con- 
 tempt inspired his heart. Call him a 
 man ! Never ! Call him a gentlemen ! 
 Never ! Call his business respectable ! 
 Yes, you may when it is respectable to 
 insult wives and mothers on the street, 
 and cast them down to laugh at their 
 helplessness when in the hands of a 
 strong, brutish man. 
 
 O ! Thou ! the habitation of whose 
 throne is justice and mercy! shall not 
 these slayers of mankind and tramplersi 
 of woman's affection, feel the burning
 
 202 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 stroke of Thy long-delayed wrath? 
 From out the heavens comes the re- 
 sponse " Vengeance is mine ; I will 
 repay, saith the Lord." 
 
 Only a few days elapsed, until another 
 victim was added to the already large 
 list. A farmer brought his wheat to 
 mill. He drove a team of spirited 
 horses. In the afternoon, scarcely able 
 to sit erect in his wagon so drunk was 
 he he went to the mill for his flour, 
 received it, and started home. A pass- 
 ing train of cars frightened the horses, 
 and they dashed away, caring for his 
 control no more than for that of a child. 
 In their wild career, they ran astride a 
 hitching-post, which was struck by the 
 tongue of the wagon. The owner pitch- 
 ed forward over the front end, down 
 under the horses' heels, and was kicked 
 to death, his head being trampled to a
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 203 
 
 jelly. Thus drunken, reeling he was 
 ushered into the presence of his Judge f 
 111- fate seemed let loose. That very 
 night, a youth, from an adjoining vil- 
 lage, attempted to board a train, but, 
 being dizzy with drink, he walked be- 
 tween the platforms, instead of getting 
 on the step. The train moved off. His 
 mangled body was found by the night- 
 watch.
 
 . 904 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 IT was growing late in the evening 
 The moon was shining bright. Lucy 
 stood leaning over the gate, looking 
 wistfully down the street. She was 
 awaiting the coming of two loved ones 
 John, her betrothed husband, and 
 Walter, her darling brother. The next 
 day she was to leave for school, to be 
 absent for a whole year. She had seen 
 but little of the doctor this vacation. 
 His practice was large, he said, and he 
 could not tarry long when he did call, 
 and his calls were less frequent than 
 formerly. She knew nothing of the 
 dreadful habit fastening itself upon 
 him. She was anxious for a long, fare- 
 well visit to-night. There was so much
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 205 
 
 to talk about. She started at ever} 
 form she saw turning the comer and 
 coming toward her thinking each time 
 it was her loved one. Minutes length- 
 ened into an hour. At last, Walter's 
 quick step was heard, and his noble 
 form seen in the dim light of the moon. 
 Seeing her, his pace slackened. 
 
 "Dear Walter," she said, "I have 
 waited so long for you and- John. This 
 is my last night at home, you know. 
 What has kept you so late ? " 
 
 " I stopped at the barber-shop, sister, 
 and had to wait a long time for my 
 turn." 
 
 He was on the outside of the gate; 
 she on the inside, leaning over it, and 
 pressing her head against his. Ilia 
 eyes were averted. A slight chill ran 
 through his frame. 
 
 "You are cold, dear. Come in."
 
 200 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 " No ; not yet. I am not cold." 
 
 " Why do you tremble, then ? " 
 
 " I am a little nervous. Your going 
 away makes me so perhaps," h^ added, 
 with a faint smile, tenderly caressing 
 the head so confidingly resting on his 
 arm. 
 
 " Why doesn't John come ? " she said, 
 again peering down the street. " Per- 
 haps, he has a call to go into the coun- 
 try." 
 
 " Father, help me ! Father, strength- 
 en her ! " So breathed Walter. 
 
 " Did you see anything of him ? " 
 
 "Yes, I saw him, but didn't speak 
 with him." 
 
 " Why didn't you ? " 
 
 "Oh! this terrible uirse of whisky," 
 he said, apparently not noticing her 
 question. 
 
 "Any thing new?" she asked, divert
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 207 
 
 cd for a moment from her thoughts of 
 the doctor. 
 
 "Yes; there is something new every 
 day, it seems to me. Our town is go- 
 ing to ruin as fast as the days come and 
 go. This evening I saw a sight that 
 made my blood stand still, and freeze 
 almost in my veins. When I entered 
 the barber-shop, under Miller's store, I 
 found a well-dressed, intelligent-looking 
 young man, stretched out on the bench, 
 dead drunk. Occasionally he would 
 rouse up, and utter profane words, 
 glare wildly about the room, and then 
 lie down again, slobbering, and moan- 
 ing, and cursing." 
 
 " Oh ! dear ; what a scene ! " said 
 Lucy, putting her hands over her eyes, 
 ;ts if to shut it out. 
 
 "Then he would get up and vomit, 
 besmearing himself and the floor. At-
 
 208 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 ter a few minutes, his father, a gray- 
 haired old man, came in, and with such 
 a look of agony and shame that I never 
 want again to see, he knelt by his side, 
 and chafing the cold hands, called hig 
 son's name. He was answered only by 
 a stupid glare from the red eyes. He 
 took hold of his arm, and endeavored to 
 raise him, but he fell back, unable to 
 stand." 
 
 "Poor old man!" said Lucy, earn 
 
 estly. 
 
 "Then, calling two men, he hired 
 them to carry his son home, while -he 
 walked behind them with me so agi- 
 tated with grief that he could walk only 
 by leaning heavily on my arm." 
 
 " Oh ! Walter: then you know them." 
 
 "I do." 
 
 " Who were they ? " 
 
 " The young man was John t n 
 
 d
 
 A TEMPERANCE STOET. 209 
 
 Walter had opened the gate, and 
 stood by his sister's side. Well he did. 
 She did not faint. She said not one 
 word. But, with a look of death, she, 
 by his assistance, walked into the par- 
 lor, and threw herself on the sofa. 
 
 Can I describe the feelings of the 
 group that gathered around her ? No. 
 I will not attempt it. Can I tell the 
 anguish of her young 'heart? No. 
 Words are of no avail in such cases. 
 
 No one of that company spoke after 
 Walter finished telling his parents what 
 he had just told Lucy. Every head was 
 bowed with grief too profound for 
 utterance too deep to be relieved by 
 human sympathy They all knew ex- 
 perimentally of an unfailing cure foi 
 grief and heart-ache. To the Great Phy 
 sician of souls they went, for He called 
 *.hein when he said, " Come unto me al]
 
 210 GREEN BLUFy. 
 
 ye that labor and are heavy laden, and 
 I will give you rest." They went. He 
 lifted up their bowed spirits and healed 
 the broken hearts. But days and weeks 
 passed before Lucy left for school. 
 She bore her pain in silence at the foot 
 of the Cross, where healing streams 
 abounded. 
 
 The doctor was carried to his father's 
 house, where he remained for days. 
 
 Mr. Thomas was broken down in- 
 deed. His idol was cast down. The 
 God he had so long served in mockery, 
 appeared to him as a vengeful being 
 He found no pleasure in his service. 
 He saw that he had brought the wrath 
 upon his own head. For a pittance he 
 sold the safety of his own son, and that 
 of hundreds of others. Too late ! like 
 Judas, he repented of his sin, and 
 sought to atone for it, by returning to
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 211 
 
 Jones all the rent he had received from 
 him, if he would close up and leave. 
 Jones received the offer with contempt, 
 and said thrice that amount would not 
 induce him to give up his business. 
 
 Mr. Thomas had no place of refuge, 
 His god so faithfully served ; his god, 
 Money availed him naught ; for wheu 
 he offered thrice the amount, the keeper, 
 seeing his anxiety, told him with a smile 
 of mingled scorn and avarice, that ht> 
 should double that amount before he 
 would entertain the proposition. Thomas 
 saw himself in the hands of the cunning, 
 unscrupulous man, and turned away in 
 despair.
 
 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 THE Winter was nearly over. Dur 
 ing its stay, crime steadily increased in 
 Green Bluff. Family after family were 
 sustained by public money or private 
 donations, as their natural supporters 
 left them unprovided for, drinking up 
 not only their own earnings, but con- 
 suming the mites which their wives 
 earned by sewing or washing. Yet this 
 wholesale stealing was licensed and pro- 
 tected by law. 
 
 Business declined in every depart- 
 ment except that of liquor. The dry- 
 goods merchant and family grocer look- 
 ed in vain for the settlement of their 
 accounts. All the money went into 
 the coffers of the dram-sellers. Their
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 213 
 
 places of business were crowded day 
 and night. Their money-drawers rat- 
 tled with the silver pieces, and theii 
 wallets stuck out with bills. Not so 
 the honest merchant;. Statement of 
 accounts came in from his wholesale 
 creditor with a "Please remit," added 
 as a P. S. But there was nothing to 
 remit. Send their goods back ? Couldn't 
 do that, as they were gone gone to 
 clothe and feed the families of the men 
 that spent their substance for that 
 which was not bread, and their money 
 for that which satisfied not. Again 
 came a request from city creditor to 
 send note for the amount. This was 
 done under protest but it must be 
 done to gain a little time. The days 
 sped all too swiftly, as the merchant 
 looked over his accounts and saw the 
 names of men who once paid their billi
 
 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 regularly, but who now paid them 
 never. In vain- he added the Debtor 
 side and found it would pay all his bills, 
 and leave a handsome balance on hand 
 to increase his cash capital. It was a 
 mockery 1 He was as a man in a pool 
 of clear water, dying from thirst, but 
 unable to satisfy it, as the waters re- 
 ceded from him whenever he stooped 
 to drink. He walked his office in grief, 
 while the saloon keeper sat in his easy 
 chair, and puffed his cigar in peace. 
 Yes in peace! for he had no con- 
 science to trouble him with thoughts 
 
 O 
 
 of his damnable traffic in human flesh 
 and blood and immortal spirits. That 
 long ago was seared as with a hot iron, 
 and was past feeling. 
 
 The note is due. The money in the 
 drawer is counted. Not half enough to 
 pay the note. It is sent to the bank.
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 215 
 
 They present it for payment. The mer- 
 chant gathers together all he can, and 
 yet there is not enough. Asks the 
 bank clerk to wait a few minutes, while 
 he rushes home and gets his wife's gold 
 piece and the children's pocket money. 
 But in vain. Not enough yet. The 
 clerk leaves. Great drops of perspira- 
 tion stand on his forehead. He excited- 
 ly walks the floor; nervously turns the 
 pages of his " day-book," his " ledger,' 1 
 his "cash-book," looks over "bills re- 
 ceivable," and longs to see some of them 
 marked paid. Times flies; the -note ia 
 protested ; he is ruined. Why ? Be- 
 cause he is honest? He has been rob- 
 bed but no one believes it. The saloon 
 keeper robbed him of his dues, and the 
 town council protects them in their sys- 
 tematic rol tluTy. He h im*e/f helped them 
 to rol hitntu'lf for he voted for license,
 
 21(5 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 Crime, we say, increased, and blas- 
 phemy walked openly through the 
 streets. 
 
 It was the beginning of Spring. The 
 warm sunshine made it pleasant out- 
 doors. The shades of night were just 
 settling over the village, when a com- 
 pany of men and boys gathered in front 
 of Patterson's saloon. In the centre of 
 the group were three persons kneeling. 
 Before them, on a small box, were three 
 glasses, a bottle of gin, and a piece of 
 cake. One of the company, in mock 
 reverence, raised his eyes to heaven and 
 insulted the Holy Spirit, by asking His 
 blessing upon them. Pouring out the 
 gin, he passed a glass to each of his 
 companions, and, taking one himself, he 
 broke a piece of cake, and placed it 
 in their mouths, and then commanded 
 them to drink, in the name of Jesus
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 217 
 
 Christ, the Son of God ; after which he 
 prayed in earnestness foi a descent of 
 the Holy Spirit, while his companions 
 responded in loud Amens and Hallelu- 
 jahs. Then, after singing a hymn, with 
 impious hands outstretched, he pro- 
 nounced the benediction. 
 
 Who were these hardened wretches? 
 you ask. Don't call them wretches 
 for .only a few months ago they were 
 the chief of young men in their native 
 town. The chief actor, was John Thorn 
 as now a confirmed drunkard; the 
 other two were Charlie Hayes and his 
 rival in school honors, now his rival in 
 debauchery, Judas Jambres. 
 
 True to his word, Snow sought and 
 slew the brightest and best of Green 
 Bluff's youth. 
 
 Colbert is dead. Attempting to de- 
 scend to his work one morning, while
 
 218 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 drunk, he pitched headlong down the 
 shaft, and was gathered up a mass of 
 broken bones and quivering flesh. Hia 
 wife mourns. She is freed' from his 
 cruelty but she cannot forget the 
 handsome face, the strong arm, the 
 warm heart she wedded. She remem- 
 bers that, when not drunk, her hus 
 l>and was as kind to her as a mother to 
 her infant. It was the demon that en- 
 tered his heart through his mouth, 
 that made him the brute he was while 
 intoxicated. 
 
 Wise still lives, the attorney of all 
 the saloon keepers. He lives, but only 
 to become a debased sot. The grave of 
 a drunkard awaits him as certainly as 
 that death comes to all men. His rubi- 
 cund face and blooming nose are unmis- 
 takable signs. 
 
 Templeton and Furtherton look in
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 219 
 
 dismay at the destruction their voice 
 aud uplifted hands started and can not 
 stop. 
 
 All the saloon keepers await the on- 
 coming wrath of a just God, as uncon- 
 cernedly as the dumb cattle await the 
 plunge of the butcher's knife ; but their 
 doom is as certainly fixed as that of 
 Sodom and Gomorrah, when ten righ- 
 teous men could not be found in their 
 midst. The lovers of holiness and 
 peace, having uttered their warnings in 
 vain, can only withdraw to the moun- 
 tains of security, and await the descent 
 of the purifying, and destroying flames. 
 It will come. 
 
 Lucy passes through a cloud, but it will 
 lift in mercy, and show her a heart warm 
 and true, an arm strong and steady, 
 waiting to be her guide and protector, 
 her comforter. With him she will gc
 
 220 GREEN BLUFF 
 
 to bless the world by her pure life and 
 teachings. A wide field opens up be- 
 fore her. Her experience in suffering, 
 has deepened the already full stream of 
 sympathy in her heart, and has intensi- 
 fied her hatred for the accursed traffic. 
 Her life will be light and shade com- 
 mingled. Her joy will be the purest and 
 deepest ; her griefs softened by the pres- 
 ence of one noble, true heart James 
 Gibson son of her beloved pastor, who 
 is himself a young minister, with all the 
 ardor of his father, and with his deep, 
 abiding enmity, to the demon Drink. 
 
 Walter has come up, from humble 
 parentage, to occupy a place of honor in 
 the business world. He has not foro-ot- 
 
 o 
 
 ten his former self, as a miner, and in 
 him the laboring man finds a true friend 
 Already he has begun his labors in the 
 temperance movement, with a determin-
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 221 
 
 ation to spare neither time nor labor un 
 til Green Bluff is freed from the incubus 
 of licensed whisky shops. His income 
 increases each year. A part of it ha>> 
 been expended in purchasing a control 
 ling interest in the Green Bluff Herald^ 
 which immediately commenced a war- 
 fare against the traffic. He has not for- 
 gotten the influence of the press and 
 rostrum, in freeing our nation from the 
 black curse of human slavery, and has, 
 as far as possible, laid both under trib- 
 ute, to aid in wiping out a slavery more 
 fearful in its consequences that that, 
 since it sells the immortal, and not the 
 mortal nature, simply. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Stone live to see the 
 truth of the proverb, "Train up a child 
 in the way he should go, and when he 
 is old he will not depart from it ; " and 
 to know that the sustaining power of
 
 222 GREEN BLUFF. 
 
 God's grace, is the only true safeguard 
 against the attacks of the devil. 
 
 Green Bluff, as a city, exists, a mourn 
 ful example of the ruinous effects of 
 licensed crime. Her streets, are in 
 need of repairs. Her treasury is empty, 
 and the city in debt. With a police 
 force, she fails to preserve order, as her 
 Sabbaths are desecrated with impunity. 
 With her faithful and able ministers, 
 she fails to rescue the youth from sin, 
 as there are three saloons for every 
 church and a score of temptations to go 
 astray for every warning and induce- 
 ment to follow virtue. Her beautiful 
 park is no more a place of quiet resort. 
 Its beauty is marred. Weeds growing 
 rank, have succeeded the clean, velvety 
 sward. Where once was the song of 
 praise, is heard the voice of swearing. 
 
 Her laboring men no more gather to
 
 A TEMPERANCE STORY. 223 
 
 drink, under Heaven's blue arch, the 
 clear, cooling water, when the day's 
 work is done ; then, to separate, to go 
 home to happy wives and delighted 
 children, and pleasant homes : but 
 gather in the grog shops, behind the 
 green screen, to drink liquid death, and 
 with oaths separate to go home to weep- 
 ing, heart-broken wives, half-frightened 
 children, and desolate homes. 
 
 THB BBTB.
 
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