\ ^OF-CAIIFO/?^^ 
 
 
 .^WEUNIVER% v^lOSANCElfj> 
 
 <f?13DNVS01^ %a3AINn-3WV^ 
 
 o 
 
 '^/Sa3AINIl-3WV 
 
 ^;^ILIBRARYQ^ ^lllBRARYQ^ 
 
 ^«!/0JlW>JO-'^ 
 
 %0JllV3JO't^ 
 
 ^lOSANGElfj;> 
 
 ^OFCAilFO/?^ 
 
 '^/sii3AiNn-3WV' ^OAavagiH^"^ 
 
 ,-;,OFCAllFO% 
 
 
 ^ ^HIBRA^(9/^ 
 
 
 ^WEUNIVERi-//, 
 
 o 
 
 %133NVS01^^ 
 
 xjclOSANCElfj^ 
 
 o 
 
 > 
 
 so 
 
 '^/sa^AiNn-jwv^ 
 
 ^ ^OF-CAIIFO/?^ 
 
 ^^AavHaii-^sv"^ 
 
 AWfUNIVER5'/A 
 
 o 
 
 -< 
 
 ^ v^v;lOSANCElfj> 
 
 'Jr ^ 
 
 ^^llIBRARYGr ^^^t•llBRARYQr
 
 FOff^ ^OnAllhU/?^ 
 
 .^WtUNIVtKVA 
 
 ^^AllV«flll-# 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 "^AaaAiNO-aVkV 
 
 
 o 
 
 'Or 
 
 O 
 
 o 
 
 3> =5 
 
 '%ll3AINn-3WV 
 
 ^lOSANCEltf^ 
 o ^ 
 
 A^lllBRARYQr^ ^IUBRARYQ<: 
 
 ^<!/0JllV3JO 
 
 JITVDJO^ 
 
 ^^.OFCAii' ,^,OFCAL1FO% 
 
 "^/^aaAiNiiJwv* ^(?Aaviiani^ ^^Aavaan-#' 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^,^M1IBRARYQ^^ 
 
 \WtUNIVER5'// 
 
 SANCFlfj> 
 
 ^<!/ojiiv>jo>^ ^JVuDNvsoi^"^ "^aaAiNnawv** 
 
 ^.OFCAlIF0/?^>^ ^^Wt•UNIVERS•/^ ^lOSANCElfj^ 
 
 
 <rii30Nvsoi^ %a3AiNn-3WV^ 
 
 ^'(<lOSANCFlfj> 
 
 o ^ 
 
 .>^llIBRARYQr^ 
 
 ^lllBRARYQc 
 
 § 1 ir^^
 
 Amelia at Uncle George's. 
 
 Page 30.
 
 LCATIIIIGE LCIBP^AI^Y. 
 
 10 Vols. .*. 12mo. .*. 32.50. 
 
 Cloth Binding. Cover printed in two colors. 
 Pictures on every other pa«ce. 
 
 FOR THE YOUNGEST READERS. 
 
 FOUR O'CLOCK. 
 
 HOT POTATO. 
 
 JINKS'S GIRL. 
 JOHN PETER SMITH. 
 
 KITTEN IN PIG ALLEY. 
 LIKE 'LIZY. 
 
 LITTLE FELLOW-CREATURES. 
 MISS O'DEE'S BIRTHDAY BALL. 
 
 MISSY. 
 SHADE AND SHINE. 
 
 New York: HUNT & EATON. 
 Cincinnati: CRANSTON & CURTS.
 
 / 
 
 I^T^~ 
 
 5
 
 THE 
 
 BRANDY DROPS 
 
 OR 
 
 CHARLIE'S PLEDGE 
 
 AND 
 
 THE TEMPERANCE BOYS 
 
 By aunt JULIA 
 
 ILLUSTRA TED 
 
 NEW YORK: HUNT & EATON 
 CINCINNATI : CRANSTON & CURTS
 
 C7\h 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 (BRANDY DROPS.) 
 
 Chaptee Page 
 
 I. The Drunken Woman 9 
 
 n. The Power op Ridicule 21 
 
 III. The Brandy Drops '. 32 
 
 IV. Charlie's Repentance 38 
 
 V. To School Again 52 
 
 VI. Jefferson To'wts'ley 57 
 
 VII. Dealing with Temperance Men. . . GG 
 
 VIII. The Bible on Temperance 73 
 
 IX. Jamie Williams 81 
 
 X. A Temperance Society Formed 96 
 
 622649
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 (TEIVIPERANCE BOYS.) 
 
 CBAFTEB Page 
 
 I. Too Much Cold Water 107 
 
 n. The Thanksgiying Dinner 124 
 
 III. A New Member 141 
 
 IV. Johnny Capers and his U^•CLE 1.j3 
 
 V. An Intemperate Family 1G4 
 
 VI. George Barker's Sunday Scholar. 181 
 
 Vn. Uncle John Converted 194 
 
 VIII. New Year's Day 210 
 
 IX. Conclusion 230
 
 THE BliANDY DROPS 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE DRUNKEN WOMAN. 
 
 School was out. It was half an hour later 
 than usual, and Mrs. Martin was standing 
 at the front door, looking for her little 
 boys. Soon one of them, a sprightly lad 
 of ten, came running up with his satchel 
 of books. He had spied his mother, and 
 hastened his steps to meet her. 
 
 " You are late home, my boy,'' was the 
 mother's greeting. 
 
 Charlie raised his manly face to meet 
 his mother's eye, with such a pleasant, 
 truth-telling look, that she could not doubt 
 his word as he replied : 
 
 " Yes, mother, the teacher kept us half 
 an hour to teach us a new song.'*
 
 10 THE BRANDY DROPS. 
 
 " But I thought," said the mother, " that 
 I saw you loitering down the street ; and 
 here comes Eddie, who stood tliere even 
 longer than you." 
 
 As she spoke a delicate little boy, two 
 years younger than Charlie, came up and 
 put his hand into that of the lady, and all 
 three went into the house together. 
 
 " Indeed, mother," said Eddie, as they 
 pulled off their caps, and came into the 
 family parlor, "I did not think I was stop- 
 ping there so long ; we were just looking 
 at a poor woman that was going by on a 
 cart. Did you see her, mother ? O she 
 did look so bad ! She had on no bonnet 
 or shawd, and her hair was all down 
 around her face." 
 
 "Yes, and she tried to get up," said 
 Charlie ; " she reached out her hand, and 
 raised herself a little, and then she fell 
 back ; and her face was all swollen up so 
 that she could not more than half open 
 her eyes. What was the matter with her, 
 mother? I never saw anybody look so 
 bad before !" 
 
 " I suppose, my child, that slie had
 
 THE DRUNKEN WOMAN. 11 
 
 been drinking," replied Mrs. Martin, 
 slowly. 
 
 "AVhatI was she drunk?" exclaimed 
 both the boys at once. "Well, if I had 
 known that she was only a drunkard," 
 added Charlie, " I should not have mind- 
 ed her." 
 
 "I think," said Eddie, "that she was 
 not a drunkard ; she was a woman, and 
 she must have been sick, or may be she 
 had been hurt in some way." 
 
 "Eddie, what makes people drunk?" 
 inquired the mother. 
 
 " Why, drinking wine, and rum, and 
 brandy, or some such thing, I suppose," 
 was Eddie's reply. 
 
 " Well, then, if a woman drinks those 
 things, what is to prevent her becoming a 
 drunkard ?" 
 
 " But, mother, women never do drink 
 Buch things, do they ?" 
 
 " Sometimes they do, Eddie." 
 
 " Well, it is only wicked women that do 
 80," said Charlie. 
 
 *' Perhaps they were good once," replied 
 \lie mother ; " they might have begun by
 
 12 THE BRANDY DROPS. 
 
 taking a little because they thought it 
 would do them good. If I should do so 
 too when I feel sick or tired, perhaps I 
 might one day appear as badly as the 
 woman on the cart did." 
 
 " O mother, you never will do that, 
 will you?" said Eddie in a tone of deep 
 concern. " What would we do if you 
 should ?" 
 
 " And what do you suppose that poor 
 woman's children do?" replied Mrs. Martin. 
 
 " Has she any children ?" asked Charlie. 
 
 " I do not know, Charlie ; she may have 
 children that require a mother's care quite 
 as much as my little boys do." 
 
 " But you never do drink any such 
 thing, I know ; do you, mother ?" inquired 
 Charlie. 
 
 " Why not ?" responded the mother. 
 
 "But you won't for our sakes, ni6ther; 
 say you won't," pleaded the child ; and the 
 tears rolled down his cheeks as he hid his 
 face in his mother's lap, and his whole 
 frame shook with emotion as he added : 
 " I never could bear to see my mothej 
 looking 80 !"
 
 THE DRUNKEN WOMAN. 13 
 
 Little Eddie cried too, and Mrs. Martin 
 herself was deeply moved. She raised 
 her little Charlie, and wiping away his 
 tears, said : 
 
 "No, my son, I think you need not be 
 afraid ; your mother has promised never 
 to drink any such thing. She signed the 
 pledge some years ago, and so did yonr 
 father, and grandfather, and Uncle George, 
 and sister Amelia ; and I want you and 
 Eddie to sign it too, by and by." 
 
 " What is the pledge, mother ?" asked 
 Eddie. 
 
 " It is promising never to drink any- 
 thing that can make you drunk, and writ- 
 ing it down on a piece of paper, and sign- 
 ing your name to it." 
 
 " O mother," said Charlie, " we shall 
 never drink anything to make us drunk !" 
 
 "Yes," chimed in Eddie, "I'd promise 
 that very quick." 
 
 "Then we will make arrangements to 
 have you both sign the pledge, if yon 
 wish to," was Mrs. Martin's reply. She 
 thought it best for them to understand its 
 meaning and something of its importance,
 
 14 THE BRANDY DROPS. 
 
 before they made such a promise. And 
 she was right, for they would be much 
 more likely to keep it, and feel it binding 
 upon them. 
 
 "Why all so sober?" cried Mr. Martin 
 coming in just at this time. 
 
 The boys both ran to meet their father, 
 and soon they were seated one on each 
 knee, telling all they had seen and heard, 
 while their mother went to bring little 
 Winslow from the nursery. He was the 
 baby, a cunning little fellow just running 
 alone, and answering to the call of " Win- 
 nie." When the father came home late 
 in the afternoon, Winnie was always 
 brought down from the nursery, and the 
 whole family were together for the even- 
 ing meal. 
 
 " Papa, papa !" cried the little fellow, 
 and the two older brothers cheerfully 
 jumped down, and lifted the little one into 
 papa's lap, while they drew up chaii-s to 
 his side. 
 
 " So," said Mr. Martin after all was ar- 
 ranged, " you have been promising never 
 to drink anvthing: that will intoxicate."
 
 THE DRUNKEN WOMAN. 15 
 
 '"^Intoxicate! what is that, fatlier?'' in 
 quired Eddie. 
 
 "It means to make di'nnk, my son 
 Any liquor that makes people drunk or 
 tipsy intoxicates them, and is called an in« 
 toxicating drink. So whe*^ people take 
 the pledge, they promise nov to drink any- 
 thing that will intoxicate. Then if they 
 keep their promise they never became 
 drunk or tipsy." 
 
 "O father!" said Charlie, "I think it 
 would be a good thing for that woman to 
 sign the pledge. I wish I knew where she 
 lives, and I would try to get her to sign it. 
 It would do her children so much o^ood." 
 
 o 
 
 "True," said Mr. Martin, ' it would be 
 a good thing for her and a great many 
 others like her to sign the pledge. But it 
 would be very difficult for them to keep 
 it, because they have learned to lovt. 
 strong drink. The best way is for people 
 to promise while young never to drink, and 
 then they will not learn to love it. Shall 
 I tell you of a little sailor boy who took 
 tii« pledge from his mother's lips once?" 
 
 "O ye?, do!" said botii th© boys, at once.
 
 16 THE BRANDY DR0P8. 
 
 " "Well, this little boy lived among tLe 
 green hills of Vermont. Who can telJ 
 me where Vermont is?" 
 
 " It is one of the New-England states, 
 and is nearly north of here," replied Char 
 lie. 
 
 "And how much sea-shore has it?" 
 
 Charlie thought it had about eighteen 
 miles, but Eddie, who had just been study- 
 ing about it, and had a very good mem- 
 ory, was sure it had none. 
 
 " Eddie is right this time," said the 
 father; "and although this little boy was 
 a long way from the ocean, he took it 
 into his head that it would be the nicest 
 thing in the world to be a sailor. Nothing 
 else would satisfy him. His father and 
 mother were poor, and he their only child. 
 It \Ad-s hard parting, but they could not 
 deny him what he wished so much. Be- 
 sides, too, he had so many plans in his 
 head for helping them by and by, when 
 he should have earned a great deal of 
 money, and come back to them. His 
 little bundle of clothing was made up, 
 and on a bright spring morning he stood
 
 THE DKVNKEN WOMAN. 
 
 17 
 
 here by the cottage-dooi, with his hand in 
 .hat of his mother, and the big tears were 
 in his eyes as she gave him the parting 
 kiss. 
 
 " 'My son, said she, ' I have never seen 
 the ocean, but they tell me that the great 
 temptation of the sailor is strong drink 
 Now promise me, my son, that you nevei 
 will touch it.' 
 
 "He did promise. He went to sen. 
 lie passed through sunshine, storm, and 
 ehipwreck. He sailed the broad world 
 over; to tJalcutta, to the Mediterranean, 
 \nd to the northern and the southern 
 oceans, to the Cape of Good Hope, and to
 
 18 THE BRANDY DROPS, 
 
 San Francisco. He saw his fellow -sai'\"^ 
 drink and they seemed to eiijoj it, and 
 they offered it to him ; but in all his 
 travels, wherever he saw the glass of 
 liquor, his mother's form at the door of his 
 liome would seem to come up before him, 
 and he never touched it, never once tasted 
 it. And when at the age of sixty he 
 Baid, 'I can say that my lips are innocent 
 of the taste of strong drink.' 
 
 "He is now rich and a captain ; while 
 his parents lived he sent back money 
 enough to make them comfortable." 
 
 "That was good of him, father; don't 
 you think so ?" said Charlie. 
 
 " I do, my child. But that was not all. 
 He was once on a ship where a sailor 
 came on board drunk. Every one else 
 kicked the poor fellow around, but out 
 captain took him into his own cabin, and 
 kept him there until he had slept off the 
 intoxication. Then he asked him if he 
 had a mother. The poor man said that 
 ghe died when he was very small So the 
 captain told him of his mother, and the 
 promise that he made her at the cottage
 
 THE DRUNKEN' WOMAN- 19 
 
 Jour. The story so affected the poor sailor 
 that he gave up drinking. That was some 
 years ago. A few days since this sailor 
 called on the captain, and told liini tliat 
 he was still a sober man, and had become 
 master of one of the finest packets that 
 sails out of New-York. 
 
 That man, it seems, learned to break 
 off his bad habit ; but the best way is to 
 keep clear of it, as the Vermont boy did. 
 INTow if you sign the pledge while you are 
 boys, before you have ever touched it, 
 then you can have it to say, like the cap- 
 tain, "I know not even how it tastes!" 
 
 Charlie and Eddie both thought they 
 would like to do so, and their mother pro- 
 posed that father should bring home some 
 cards with the pledge on them the next 
 day, some pretty ones that would be worth 
 keei)ing. 
 
 You may be sure that both the boys 
 were much pleased with this arrange- 
 ment, and after suj^per they went u)) stairs 
 to their own little room. There they had 
 each a table and stool, and a set of shelves 
 where they kept all their books. Charlie
 
 20 
 
 THE BRAXDY DROPS. 
 
 said he would put his pledge away in the 
 table-drawer, but Eddie thought the nicest 
 place would be on the top of the shelves, 
 where he could look at it every time he 
 came into the room. This was a fine idea, 
 hut Charlie made sport of it, saying, " Just 
 as if a body were afraid of breaking it! 
 Wh}', do you suppose there is any danger 
 of my being a drunkard ?"
 
 THE POWER OF RIDICULE 21 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE POWER OF RIDICULE. 
 
 TiFE next morning on their way to 
 Bcliool they overtook Clitford Nash, a 
 school-mate, some two or three years older 
 than Charlie. He was a boy that had a 
 very high opinion of himself and of his 
 father's purse, and did not hesitate to 
 lauirh at anvthini; that did not suit him. 
 Now Charlie had one serious fault. He 
 may have had several, for aught I know, 
 but this one was worse than any other: 
 he was afraid of being laughed at. He 
 would have preferred that Clifford 
 should not know anything about their 
 signing the pledge. But just as soon as 
 they were within hearing Eddie sung out: 
 "Say, Cliff, we are going to sign the tem- 
 perance pledge ! Father is going to get 
 us some nice copies of one." 
 
 "The what!" exclaimed Clifford, turn-
 
 22 THE BRANDY DROPS. 
 
 ing on hi8 heel, and stopping short before 
 them with an air of surprise. 
 
 "Why, the temperance pledge!" con 
 tinned Eddie in his simplicity. " We are 
 going to promise never to taste anything 
 tliat wonld make anybody drunk, just as 
 the little sailor bey did ; are we not, Char- 
 lie ?" 
 
 " O, nonsense! what of it?" exclaimed 
 Charlie in a pet. ''Why can you never 
 hold your tongue?" 
 
 " Vinegar and pepper !" cried Clifford. 
 "What is the matter? Been taking a 
 little drop too much, I suppose, and father 
 has found it out, and is afraid his son will 
 learn to dissipate, so he wants him to take 
 the pledge, eh ?" and he gave Charlie a 
 nudge with his elbow. 
 
 Charlie was too much surprised to reply 
 at once, and he stood looking at him in 
 silence. This was answered by a taunting 
 laugh from the young lad, who added, 
 " Wonder, how I found it out, eh ?" 
 
 " It is no such thing ?" returned Charlie 
 indignantl}^. " There is not a word of 
 truth in it."
 
 THE POWER OF RIDICULE. 23 
 
 "() no, of course not!" retorted Clif- 
 ford. " He wants 3'ou to take the pledge 
 jnst for nothing. But you need not be 
 Bo hufty about it. A plagued bit do I 
 care when I am found out. And tny pop 
 knows better than to try to get me to sign 
 the pledge, for I'd break it every day. J)o 
 you suppose I would go without my wine 
 after dinner?" said he, drawing himself 
 up pompously. " Perhaps you never tasted 
 of wine. Don't have it at your table, do 
 you?" 
 
 " No, indeed !" replied Eddie, speaking 
 up bravely, "and I hope we never shall." 
 
 " You !" said Clifford with a sneer. 
 " What do you know about it? Just wait 
 till you get ofi' your frocks, won't you ?" 
 
 " I know that wine and brandy do a 
 great deal of mischief in the world, but 
 I do not mean they shall ever hurt me," 
 replied the boy. 
 
 *' Quite a preacher to be sure !" waa 
 the reply. But Eddie cared very little 
 for his sneers. A good thing it is for man 
 or boy if he dare say and do what is right 
 without being moved by ridicule.
 
 84 THE BRANDY DROPS. 
 
 By tLis time they were in tlie scliool 
 room, and the bold, bad boy, Clifford, cried 
 out: 
 
 " Halloo, boys ! want to see the ele« 
 phant? Here are two little chaps so far 
 gone that they have to turn teetotalers 
 and take the pledge ; ha ! ha ! ha !" and 
 the rude fellow laughed at his own in- 
 solence. 
 
 Just now the teacher entered, and tlie 
 noise was somewhat hushed ; but some of 
 the scholars gathered around the three 
 boys. Clifford went on with his nonsense, 
 but Charlie turned away in a pet, without 
 answering any of their questions. 
 
 " What is it, Eddie ?" inquired Jamie 
 Williams. 
 
 " Why, I told Cliff that Charlie and I 
 were going to sign the pledge, and he is 
 making a great fuss about it, and says that 
 it is because we have been getting ti^jsy ; 
 but it's no such thing." 
 
 " Well, then, what do you want to take 
 the pledge for?" asked Jamie 
 
 " Why, you see, it is just a promise 
 that we never will drink anything to make
 
 THE POWER OF RIDICULE. 25 
 
 .18 tipsy," replied Eddie. "Father told 
 as last night ahout a sailor boy that 
 promised his iiiofher, before he went 
 away, that he never would drink. And 
 he never did ; and by and by he got to be 
 a captain." 
 
 "Tell me all about it,'' said Jamie 
 
 So Eddie told him what he could re- 
 member of the story. '* And now," said 
 he, " I'd like to have it to say when I'm 
 sixty years old, that I have never tasted 
 liquor." 
 
 " Haven't you tasted it already ?" asked 
 Jamie. 
 
 " Why, no !" said Eddie, looking quite 
 surprised, as if the thing was impossible. 
 
 " Then all I have to say is, that yon do 
 not know how good it is." 
 
 " Why, have you ever drank any ?" in- 
 quired Eddie in his turn. 
 
 " Yes, indeed ; I have drank lager beer, 
 and it is first-rate. To be sure it tastes 
 quite bitter at first, but then I thought i* 
 must be good, for you know so many men 
 drink it, and I like it now. It is firsts 
 rate."
 
 26 THE BRANDY DROPS. 
 
 " Does your father know that ycu tako 
 it?" 
 
 " No, lie don't know anything abont it ; 
 but then he takes a little himself now and 
 then." 
 
 " Your father drink !" exclaimed Eddie. 
 
 " Yes, he takes brandy, or porter, or 
 Bomething nice ; but it is all the same, 
 and it is just as good for me as for him. 
 He takes it when he comes in from the 
 sliop at night, just for medicine, he says. 
 You see that is enough to show that he 
 thinks it is good, and I'm bound I'll have 
 some too." 
 
 "How can you get it? Does your 
 father give it to you ?" 
 
 " He? Not a drop of it. I 'spect he 
 would lick me if he knew that I took it. 
 It is when mother sends me to the corner 
 grocery that I get it. When the men drink 
 off their beer there is almost always some 
 left in the mugs, and so I drink it up ; and 
 once or twice Peter gave me a glass all tc 
 myself." 
 
 The signal for silence was now heard, 
 and it found quite a number of boys m
 
 THE POWER OF RIDICULE. 27 
 
 ihat scliool-room thinking aDoiit the sub- 
 ject of Temperance, and many of them 
 came to the conchision tliat Charlie and 
 Eddie did quite riglit in signing the 
 pledge. At recess Cliifurd tried to get 
 up a nickname for the two boys. He 
 called them cold-water boys, but it did 
 not go very well. Yery few of the boya 
 really liked ClifFord, and besides they 
 had learned by this time that Charlie and 
 Eddie had not been getting tipsy. So 
 there was very little said on the subject, 
 though the most that was said was on tho 
 wrong side. It is a bad way of doing 
 things, I know, but somehow it is a fact, 
 that good boys are not as bold to talk out 
 for the right, as bad boys are for the 
 wrong. I wish it were not so ; but I do 
 not know how it can be helped, unless 
 good boys will talk right out what they 
 feel, and not be afraid. And I am sure 
 they have not half so much to be afraid 
 of as bad boys have. The very feeling 
 that they are right ought to be enough 
 for them. 
 
 Charlie was very ill-natured all dav
 
 28 THE BRANDY DROPS, 
 
 It was veiy iinw:se in hitn to be S(\ foi 
 many of the boys would have taken his 
 part if he had shown a little more lova- 
 ble temper about it. You may depend 
 upon it that it is very poor policy to 
 be ill-natured. Smiles are cheap ; tiiey 
 make the one who smiles happy, and 
 win him a great many friends. But it is 
 hard work to be cross ; it makes one feel 
 so tired and uncomfortable ! 
 
 Charlie was in no mood to be pleased 
 with the pretty cards which his father 
 brought home that evening. He did not 
 venture so far as to speak crossly about 
 them, but he paid the least possible atten- 
 tion to them, and said nothing. 
 
 Eddie was delighted with them, as well 
 he might be. They were each larger than 
 his two hands, with red and blue and green 
 letters on them, and read thus : 
 
 " We do hereby pledge ourselves to ab- 
 stain entirely from the purchase, sale, and 
 use of intoxicating drinks, except for me- 
 chanical or medicinal purposes. We also 
 pledge ourselves not to offer them to our
 
 THE POWER OF KIDICULE. 29 
 
 ..riends, excepting for tliese purposes ; ami 
 we will by all suitahle means exert our 
 influence against their use as a beverage, 
 in the nation and in the world." 
 
 "And here is a place for the name!" 
 Baid Eddie joyousl3^ "O, father, how 
 very kind you are !" 
 
 "But what is the matter with you, 
 Charlie?" inquired Mr. Martin. "Don't 
 you like your pledge, my son ?" 
 
 Charlie looked contused. He did not 
 know what answer to make to this kind 
 appeal. But it so happened that he was 
 not obliged to say anything, for just then 
 there was a loud ring at the door, and in 
 another moment their sister A meHa bound 
 ed into the room, followed more leisurely 
 by their Uncle George. She was very 
 glad to see father, and mother, and hej 
 little brothers; and they la turn were very 
 glad to see her. 
 
 She had been away from home two 
 months, visiting at Uncle George's. She 
 did not expect to remain so long, but she 
 had found hei- dt-ar grandmother in poor
 
 so THE BRANDY DROPS. 
 
 health, and very glad of her comp^Lj ; so 
 she had remained, with the consent of 
 her parents. She would read to the dear 
 old lady, talk with her, sing to her, and take 
 her out in little walks around the yard, 
 and accompany her in her morning drives. 
 It is delightful to see the young giving up 
 their own pleasure, and spending their 
 time in comforting the lonely homes of the 
 aged. 
 
 As the fall advanced and the weather 
 became cooler, grandmamma's health was 
 better, and it was thought best that Ame- 
 lia should come home and go to school 
 So home she came, and Uncle George 
 with her. And what a time they did have 
 talking about the good folks at home, the 
 little cousins, the favorite pony, and I 
 know not what all ! 
 
 At any rate the pledges were forgotten 
 for that night, only Eddie took the pre- 
 caution to put his up in the bookcase. 
 Charlie carelessly laid his down on the 
 table. While they were all so busily 
 talKing with Uncle George and sister 
 Amelia, little Winnie, who was just tall
 
 THE POWER OK RIDICULE. 31 
 
 enough to pull things off the table, reached 
 np Ills chubby little hand and made a 
 prize of the colored card. Then he sat 
 down just under tlie table to look it all 
 over with his baby eyes, and diool on it, 
 and poke it over with his wet baby fin- 
 gers ; and O how pretty he did think it 
 was ! And nobody saw him, at least no 
 one said anything about it, or took it away 
 from him ; but I think that Charlie felt a 
 little guilty when he went to bed that 
 night, and it was some time before he 
 went to sleep.
 
 S2 THE BRANDT DROPS. 
 
 CHAFli-iC m. 
 
 THE BRANDY DROPS. 
 
 It was late when Charlie awoke tlie 
 next morning;, but he had not slept off the 
 ill-nature of the day before. The remeni 
 brance of its events hung gloomily over 
 liis young heart, that ought to have been 
 rejoicing like a lark in the bright sunshine 
 of that happy morning. The breakfast 
 bell rang before he was half dressed, and 
 when he ran down stairs, liis ill-humor was 
 in no way appeased by learning that his 
 Uncle George had already left in the 
 early train. He came near being sent 
 away from the table for making his sistei 
 a short answer. 
 
 What can be the matter with the usually 
 amiable C iuirlie ? Ah, he is not his own 
 master; he has not the manly independ- 
 ence that dares to do right. He does not 
 exactly wish to do wrong, but he is afraid
 
 THE BRANDY DROPS. 33 
 
 jf being laughed at if he does right. This 
 man-fearing spirit will make Charlie & 
 great deal of trouble through life, if he 
 does not get rid of it. 
 
 After prayers Eddie ran to get his tem- 
 perance pledge to show it to his sister. In 
 passing through the room to the bookcase, 
 what sliould he see but his brother's card 
 on the carpet, torn and soiled. On his 
 return Ik; bi'ought it to Cliarlie, saying: 
 
 " See here, I found your card all torn, 
 under the table." 
 
 " Why, what does that mean ?" inquired 
 his mother. 
 
 " I put it on the table, and I suppose 
 Winnie got hold of it," was Charlie's re- 
 ply, i)ut his face turned red. 
 
 " Well, that is a pity, certainly , out 
 you should not have put it the^e,'' was 
 the kind mother's remark. " Your father 
 will not be pleased with your carelessness, 
 nor very willing to get you another one " 
 
 Charlie ventured no reply, but in his 
 wricked little heart he thought that would 
 jUst suit him. 
 
 As the day passed on he could not get 
 
 3
 
 84 THE BRANDY DROPS. 
 
 rid of the feeling that he had not acted a 
 truthful part that morning toward his 
 mother. It was in vain he tried to per- 
 suade himself that he did not tell a lia 
 He did tell her that he supposed Winnie 
 had done it. But did he suppose any 
 such thing ? No ; he Ixuew that Winnie 
 did it ; he tried to deceive his mother by 
 making her think that he knew nothing 
 about it. That was, to all efl'ects and pur- 
 poses, telling a lie; he had done wrong, 
 and he knew it. I do not wonder that he 
 felt bad. 
 
 At recess that day a boy named Jeffer- 
 son Townley, one of Clifford's friends, 
 came up to Charlie and said tauntingly, 
 "So you have been signing the pledge! 
 How do you feel after it, eh ?" and more 
 talk of the same kind, until Charlie was 
 quite out of patience, and broke out with 
 a denial of signing the pledge altogethei. 
 Upon this Clifford called him a liar, and 
 referred to Eddie to prove his signing the 
 pledge. But Eddie was not to be found, 
 and Charlie finished by declaring again 
 that he had not signed the pledge, and
 
 THE BRANDY DROPS. 36 
 
 what was more, he did not intend to, H« 
 bad torn it up, and that was the end of it 
 
 "Well," said Clifford, "you are a tee 
 totaler any how; you told me so yester 
 day." 
 
 "It is no such thing!" was Charlie's 
 short reply. "I did not say anything 
 about signing the pledge, or being a tee- 
 totaler either." 
 
 " Well, Eddie said so if you did not." 
 
 "I have nothing to do with what Eddie 
 said. He can answer for himself" 
 
 " Come, now, you need not be so crusty 
 about it. I dare say you would not take 
 a drop if your life depended on it. For 
 my part I think it is really mean to be 
 obliged to promise not to take a drop, just 
 as if you were afraid to trust yourself 
 Now I've learned to take just enough and 
 know when to stop," said the little big 
 man with an important air. 
 
 " I am just as free to drink as you are,^ 
 was Charlie's boastful answer. 
 
 "I dare you to do it," said Jefferson. 
 •'You would not even venture to eat a 
 brandy drop."
 
 S6 THE BRANDY DROPS 
 
 " Just try me," said Charles. Poor 
 Doj I He had forgotten the petition, " Lead 
 ns not into temptation." He thought he 
 would just take enough to show them that 
 he was not afraid to do it. But there was 
 no moral courage about that ; he would 
 have shown much more if he had boldly 
 stood up for his temperance principles. 
 
 Jeiferson ran for the candies, and when 
 he came back reached out a handful to 
 Charlie, who ofiered to pick up one. Clif- 
 ford seeing this, burst into a loud laugh, 
 saying: "I told you so. See! the fellow 
 is afraid of them. Take a lot of them, 
 boy." 
 
 So he took them, and the others took 
 some also, to show their bravery. When 
 he had eaten those, he must needs take 
 more, for they were just as ready to laugh 
 at him now as at the first. Truly, the 
 fear of ridicule is a vevy hard master 
 They all watched him and kept him eat- 
 ing until the school-bell rang, which put 
 an end to their sport, or I do not know 
 but they would have killed the poor little 
 coward.
 
 THE BRANDY DROPS. 37 
 
 After Cliarlie returned to his seat, 1iq 
 began to feel very bad. He knew that 
 he liad been doing very wrong. AYliat 
 would his father and mother say if they 
 found it out ? He hoped they would nevct 
 know anything about [<,. He was glad 
 that Eddie did not see him eat them. 
 But suppose some of the boys should 
 tell Eddie, and he was quite sure they 
 would. He looked toward C'.itfoi'd, and 
 his glance was met with a teasing smile, 
 and a motion toward the cheeks. Char- 
 lie put up his hands and found them burn- 
 ing hot. His head seemed heavy and 
 ready to burst, and now a faint suspicion 
 crossed his mind that this was the effec* 
 of the brandy. But he could not think 
 much about anything. The room seemed 
 full of strange sounds, and the teacher a 
 great way ofl". Some of the boys looked 
 as big as horses, and appeared to be mak- 
 ing faces at him, and liually all seerao'l 
 to fade quite away.
 
 38 THE BRANDY DROPS. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 CHARLIE'S REPENTANCE. 
 
 When Charlie next knew anything of 
 what was going on about him it was even- 
 ing, and he found himself in bed at 
 home. His head ached dreadfully, and 
 he felt so tired that he could hardly stir 
 He tried to tliink wliat had happened, but 
 only remembei'ed some one teasing and 
 trying to waken liim. He felt very mi% 
 erable and very thirsty. He lolled up 
 his aching eyes and saw his mother sitting 
 near the head of the bed. 
 
 " Mother," he said faintly, " I woula 
 like some water." 
 
 It was given him and he drank eagerly, 
 How cooling it was to his burning frame. 
 
 " Mother, what has happened ? How 
 did I come here?" 
 
 " Don't you know, my son, anything 
 about it ?"
 
 Charlie's repentance. 39 
 
 "No, mother, I do not." 
 
 " Well, think about it a little, and per 
 iiaps you will remember." 
 
 He closed his eyes wearily and turned 
 iiis face toward the wall. The bad feel 
 ing in his stomach soon reminded him 
 that he had been eating something. 
 Slowly the facts came up before his mind 
 one by one — Clifford teasing him about the 
 pledge, the brandy drops that he had 
 eaten, his bad feelings afterward. Was it 
 possible that he had been drunk? Did 
 his parents know what was the matter 
 with him? And his teacher and school- 
 mates must all have known about it, for 
 he remembered that it came on in the 
 Bchool-room. And this, too, after all his 
 talk about temperance, and his repeated 
 assertion that there was no danger in hi:* 
 case. 
 
 Then came up before his mind the pic- 
 ture of the woman on the cart. Was it 
 possible that he had come home to his 
 mother looking and acting like her? and 
 that, too, after what had been said about 
 .t. What would thev all think of him
 
 40 THE BRANDY DROPS. 
 
 How could he look them in the face 
 again. Such were the bitter thoughts that 
 ran through his mind. 
 
 By and by the door opened, and he 
 knew his father's step. Mr. Martin came 
 to the bedside, and said, " Charles, my 
 son," and O how full of grief was the 
 sound of his voice. Charles looked up 
 for a moment, and then his eyes dropped, 
 and he hid his face in the bed-clothing. 
 He had nothing to say. A half-sup 
 pressed groan escaped the father, and 
 after a few minutes he left the room. 
 
 Then came his mother and brushtd 
 back the heavy masses of hair, and bathed 
 his forehead in ice-water, and as her cool 
 fingers rested on his burning temples, he 
 felt, O how sorry, that he had ever 
 grieved such a kind mother. 
 
 " M} mother, my dear mother !" he 
 murmured, throwing his arms around her 
 neck; "I am so sorry! I did not mean 
 to do so, indeed I did not," and then came 
 a gush of tears. 
 
 He felt the kiss of forgiveness on his 
 cheek, and he felt also the warm tear-
 
 CHARLIE'S REPENTANCE. 41 
 
 Arops fall, and he knew that his niothei 
 was weeping for him. 
 
 " Now, mj son," said the quiet voice of 
 his mother, "you are sick, and must rest. 
 Think no more of this till yon are better.'' 
 
 " But, mother, suppose 1 should die 
 You will forgive me, now won't you, 
 mother? I have been so naughty; and 
 I never, never will grieve you so again, if 
 I should live to be a hundred years 
 old." 
 
 " AVell, then, my son, let nie know how 
 it all happened." 
 
 So in sorrowful words and broken sen 
 tences Charlie related all that he could 
 remember of the occurrences of the day. 
 
 " And who was the one mostly to blame 
 ir all thiuT' inquired the motlier. 
 
 " It was I, mother. I know it was all 
 iiiy own fault; but I did not dream of 
 Buch a thing as this." He faltered, and 
 again he burst into tears. 
 
 " No, my son," said his mother sootli 
 ingly ; "I do not suppose that you had 
 any such purpose. But do you not see 
 that it all results from fear of beinu;
 
 *2 THE BRANDY DROPS. 
 
 laughed at? You had no wish to be 
 real! J on the side of wrong, and jet yon 
 had not the courage to come out and de- 
 clare yourself on the side of right. That 
 is just what ruins so many persons. They 
 cannot boldly say No ! when asked to 
 take a drink. So that my dear boy has 
 really taken the same first step that has 
 made so many drunkards." 
 
 " O mamma, I am not going to be a 
 drunkard," sobbed Charlie. 
 
 " I hope not, my son ; and yet how can 
 I be sure of it, if you are so much afraid 
 of ridicule ?" 
 
 The little boy made no reply to this for 
 some minutes. At last he said : 
 
 " Well, mother, I will try and not care 
 what they say, so long as 1 know that I am 
 in the right." 
 
 "That is just what I wish, my child," 
 Baid the mother, caressing him tenderly ; 
 "and you have my entire forgiveness." 
 
 " Can I not see father now ?" inquired 
 Cliarlie. 
 
 His mother left the room, and after a 
 few moments returned with his father
 
 CHARLIE'S REPENTANCE. 43 
 
 The latter had a short talk with his, little 
 Doy, which ended by his saying : 
 
 "Yes, my son, I freely forgive you the 
 past, but I shall wait with some anxiety to 
 Bee whether your conduct -will show that 
 I can fully trust your promises for the 
 future. But you must not forget that you 
 have sinned against God, that you must 
 ask his forgiveness, and that you must not 
 undertake to do any good thing in your 
 own strength." 
 
 The fatlier left the bedside, and the son 
 closed his eyes in prayer. 
 
 The next day, which was Friday, Charlie 
 was much better, but did not leave the 
 house. They were all very kind to him, 
 his parents, Amelia, and Eddie ;* but not 
 a word was said about the doings of the 
 day before. Charlie was sober and 
 thoughtful, and spent most of the day in 
 reading, or amusing his little baby brotlier. 
 Toward night his father came in, and 
 Bitting down he drew Charlie gently be- 
 tween his knees and folded liis arms around 
 him. What a nice, quiet place thai 
 was!
 
 44 THE BRANDY DROPS. 
 
 " How does nij son feel to-night {" in 
 quired the father gently. 
 
 " A great deal better, father^'' was the 
 reply. 
 
 Finally, after a long pause, Charlie said ' 
 
 " Father." 
 
 " What is it, my son ?" 
 
 "I was thinking if I could only always 
 have your arms around me so, how very 
 easy it would be never to do wrong." 
 
 " And what else did you think ?" 
 
 " O, I know that you cannot always be 
 with me." 
 
 " ]^o ; and what follows then ?" 
 
 "I suppose I must learn to take care of 
 myself." 
 
 " That is it, my child. I may be able 
 to do very much for you now, but the 
 time will come when you must altogether 
 take care of yourself. You must learn to 
 judge for yourself, and act for yourself, 
 or you will be always getting into trouble." 
 
 "Yes, father; and I have been think- 
 ing all day how foolish I was to care at aU 
 for what the boys said, so I'^ng as I knew 
 that I was in the right."
 
 CHARLIE'S REPENTANCE. 45 
 
 "True, my cliild ; mid liow coulil you, 
 c\-lit'ii you knew that your heavenly Fatlier 
 was watchino; over you, and wilhng to 
 keep you, wliose arms, if you wouhl per- 
 mit, woukl be thrown about j'ou all the 
 day, and encircle you much more closely 
 even than mine do now." 
 
 " O father, I would like to be kept so ; 
 but how can I? I want to do right, but 
 just so soon as I think that anybody is 
 looking at me, and making s])ort of me, I 
 forget all about doing right." 
 
 " You must go to God, my child, and 
 tell him all about it. lie sees all youi 
 trouble, and knows how to ]>ity and help 
 you. Then all through the day you must 
 remember that God is close by you, and 
 you must try to please him. You must 
 watch yourself carefully, and try to think 
 more about God than about those that are 
 laughing at you." 
 
 " I will try to do so, father. But wliac 
 did my mother mean last night when she 
 said that I had taken the same first step 
 that made so many drunkards?" 
 
 " I suppose she meant that you had
 
 »6 THE BRANDY DROPS, 
 
 yielded the first time tlirongh fear of being 
 laughed at." 
 
 " Is that the way with everybody?" 
 
 " Not with eveiybody. But people 
 commence drinking in that way, perhaps, 
 more frequently than m any other, Sliall 
 I tell you a story of such a case ?" 
 
 " Yes, father, do if you please," 
 
 " Some years ago, in the city of Glas- 
 gow, in Scotland, there were some young 
 people out on a holiday excursion. It was 
 the birthday of Queen Victoria. These 
 young people were going on a sailing ex- 
 cursion. It was a very bright, pleasant 
 morning, and as some of them stood there 
 talking on the deck in the best of spirits, 
 one of the young men brought along a 
 bottle of whisky and a glass. 
 
 " ' Here, my pretty miss, is a glass to 
 drink your health,' said he to one of them 
 
 "'O no,' she replied. 'I have signed 
 the pledge.' 
 
 " ' Beg your pardon,' said he, turning 
 around ; ' I hope this other lady is not a 
 teetotaler,' 
 
 "*Not at all,' replied the young man
 
 CHARLIE'S REPENTANCE. 
 
 47 
 
 that was witli her. 'Sally and I both 
 know how to drink just enough to do us 
 good, without taking too much ; and that 
 is the way to do it, I think.' 
 
 " As he said this the young stranger 
 raised the full glass to Sally's lips. She 
 jnst tasted it, and was turning away, when 
 her companion said, ' Tut, Sally, you are 
 not afraid of one glass, surely ; one will not
 
 i8 THE BRAXDV DROPS. 
 
 hurt you.' She really did not like to do it, 
 hut she yielded to their persuasions, and 
 drank it off. She was afraid of being 
 laughed at aid called a teetotaler. 
 
 " After a month Sally and her young 
 friend were married, and by and by her 
 husband found tliat she began to love the 
 vile stuff that he had once coaxed her to 
 drink. Drunkenness in a woman is not so 
 commun as among men, but it seems 
 even more horrible. It was in vain that 
 her husband tried to dissuade her. She 
 had drank to please him, and now slie 
 would drink to please herself. He signed 
 the pledge hoping that she would do the 
 same. But no; she grew worse and 
 worse, and at last she died. 
 
 "The other girl and her companion 
 were also married. They kept to their 
 temperance principles, and tried to win 
 others to their opinions, till finally the 
 husband became a temperance lecturer. 
 His house was the very picture of peace 
 and happiness. Now, which way do you 
 think was the best?" 
 
 " O, the last of course, a great deal
 
 CHARLIE'S REPENTANCE. 40 
 
 But did the pledge help them to do all 
 that, father?" inquired Charlie. 
 
 " Yes, my boy." 
 
 " And do you suppose the pledge would 
 really do me any good ?" 
 
 "I think so." 
 
 "How, father?" 
 
 "Wouhl you have ventured to take 
 even one of those brandy drops, if you had 
 promised to abstain from everything that 
 would intoxicate?" 
 
 " I suppose not." 
 
 " You see, too, that would be sufficient 
 excuse for all who might be asked to take 
 any such thing. They have signed the 
 pledge, that is enough." 
 
 ''Then, father, I'd like to sign the 
 pledge. I did not see before how it 
 would be of any use to me. I thought it 
 was only for men that could not stop 
 drinking without nuiking a promise not tt- 
 touch it. That was what the boys 
 said." 
 
 " If you would pay more attention to 
 "^'hat father and mother say, and not 
 mind the boys, you would generally find 
 4
 
 50 THE BRANDY DROrs. 
 
 yourself in the safest path. Don't you 
 think so?" 
 
 "Yes, father, and I'd like to sign the 
 pledge, if you will get me another instead 
 of that one which was torn np." 
 
 " You shall have it to-morrow. But 
 hark, there is the tea-bell." 
 
 " Wait, papa," said Charles, hanging 
 back. 
 
 " What is it, my son ?" 
 
 " I was very naughty about that card 
 you brought me the other day. I saw 
 Winnie when he tore it up, and I might 
 have taken it away from him as well as 
 not." 
 
 "Well, why did you not?" 
 
 "I was vexed about it, father, because 
 Eddie had told at school that you were 
 going to get the pledges for us, and the 
 boys laughed at me." 
 
 " O my son !" said Mr. Martin, with 
 great concern, " I am afraid you will be 
 ruined, both for time and eternity by that 
 fear of ridicule." 
 
 With tears Charles resolved to master 
 that cowardly feeling, and he had the
 
 CHARLIE*S REPENTANCE. 51 
 
 eatisfaction that evening of receiving the 
 assurances of forgiveness from both his 
 parents for the deception he had prac- 
 ticed. A great load was taken off lii? 
 heart. But he felt chastened and sub- 
 dued. Ills indiscretions had taught hitu 
 a very good and sound lesson, through 
 the after care and kindness of his parents ; 
 but I would not advise any of my young 
 friends to learn in the same way, for it is 
 very painful. Besides, we are taught in 
 the good Book that we are not to do evil 
 that good may come.
 
 d2 
 
 I-HE BRANDY DROPS. 
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 TO SCHOOL AGAIN. 
 
 Charlie was no longer like the little 
 boy that looked upon and admired the 
 deadly serpent. He did not think it 
 
 courageous to stand by and watch it. lie 
 eaw that true safety was found in fleeing 
 from temptation. So when he went to 
 school again on Monday morning, he had 
 no more vain and boastful threats to deal
 
 TO SCHOOL AGAIN. 53 
 
 out. lie made up his niiiul tliat if asked 
 whetlier lie had yet signed the pledge, he 
 should tell them truly that he had. He 
 *elt as if he did not care if the -whctlo 
 world knew it. He expected they would 
 aU laugh at him, and if they had done so 
 he would have been ready for them. But 
 temptations do not often come in just the 
 manner in which we look for them. So 
 Charlie found it. 
 
 The boj's said nothing to him about the 
 affair, though some of them eyed him 
 quite curiously. Charlie did not suspect 
 the true reason of their silence ; but the 
 fact was, they were afraid that Mr. Mar- 
 tin would go to the teachers and school- 
 officers and have them punished, perhaps 
 dismissed from the school. So Charlie's 
 courage had time to cool. After a few 
 days, when they found that notiiing was 
 said about it, they came down on Chai'lio 
 quite unexpectedly. 
 
 "Signed the pledge yet?" inquired 
 Clifi'ord. But Charlie was not entirely off 
 iiis guard, and he answered : " Yes, J 
 uave."
 
 64 THE BRANDY DROPS. 
 
 " Should think it was about time," was 
 the taunting rejoinder. 
 
 " Mean to keep it now, I suppose?" 
 
 " Indeed I do," replied Charlie. 
 
 " How does it feel to get drunk ?" wa8 
 the next insulting inquiry. 
 
 No reply. 
 
 " Won't you take some more of the 
 same sort?" inquired Jeff, as he offered a 
 handful of the obnoxious drops. 
 
 " No, I thank you," was Charlie's 
 polite reply, as he started for the school 
 room. 
 
 " Dear me, how stiff," exclaimed Clif- 
 ford with a rough w^ord. " See, boys, he 
 is just like the monkey that got tipsy." 
 
 "How was that?" asked two or three iu 
 a breath. 
 
 " Why, you see, the monkey must 
 always do as he sees his master do; and 
 one day he saw him, with some friends, 
 drinking brandy ; so he must drink some 
 too, and he took off iialf a glass, a pretty 
 good dose to begin on. Poor coot ! Didn't 
 he cut such monkey-shines there for an 
 hour as never a monkey cut before! It
 
 TO SCHOOL AGAIN. 55 
 
 made great sport for the fellows, and tlio 
 next morning tliej wanted to see it tried 
 over a<^ain. But Jack put np his hands 
 to his head to show that it ached. O ! 
 say, Charlie, did you have the headache '^" 
 
 Charlie said nothing, but he did remem- 
 ber well how severely his head ached, and 
 now he knew that the pain was caused by 
 the brandy. 
 
 " Go on ! go on !" exclaimed two or 
 three of the boys impatiently, and Clifford 
 proceeded : 
 
 " His master ordered him to drink, and 
 then he jumped for the window, and was 
 up on the roof in a minute. lie did not 
 care for the whip, and when they pointed 
 a gun at him ho jumped into the chimney." 
 
 "Turned chinmey-sweep," echoed some 
 of the boys. 
 
 " Are you going to jump Into the chim- 
 ney ?" iiHjuired Clifford. 
 
 Charlie had been standing just ready to 
 go into the house, but he knew if he did 
 BO it would only raise a laugh at his ex- 
 pense. Just as Clifford asked the ques- 
 tion, ho happened to think that it was
 
 66 THE BRANDY DROPS. 
 
 only through fear of being langlied at that 
 he stood there. He remembered that he 
 was on the side of right, and that his 
 lieavenlj Father was looking at him to 
 see if he would do right. So, looking up 
 boldly at Cliff, he replied : 
 
 "Better jump into the chimney than 
 make a fool of one's self." 
 
 This was an unexpected reply, and 
 under cover of it Charlie walked quietly 
 into the house. 
 
 " That monkey was not so big a fool 
 after all," said Jeff. " I'll be hanged if 
 I'd be made tipsy to cut capers for other 
 folks." 
 
 " All your nonsense don't amount to 
 much, CliftV' said George Barker, one of 
 the bigger boys. " Charlie has the best of 
 it, and if he sticks to his pledge, and you 
 Btick to your brandy- drops, you will see a 
 difference by and by." 
 
 With this sage remark came the calT of 
 the school-bell, and they all went into the 
 house.
 
 JEFFERSON TOWNLEY. 5? 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 JEFFERSON TOWNLEY. 
 
 Jefferson Townley was a witty, merry- 
 making, cheerful lad of aljout twelve suin- 
 iners. He was a well-meaning boy, but 
 he was so fond of sport that he sometimes 
 fell into mischief, as we have seen in the 
 case of the brandy drops. Besides, he 
 was an orphan. If lie had been under tlio 
 care of a father like Mr. Martin, wlio 
 would have watched over him and culti 
 vated his mind and heart, he might never 
 have been led to do so bad an act as 
 tentif^ting little Charlie. Those children 
 who have the care of kind parents ought 
 to look with charity on those wIk^sc pa- 
 rents death has taken away, for they are 
 not likely to have such good advice or 
 Buch kind care. 
 
 But Jeff, as he was called by the bo3'8, 
 had his thoughtful moments. Away back
 
 38 THE BRAXDT DROPS. 
 
 in the past he remembered liis mother 
 laying lier gentle hand upon his head, 
 while he heard, in the low tones of her 
 sweet voice : " My son, if sinners entice 
 thee, consent thou not." There, too, was 
 the good pastor, who had watched over 
 him after the death of his mother, (for of 
 his father he had no recollection,) and 
 had talked with him of his future pros- 
 pects, and how he hoped one day to see 
 him a worthy, noble man. But the coun- 
 try pastor was not able to take the poor 
 lone boy entirely into his own little fold, 
 which was already pretty well filled with 
 hungry lambs. Still, there he remained, 
 until a merchant from the city, who was 
 visiting in the vicinity, and was pleased 
 with the boy's appearance, proposed to 
 take him into his family. Here he was 
 to be cared for and educated till he was 
 fifteen, and then he M-as to enter the gen 
 tleman's store as a clerk. 
 
 This merchant's name was Arthur. He 
 was a frank, good-hearted man, but very 
 much engao;ed in business. He did not 
 seem to think that the young lad wanted
 
 JEFFERSON TOWNLKY. 69 
 
 paternal advice with regard to his asso- 
 ciates, and if he knew that lie associated 
 with Clifford ISTash, I suppose he would 
 have thonglit it all well enough. Mr. 
 Nash w^as a rich merchant, and !n no 
 bad repute, and Mr. Arthur inquired no 
 further. 
 
 But it is not riches alone that makes 
 either the boy or the man. Clifford Nash 
 was a spoiled child, puff"ed up with ideas 
 of his own importance, and bent on the 
 indulgence of his own appetites and 
 wishes at any cost. His papa had but 
 one thought, and that was to make mon- 
 ey; while his gay and indulgent mamma 
 was bent on spending money and killing 
 time. Cliff'ord was her pet, and nothing 
 that he wanted must be denied him, how- 
 ever injurious. 
 
 Mrs. Nash had taught her son from in- 
 fancy to love the wine cup that made its 
 daily appearance on the dinner table. At 
 first it was sweetened and fed to him with a 
 bpoon. Of course he learned to love it, and 
 as he grew older he would have more, and 
 was admitted to a share of his father's morn-
 
 8C 
 
 THE BKAlifDT DROPS 
 
 ing glass. His father thought it rather 
 cunning to see a little boy drink so bold- 
 ly, and the mother's weak remonstrances 
 were of little avail, and her frequent rep- 
 etitions of, "It will certainly make you 
 tipsy," only familiarized the boy with the 
 word till he no longer dreaded " being 
 tipsy." The next step was to get tipsy 
 just a little, to spend his pocket money 
 for drink when he could not get it at 
 home, and of course he smoked cigars too, 
 and altogether he considered himself quit©
 
 JEFFERriON TOWNLEY. 61 
 
 t fast young man, tlioui;^li not yet out of 
 short jackets. But what do you tliink of 
 him, boys? I don't believe you would 
 care to imitate his example, especially if 
 you could see him about ten years hence, 
 supposing he lives so long. Fast boys 
 and fast young men go fast to an early 
 and dishonorable grave, and Bible-read- 
 ing boys cannot help seeing that they go 
 quite too fast into the presence of an 
 angry God. 
 
 But what kind of a lad was this Clifford 
 Nash to associate with the weM-nieaning 
 Jefferson Townley ? Jeff knew very well 
 what kind of a lad he was, but he had 
 not stopped to think of the consequences 
 of being so intimate with him. George 
 Barker's words had arrested his attention : 
 " You will see a difference by and by.'' 
 What would that difference be? "Now, 
 I know," said he tohimself, "that if there is 
 going to be much difference, it is Charlie 
 Martin that will be the man if he sticks to 
 his pledge. He is getting over his fear of 
 being laughed at, and I like him better 
 than 1 ever did before. It was really
 
 62 THE BRAXDY DROPS. 
 
 mean of me to offer him those brandy 
 drops," Here the train of Jeff's thoughts 
 was broken off by a call to recitation, 
 and in another hour school was dismissed. 
 
 "Say, Jeff," hallooed Clifford, as they 
 were leaving the school ; " I thought you 
 were going with me to-night." 
 
 " Going where ?" shouted Jeff in return, 
 well knowing that Cliff" would not answer 
 at that distance, in the presence of the 
 teacher ; for it was to a very low place of 
 public amusement that Clifford had been 
 proposing to go. 
 
 And indeed before the latter had made 
 up his mind what answer to make, Jeff 
 was out of sight ; and he muttered with a 
 rough word some wonder at "what was in 
 the wind now, that Jeff' should be tagging 
 after that silly Charlie Martin." 
 
 But so it was ; and before the brothers 
 were half way home Charlie M'as sur- 
 prised by a hearty slap and a pull on the 
 shoulder, and Jeff', all out of breath with 
 running, stopped at his side. 
 
 Charlie shrank from this new trial, as 
 he feared it was, for though he was thank-
 
 JEFFERSON TOWN LET?. 63 
 
 All for liaving passed one storm so safely, 
 he was not at all prepared for anotlier tliat 
 nio^ht. Imagine his surprise, then, as Jeff 
 sung out : 
 
 " Well, Charlie, you did first-rate to-day, 
 did you not ? shut up Ciifl'' completely !" 
 
 Cliarlie's blue e3'e8 opened wide in 
 amazement, for he had thought Jefi' quite 
 as bad as Cliff. 
 
 " Don't wonder you are surprised, Char- 
 lie. It was too bad in me to offer you 
 those brandy drops. I've been thinking 
 about it ever since, and I know that you 
 are in tiie right, and Cliff is in the wrong; 
 and I'm afraid he'll turn out bad some 
 day. But there is no danger of you, if 
 you stick to the pledge." 
 
 "Why," said Charlie, ''what do you 
 mean by Clift''s turning out bad ?" 
 
 " Because he likes wine and brandy so 
 well now that he cannot let them alone , 
 how much worse will it be when he jjets to 
 be older, and can get as much of them aa 
 he likes ?" 
 
 "Do you think Cliff will be a drunk 
 ard ?" asked Charlie seriously.
 
 •54 THE BRANDY DROPS, 
 
 " Of course I do. How can he help it 
 
 if he goes on so ?" 
 
 " You won't, will you, Jeff?" said Chai- 
 lie, with a sudden confidence inspired by 
 the young lad's conversation. 
 
 "No," replied Jeff; "I am going to 
 sign the pledge." 
 
 " You !" exclaimed Charlie. 
 
 " Yes, I ; do you suppose I want to be 
 a drunkard." 
 
 What a moment was that for Charlie 1 
 Only to think that Jeff was coming ovei 
 to his side ; to have it acknowledged by 
 one he had considered an enemy, that he 
 was right, and that Clifford, from whose 
 presence he had been almost willing to 
 creep, through the power of ridicule, that 
 Clifford was wrong. And here too was 
 one of the first scholars in school fol- 
 lowing his example and taking the pledge. 
 So absorbed was he in these thoughts thai 
 he did not see that he had reached home, 
 till Eddie pulled his hand, saying : 
 
 " Come, Charlie, why don't you come in ?" 
 
 "Wait a minute," said Jeff; "where 
 did you get your pledge?"
 
 JEFFERSON TOWNLET. 65 
 
 " I don't know where it came from ; pa 
 got it for me." 
 
 " Will you ask him, and let me know 
 to-morrow ? I want to get one that talks 
 it out about right, and one that I can 
 keep, too." 
 
 "Yes, I'll ask him," replied Charlie; 
 and so with a merry "good-by," a hop 
 and a skip, Jeff ran off. 
 5
 
 66 THE BRANDY DROIB. 
 
 CHAPTER yn. 
 
 DEALING WITH TEMPERANCE MEN 
 
 After the whole story of JefF had heen 
 talked over that evening at the table, and 
 the good effects of i-ight example pointed 
 out, Eddie spoke up : 
 
 "Yes, and there's Jamie Williams ! He 
 said, last Friday, when Charley was at 
 home, sick, that he was half a mind to 
 sign the pledge if Charlie did. He said 
 he liked lager beer first-rate, but if his 
 father knew that he drank it he would 
 lick him. He did not know but he 
 would half kill him." 
 
 " Why, my son, do you use such lan- 
 guage," exclaimed Mrs. Martin. 
 
 " That is just what Jamie said, mother.' 
 
 " Very possibly ; still we do not want it 
 repeated here. We shall talk no better 
 than others if we repeat all that they say." 
 
 "Where does Jamie get his lager beer. 
 Eddie?" inquired Mr. Martin.
 
 DEALING WITH TEMPERANCE MEN. 67 
 
 " He gets it at the corner, wliere liig 
 mother sends him for groceries. He 
 Bometimes goes two or three times a day, 
 and gets a little almost every time. And 
 twice the grocer gave him half a glass to 
 himself" 
 
 " Now, my dear," said Mr. Martin, to his 
 wife, " you see the danger of patronizing 
 groceries where spirituous licpiors are 
 kept." 
 
 "I did not suppose there was so much 
 danger," replied the lady. "I would not 
 M'ish to expose even a servant to such 
 temptations, nor would I have encouraged 
 Buch dealers, nor heljied them by my cus- 
 tom, if I had known them to be so unprin- 
 cipled. I have excused myself for doing 
 so occasionally when in a hurry, because 
 it was so much further to the temperance 
 grocery." 
 
 "Well, papa," said Amelia, "I have 
 lieard it said that prices are usually much 
 higher at temperance groceries. I won- 
 der if that is so." 
 
 "Perhaps it may be so, sometimes, but 
 we must remember that tlie liquor-dealer
 
 68 THE BRAKDY DROPS. 
 
 depends on his liquors for the most ot hig 
 profits. If we get his groceries cheaper 
 on this account we become a partaker in 
 his evil deeds, and a sharer in the profits 
 of his abominable traflic. But setting 
 aside this view of the case, I presume 
 that your mother would not risk the safe- 
 ty of any under her care by sending them 
 to any place of danger." 
 
 " Certainly not," replied Mrs. Martin ; 
 ' our principles are against it. You 
 remember that when we lived in the 
 country we made it a point to deal with 
 none but temperance merchants, and I 
 think we had better return to our old 
 landmarks, if it is a little more trouble." 
 
 " Father," said Charlie, " I have heard 
 that lager beer will not make any one 
 drunk." 
 
 " I have heard such statements toe, my 
 Bon, and I have taken pains to inquire into 
 their truth. In return, I was assured by 
 an intelligent druggist that it certainly 
 does contain large quantities of alcohol, 
 and has a very stupefying effect The 
 Germans, who drink it mostly, are not so
 
 DEALING WITH TEMP FRANCE MEN. 69 
 
 easily affected by it as some others, but if 
 tliey drink enough of it they will f^et 
 drunk on it, and they frequently do so. 
 It is said to be less poisonous than many 
 other alcoholic drinks." 
 
 " Why, papa, how are they poisonous," 
 inquired Amelia. 
 
 " If they were pure, my child, they 
 would be quite expensive, and they would 
 yield but small profits, and secure but 
 small sales. So the dealers add water 
 to increase the amount; but as this wonln 
 make them too weak, they must put 
 in somethiu<^ to restore the taste and ap- 
 pearance. Among these substances used, 
 are arsenic, burned sugar, logwood, alco- 
 hol, sugar of lead, nux vomica, and many 
 many other poisonous substances. A 
 large part of the so called wine sold in oui 
 city is supposed not to contain a single 
 drop of the juice of the grape. Indeed, 
 there is not so much of some kinds of wine 
 made in the world as they pretend to sell 
 in the city of New- York. It is almost im- 
 possible to get it pure, even for medicinal 
 purposes. All these poisons have a iiorri
 
 70 THE BRANDY DROPS. 
 
 ble effect on those who drink them freely 
 They die off very quickly, sometimes in a 
 few months, and suffer the most horrible 
 agonies.''' 
 
 The next day Mr. Martin sent an invi- 
 tation by Charlie for Jeff'erson to call in 
 the evening. He did so ; and Mr. Martin 
 told him that, having heard of his inten- 
 tion to sign the pledge, he wished the 
 privilege of pi-esenting him with a copy. 
 Jefferson thanked the gentleman with his 
 best bow. Mr. Martin soon made him at 
 ease by ids kind encouraging mannei", and 
 drew him out into a conversation, in 
 which the young lad showed his good 
 sense. 
 
 " Will you be so kind, sir," said Jeff, 
 when there was a convenient pause, " as 
 to explain to me one thing about this 
 matter ?" 
 
 " With pleasure," replied Mr. Martin, 
 " if I am able to do so." 
 
 " Well, I was thinking over to-day the 
 meaning of the word temperance, and I 
 went to the dictionary. There I found that 
 it meant moderation, and was used with
 
 i)EALING WITH TEMPERANCE MEN. 1\ 
 
 /egard to eating as well as drinking. Now 
 if it only means moderation in eating and 
 drinking, I do not see bow it prevents onr 
 eating and drinking moderately of what- 
 ever we choose. So will yon please, sir, 
 to tell me how temperance in drinking 
 means letting liqnors entirely alone." 
 
 " Your criticism is quite correct, my 
 young friend," returned Mr. Martin. 
 " The temperance reform was commenced 
 by trying to induce people to use moder- 
 ation in drinking, and so prevent the evils 
 of intemperance. But the most of those 
 who once commenced drinking, could 
 never find the right place for stopping. 
 So to effect the object of the temperance 
 reform, they found that a promise must 
 be made not to drink at all. The efibrt 
 still went by the same name, and it is very 
 nearly right, for true temperance certain 
 ly requires us not to drink at all of any- 
 thing that will harm us. In Great Britain 
 the name of total abstinence, or teetotal- 
 ism is more generally used, and those who 
 take the pledge are called teetotalers oi 
 abstainers."
 
 '/2 THE BRANDY DROPS. 
 
 " 1 am very mucli obliged for the ex* 
 planation," returned Jeflf. 
 
 " Why, my boy, do yon not wish to take 
 the total abstinence pledge?" 
 
 " O yes, sir, by all means ; but I wanted 
 to understand how the name and the thing 
 agreed, so that I might know what I was 
 about." 
 
 " That is right, my lad. You will keep 
 clear of many difficulties in the world by 
 that course. I suppose you will study 
 that pledge, too, before you sign it." 
 
 "I will try to do so. Good evening, 
 sir."
 
 THE BIBLE ON TEMl'EKANCE. 75 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 THE BIBLE ON TEMPERANCE. 
 
 " Mother, mother !" cried Charlie, a 
 few minutes afterward, as he ran to the 
 nursery. No mother was there. So he 
 ran toward her bed-room. 
 
 "Mother!" he cried ai^ain. 
 
 " Mother is not here." said a gentle 
 voice. It was that of his sister Amelia. 
 " Mother is in the parlor with company. 
 My manly little brother ought to wait till 
 lie can get to the room, and not go all 
 about the house calling for some one that 
 is busy." 
 
 " That is so !" exclaimed Charlie, throw- 
 ing his arms around her neck, and imprint- 
 ing a kiss on her cheek. " My good sister 
 is always telling me something that would 
 make me better, if I would only attend 
 to it. But what are you and Eddie, talk 
 ing about here so busy?"
 
 fi THE BRANDY DROPS. 
 
 " O," replied Eddie eagerly, " sister is 
 telling me all the verses in the Bible about 
 temperance, and you can't think how 
 many there are. It seems as if there was 
 something in the Bible about all the good 
 things in the world." 
 
 " Yes ; but, Master Eddie, you need not 
 tliink you are going to have all these good 
 
 tiings to yourself," said Charlie, throwing 
 niniself down on the carpet.
 
 THE BIBLE ON TEMPELANCE. "75 
 
 " We sliall be very glad to Lave yon 
 ehare them with us," replied Amelia. "I 
 was just reading in Proverbs, where Solo 
 mon is telling his son not to drink wine." 
 
 "Well, sister, did not Christ drink wine 
 when he was on the earth, and did he not 
 once turn water into wine ?" 
 
 " True ; but 1 heard our Sunday-school 
 teacher say that was new wine, just thfe 
 fresh juice of the grape, which was com- 
 mon drink in that country. It would not 
 make anybody drunk. But when it stood 
 a long time and fermented it had alcohol in 
 it, and then it made people drunk, and 
 then it would sparkle and look bright in 
 the cup just as it says here." 
 
 " Well, read on, sister ; I won't interrupt 
 you again." 
 
 So Amelia read from the twenty-third 
 chaj)ter of Proverbs : 
 
 " ' Who hath woe ? who hath sorrow ? 
 who hath contentions? who hath babbling? 
 who hath wounds without cause? who 
 hath redness of eyes ? They that tarry 
 long at the wine; they that go to seek 
 mixed wine.
 
 '6 THE BRANDY DROPS. 
 
 " ' Look not upon the wine when it is 
 red, when it giveth its color in the cup, 
 when it moveth itself aright. At the last 
 it biteth like a serpent and stingeth like 
 an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strange 
 women ; and thine heart shall utter per- 
 verse things.'" 
 
 " There," said Amelia, " I guess that 
 is all about that. O no, it is not. This is 
 telling how he acts : ' Yea, thou shalt be 
 as he that lieth down in the midst of the 
 sea, or as he that lieth on the top of a 
 mast. They have stricken me, and I was 
 not sick ; they have beaten me, and I felt 
 it not : when shall I awake ? I will seek 
 it yet again.'" 
 
 " Why, how true that is !" said Charlie, 
 "even to the quarreling, for drunkards 
 are famous for that, you know." 
 
 " Then, too, I suppose that about the 
 ship means that they reel about like a ship 
 on the water." 
 
 " Well, sister, does the Bible say an_y • 
 thing about temperance ; that is, about 
 the drunkard ?" 
 
 " Certainly," was the reply. " Don'f
 
 THE BIBLE OS TEMPERANCE. 11 
 
 j'ou remetiiber when Paul was befoi'e 
 Felix, and reasoned of rigliteoiisness, tc?)i- 
 pei'a7ice, and a judgment to come, Felix 
 trembled ?" 
 
 "O yes!" exclaimed Charlie; "then 
 Paul was a temperance lecturer, was ho 
 not? Well, that is worth all the rest. I 
 wonder if that is all the temperance lec- 
 ture that he ever gave." 
 
 " No ; I think there were several others. 
 There is one place, I know, where he says, 
 ' Be not drunk with wine, wherein is ex- 
 cess.'" 
 
 Charlie now caught a glimpse of hrs 
 mother coming in, and he jumped up and 
 ran to meet her. 
 
 " O mother !" he said, " I am so glaa 
 that Jeif Tovvnley is going to sign the 
 pledge !" 
 
 "So ami," replied his mother; " fui 
 your sake as well as his own. It shows 
 you the influence of one boy that dares to 
 do right. And I am happy to see you in 
 Buch good spirits ; quite like yourself 
 again," and the mother's fond kiss brought 
 Ihe tears to his eyes as he thought how
 
 78 THE BRANDY DEOPS. 
 
 he had injured her feelings, and how fully 
 she had forgiven him. 
 
 " What are you thinking of, Charlie ?" 
 inquired Mr. Martin the next morning 
 after breakfast. 
 
 " I have been trying to think what could 
 have started Jeff to sign the pledge. I 
 would like to know of wnat use he thinks 
 it will be to him." 
 
 " I thought you were glad that he had 
 signed the pledge." 
 
 " So I am ; but I'd like to know what 
 he thinks about it, and if he supposes it 
 will do him much good." 
 
 " I can tell of some good that it would 
 have done somebody if he had signed it 
 some days ago." 
 
 Charlie looked up inquiringly, and his 
 father continued : 
 
 " He would not have given you those 
 brandy drops, my son." 
 
 " Why not, father ?" inquired Charlie, 
 looking a little confused at this allusion. 
 
 "Don't you remember what your pledge 
 says? I think you had better read it 
 again."
 
 THE BIBLE ON TEMPERANCE. 79 
 
 Charlie ran to get it, and soon ex- 
 claimed : 
 
 " O yes, I see ! he would have promised 
 not to offer it to his friends, and that is a 
 good idea, for if one promises not to touch 
 it himself, he ought not to offer it to hia 
 friends. But then, father, I was thinking 
 how small a chance there was that so 
 good a fellow as Jeff, one that knows so 
 much, and is so well-behaved, should ever 
 become a drunkard." 
 
 " Yerj true ; he might never become a 
 drunkard ; yet there is no surety of that. 
 Some of the most intellectual men have 
 given themselves up to drink, and it has 
 ruined them ; and sometimes they have 
 sunk as low as the vilest street drunkards. 
 Besides, wine often works mischief when 
 it does not make drunkards. Do you 
 know who was the last sovereign of France 
 l)efore Louis Napoleon ?" 
 
 " It was Louis Philippe, was it not ?" 
 
 "Yes; and his eldest son was called the 
 Duke of Orleans. This young num was 
 looked upon as the heir of his father's 
 throhe, and his excellent qualities made
 
 dO THE BRANDY DROPS. 
 
 him very much beloved and deservedly 
 popular. He was handsome, intellectual, 
 and noble, l^o one thought that he would 
 fall a victim to wine ; indeed he never be- 
 came intoxicated. But on one joyous 
 occasion he drank one glass too much ; 
 just one glass too much. On leaving the 
 company he entered his carriage, and had 
 not gone far when his horses took fright and 
 ran. If he had been quite sober, he would 
 have kept his seat, which is the safest 
 course at such times; but he jumped out. 
 If he had not drunk too much wine he 
 would have alighted on his feet ; as it was 
 his head struck the pavement and he was 
 killed. Ah, my son, you may be sure that 
 the only safe way is not to touch it. If a 
 promise will help us to avoid it, give the 
 promise freely. And besides, I think it a 
 noble thing for every one, man, woman, 
 and child, to vow eternal hatred to the 
 stuff that does so much mischief in the 
 world."
 
 JAMIE WILLIAMS. Rl 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 JAMIE WILLIAMS. 
 
 Let us visit the home of Jamie WiL 
 Jiams. It is a pleasant place, clean and 
 tidy; the mother a notable housekeeper, 
 the father a hard-working mechanic. It 
 is up two flights of stairs, but no matter 
 for that; people in the city learn to climb 
 stairs. To be sure the coal must be carried 
 up, but that is soon done ; and the water 
 makes them no trouble, for the Croton 
 carries itself up and down. 
 
 There are three children, of whom Janne 
 is the oldest; after him Sister Nell, and 
 then comes little Richard, who goes by the 
 name of Dickie. Tiie latter, poor, tired lit- 
 tle fellow, has been running the street all 
 day in this truly cold autunm weather, 
 and is now fast asleep on two chairs. Tho 
 motlier is bustling about getting supper, 
 and Jamie and Nell, one on each side of 
 6
 
 82 THE BRANDY DROPS. 
 
 the stove in the chimney corner, are get- 
 tinjj their lessons for the morrow. 
 
 Soon in comes the husband and father 
 bringing company for a variety. It proves 
 to be a shopmate, who is to go with hiin 
 up to the Crystal Palace in the evening 
 to examine some machinery. 
 
 The company is left in the neat little 
 keeping room, which is dignified by the 
 name of front parlor, while Mr. Williams 
 just steps for a moment into the back 
 room, that answers at once for kitchen 
 and dining-room ; a few words with his 
 good-hearted wife explain the nature ol 
 his visit. "Put on another plate, Mary , 
 perhaps Mr. Price won't disdain a hum- 
 ble cup of tea with us." 
 
 Then going to the closet, he reached 
 down a decanter partly filled with brandy, 
 and putting it with two glasses on a small 
 waiter, lie returned with them to the par- 
 lor. Jamie had never seen such a move - 
 mont before, and remembering all that he 
 had heard about temperance at school of 
 late, his curiosity was the more excited to 
 know what his father was going to do.
 
 JAMIE WILLIAMS. 83 
 
 So lie listened carefully to all that was 
 said, for as the door was left open he 
 could hear every word of it from where 
 he sat. 
 
 "Will you have a drop of the best 
 brandy, Mr. Price, to cheer you up this 
 evening?" asked Mr. Williams. 
 
 "No, thank you, I believe not," was 
 the reply. 
 
 " You need not be afraid of it ; 'tis the 
 genuine article." 
 
 " Perhaps so, but I never take any. In 
 fact, sir, it goes against my temperance 
 principles." 
 
 "Not such a little bit as that, I hope," 
 replied Mr. Williams, holding up about a 
 gill in a tumbler. 
 
 "I think it best not to touch it, and 
 then I know that I am safe." 
 
 " Well, now, I cannot carry the thing 
 so far as that," was the ro[)ly of Mr. Wil- 
 liams. "I know that it docis mo good. I 
 never have been in the habit of drinking, 
 but I take a little, just for medicine, at 
 night when I come in all tired out. 1 
 think people that work as hard as you
 
 84 THE BRANDY DROFS 
 
 and I do need some stimulus BesiJes, 
 you see that I am rather spare and thin 
 blooded." 
 
 " Well, if you take it for medicine, 
 why don't you take it in the same way, 
 put it up in your medicine chest, and 
 dose it out by the spoonful when it is 
 needed? I suppose if you were taking 
 regular doses of pills, or castor-oil, or 
 even anything as good as extract of sar- 
 saparilla, or hive syrup, you would hardly 
 think of offering it to a visitor. I beg 
 your pardon for the freedom of the re- 
 mark, sir; I hope you will not take it 
 amiss; I only just wanted to show you the 
 difference." 
 
 "Now," said James to himself, "I shall 
 know how to get a sup of that nice biaudy ; 
 I can pretend to be sick." 
 
 "Yes," said Mr. AVilliams, continuing 
 the conversation, " but you know that 
 temperance people do not believe in tak- 
 ing it at all." 
 
 " We do not when we can do without 
 it. We believe that it has its place in 
 medicine and in the arts, but we nevei
 
 JAMIE WILLIAMS. 85 
 
 take it so long as we can find anything 
 else tliat will answer in its place. If we do 
 take it, we do not make a constant use of 
 it, any more than we would of castor-oil, 
 or of laudanum, or opium, on which the 
 Turk and the Chinaman get intoxicated. 
 The latter is just as bad, but not quite so 
 dangerous to us, because we do not abuse 
 it so much as we do ©ur intoxicating 
 liquors." 
 
 "Well," responded Mr. Williams, "I 
 cannot say that I like these temperance 
 societies. They answer very well for the 
 lower classes, who cannot control their ap- 
 petites, but for an intelligent man who is 
 in no danoer of drunkenness to make a 
 written promise that he will not touch a 
 drop, just for nothing at all, I thiidv ia 
 ver}' foolish. Now it is not so in the old 
 countries. The res])ectable part of tho 
 community, even the church-members and 
 the ministers, have their ale and their 
 wines, or whatever they want, and leave 
 the temperance societies for the lower 
 classes, who are in danger of killing them 
 Belves off with gin."
 
 66 THE BRANDY DROPS. 
 
 "Just allow me to ask one question, 
 Mr. Williams. How much good do the 
 temperance societies do among these 
 :ower classes?" 
 
 " As much as they do anywhere, I sup- 
 pose, though I must say that the^^ are 
 pretty much a humbug wherever I have 
 Been them. All these folks that make 
 60 much ado ab'out temperance will take 
 a drop themselves when they get behind 
 the door." 
 
 " AVell, it may be so in the old coun- 
 tries ; I won't dispute, for I do not know ; 
 but it is not so- here. The most of our 
 professed temperance men are sucli really, 
 and never taste a drop of intoxicating 
 liquors, and do not have it in their houses 
 excepting in camphor or essences, or for 
 bathing. Some are so particular that 
 tliey will not touch the stuff even when 
 prescribed by tlie physician." 
 
 " Pshaw !" said Mr. Williams ; " how 
 many such houses do yon suppose there 
 are in tliese United States?" 
 
 " Hundreds of thousands, sir, scattered 
 all over the length and breadth of the
 
 JAMIE WILLIAMS. 87 
 
 land. You must not judge tlie whole 
 country by New- York city. We have too 
 many foreign customs here. But let me 
 tell you that your temperance societies 
 in Groat Britain will not be worth a straw 
 till the respectable people set the example 
 of joining them. The very reason that we 
 l>ave so many drunken foreigners here, 
 Irish, English, German, etc., is because 
 they have not been taught total abstinence 
 at home by respectable people. Why, 
 drunken foreigners outnum])er drunken 
 Americans here in our city ten to one." 
 
 I know not what answer Mr. AVilliams 
 would have made to this, for he was 
 English, and this speech did not please 
 him; but just then his wife came in 
 to greet their guest and invite him to 
 8U})per, and there was no more said about 
 the matter. lie did not want to talk of 
 Buch things before James, for he did not 
 want him to learn to drink, and these feel- 
 ings showed that he knew himself in the 
 wrong. 
 
 James went with his father that evening 
 up to tlie Crystal Palace, and in the ex-
 
 88 THE BRANDY DROPS. 
 
 citemerit of the pretty sights he forgot fo 
 the present all about the brandy. 
 
 A few days after this James, who had 
 taken a violent cold, came down in the 
 morning, looking rather poorl3^ 
 
 *' What is the matter, my son ?" inquired 
 the father when he came in. " You don't 
 look well." 
 
 James thought of the brandy in a 
 moment, and said to himself, "Now is 
 the time for it !" It is true he did feel bad, 
 but I am afraid he made out the case 
 worse than it was. His father pitied 
 him, his mother petted him, and various 
 remedies were proposed. It was finally de- 
 cided that he should remain at home, and 
 have a hot foot-bath, and drink thorough- 
 wort tea, a very diflerent medicine from 
 the brandy, James thought, and he began to 
 wish that he had made less ado about his 
 cold. Finally, he ventured to ask if a 
 little brandy would not do quite as well ; 
 but he received a very decided answer 
 from his father, who told him that brandy 
 was not made for little boys. 
 
 Soon his father went to his work, and
 
 JAMIE WILLIAMS. 8d 
 
 left poor Jamie with the bitter prospect 
 of throiif^hwort-tea before him. Xell had 
 gone to school, Dickie was in the street 
 again, Mrs. Williams was clearing away 
 the breakfixst, and Jamie was in the corner, 
 thinking of what was in reserve for him, 
 BO soon a8 his mother should have time to 
 go to the apothecary's and get the herbs. 
 
 *' Scalded feet and thoroiighwort tea !" 
 said he to himself after she was gone. 
 " Well, now that I am here all alone, what 
 is to hinder my helping myself to some 
 brandy? Kobodj will be any the wiser 
 for it." 
 
 lie opened the closet door and brought 
 a chair, on which he climbed ; but that 
 did not make him high enough to reach 
 it. Then he brought Dickie's stool, which 
 made him just high enough. But now, 
 lunv should he take it? If he should use 
 a tumbler, his mother would notice it. lie 
 would drink it out of the bottle. So he 
 tipped it up further and fuither, and then 
 there came so much of it. and so strong, that 
 he was strangled, and, losing his balance, he 
 fell backward. What a smash there was I
 
 00 
 
 THE BRANDY DROPS. 
 
 the npset stool, the sprawling boj, the 
 broken decanter, and the spilled brandy I 
 
 Jnst then Mrs. Williams, returning from 
 the apothecary's, opened the door. 
 
 " Goodness gracious !" she exclaimed ; 
 *'that beautiful decanter that my mother 
 gave me!" and she stepped forward to
 
 JAMIE WILl,IAMS. 01 
 
 pick up some of the broken fragments. 
 " How dare you ?" said she, aiming a 
 blow at James, who had by tliis time 
 picked liimself up ; but tlie naughty boy 
 dodged it, slipped out at the door, and run- 
 ning down the alley, was soon in the street. 
 
 Now what should he do? He could 
 not go to school, for he had neither books 
 nor hat, and he dared not go home again. 
 But it was not the first time he had run 
 away, and so he wandered off down to the 
 docks and among the boats. The want 
 of a hat troubled him for a while. He was 
 afraid the police would pick him up as a 
 vagrant and take him to the station-house. 
 At last he fished an old one out of the 
 dock and dried it in the sun, and this he 
 thought better than nothing. 
 
 At home dinner-time came and went, 
 but no Jamie. Mr. Williams seldom came 
 liome to dinner, but the mother knew that 
 if James did not return before his father 
 came home at night he would receive a 
 severe beating. 
 
 I am sorry to say that she felt worse 
 about this than she did about Jamie's
 
 J2 THE BRANDY DROPS. 
 
 naughty deeds, for which he deserved flog- 
 ging. It is really selfish in any parents 
 who will not have their children punished 
 when they deserve it, merely because it 
 hurts their own feelings ; but perhaps Mrs. 
 Williams did not know any better; at all 
 events she was to be pitied, as, from time 
 to time, she went out to the street and 
 looked anxiously up and down in vain for 
 her child. Ah, very few children know 
 how much trouble they make their parents. 
 Before nio-lit James beo;an to have some 
 better thoughts. If he had been a tem- 
 perance boy he would not have feigned 
 sickness for the sake of getting some 
 brandy ; he would not have broken the 
 decanter, and run away. In short, he 
 M'ould have been at school, happy, neat, 
 and clean, studying his lessons, instead of 
 wandering about hungry, cold, and guilty, 
 with the certainty of a sound flogging 
 when he reached home. He came to the 
 wise conclusion that the temperance folks 
 were the best off by far. Then, too, if it 
 was as Mr. Price said, about foreigners 
 being opposed to temperance and Ameri
 
 
 
 
 una. TflLLIAMS LOOKING FoU HEK CUILO.
 
 JAMIE WILLIAMS. Oft 
 
 cans being in favor of it, wliy^ lie ought 
 to be in favor of it, for was lie not an 
 American, born on American soil? And 
 this feeling, very common among the chil- 
 dren of naturalized foreigners, was very 
 etronff with Jamie. 
 
 But at last, home he must go. Pie had 
 found nothing all day to satisfy his hunger 
 but a fcAv half-ruttcn apples ; and besides, 
 he could not remain in the streets all night. 
 He crept up the dark alley and up the 
 stairs to the kitchen door. There was a 
 light in the room. He opened the door 
 •carefully, but seeing his father sitting there 
 reading his newspaper, evidently waiting 
 for him, he turned and ran away. It was? 
 of no use ; he was soon brought back, and 
 O what a whipping he did get! And 
 when he went sobbing, smarting, and sup 
 perless to bed, he could not help thinking 
 of the Scripture in his last Sunday-school 
 lessson : " The way of the transgressor is 
 hard."
 
 f6 THE BRANDY DR0P8. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 A TEMPERANCE SOCIETY FORMEI>. 
 
 When Jefferson Townley had stiidiea 
 his pledge, as he said, he found that he 
 must promise not only that he would not 
 use it himself nor offer it to his friends, 
 but he must try to " abolish its use as a 
 beverage from the nation and the world." 
 He did not see how he could do that, and 
 he did not like to promise anything that 
 he could not perform. So he brought it 
 to Charlie for an explanation, but Charlie 
 had thought nothing about it. Tlie next 
 resort was that Charlie should ask his 
 father. This was soon done. 
 
 " AYhy now," said Mr. Martin, " do you 
 not suppose if you could get everybody to 
 sign and keep such a pledge, that the 
 world would soon be free from intoxica- 
 tion ?" 
 
 "Yes, sir, I should think so," replied 
 Charlie.
 
 A TEMPERANCE SOCIETY FORMED, 97 
 
 "Well, if you get all you can to sign 
 jt, and if you never drink, buy, sell, nor 
 offer it to others, that would be trying to 
 abolish it from the world so far as you are 
 able." 
 
 This explanation, when reported to Jeff, 
 proved quite satisfactory ; and taking his 
 pen he wrote his name with a flourish, 
 saying : 
 
 "There, I can subscribe to every word 
 of it!" 
 
 By noon Jefferson was ready with an- 
 other proposition. Could they not get 
 some of the other boys to sign it ? would 
 not that be doing what they could to fighi 
 it out of the world ? Charlie thought 
 that would be a good idea; and then he 
 remembered what Eddie had said about 
 Jamie Williams. 
 
 ■ " Well, now," said he, "i will tell Jamie 
 that I have signed the ])ledge, and per- 
 haps he will sign it," and off they started 
 to find him. 
 
 Poor Jamie was feeling rather dull. It 
 was the da}' after his scrajie, as he called 
 it. His cold was really worse than on the 
 7'
 
 *8 THE BRANDY DROPS. 
 
 day before, and he was feeling rather sore 
 from the severe whipping. He was sitting 
 alone at his desk, when to h's surprise 
 he saw Jeff and Charlie coming toward 
 him. 
 
 " Come, Jamie," said Jeff in a cheerful 
 voice, " Charlie and I have been signing 
 the pledge ; would not you like to ?" 
 
 "Well, I don't know but I would. I 
 don't see any use it is going to be to me to 
 drink, any way ; and I do believe it is one 
 of the meanest things in the world to be a 
 drunkard." 
 
 "That is just what I think," said Jeff, 
 with a clap on Jamie's shoulder in his 
 friendly way. 
 
 So he sat down by his side and began 
 to explain the pledge. "Would he like to 
 sign all that ? 
 
 Yes, that he would ! he would like to 
 be a temperance man all over, teetotal. 
 But then where could he get such a card I 
 must he have just such a one ? 
 
 Jeff smilingly assured him that it waa 
 not necessary. It would be enough just 
 to copy that off and sign his nanm co it,
 
 A TEMPERANCE SOCIETY FORMED. 99 
 
 or promise to do it any way. " But 
 then," said ho, " I'd like to have you get 
 a card just like ours I must find out 
 where they are kept. If they do not cost 
 too much, I will get a card for every boy 
 in the school that will sign the pledge." 
 
 "Why, how will you pay for them?" 
 asked Charlie. 
 
 " I'll give my quai'ter of a dollar spend- 
 ing money that I have every week." 
 
 "It would be too bad to have you do it 
 all. I'll give my spending money, but it 
 is only ten cents. Perhaps sonae of the 
 other boys will give up theirs. Do you 
 have any, Jamie ?" 
 
 Jamie shook his head, but after a min- 
 ute he added : " I have now and then a 
 cent or two that I get for running errands. 
 I'll give you them." 
 
 "Good!" exclaimed Jeff. "Charlie, 
 you will be the treasurer. There's my 
 quarter. And perhaps your father can 
 get them cheaper than we could." 
 
 "I have only five cents left," replied 
 Charlie ; " but that shall go along with 
 it, and I'll ask father about the pledges."
 
 iOO THK BRANDY DROPS. 
 
 "Now," pursued Jeff, "let's see whc 
 else we can get to sign it. There's Eddie, 
 ne has signed it already, that makes four 
 of us. Good ! we shall be quite a little 
 company." 
 
 In the evening Charlie went with his 
 father to see about the card pleages. 
 When the stationer, who was a personal 
 friend of Mr. Martin, heard the story of 
 the little temperance societj-, he promised 
 to supply them with cards at the whole- 
 sale price, which was three cents each, 
 the usual price being live cents. So 
 little Charlie laid out his thirty cents in 
 cards. 
 
 Yery happy was Charlie to take them 
 to school the next day. By showing them 
 around they soon attracted the attention 
 of the other boys, and they k)und six 
 more who offered to join them. Jeff 
 would question each one very closely, to 
 Bee whether he was willing to keep all the 
 promises, and when he found that they 
 were willing to do so, he would hand 
 them over a card, and see that they put 
 their names to it.
 
 A TEMPERANCE SOCIETY FORMED, 101 
 
 When they had all done this, Jeff 
 sprang upon a desk and began to ha- 
 rangue them. "Now, fellow-soldiers,' 
 said he. " we must fight! We have prom- 
 ised to do our best to drive intoxicating 
 liquors out of the country, and we will 
 tight like men ; won't we, my lads V 
 
 Upon this all the boys pulled off their 
 hats, and began to hurra for temperance. 
 
 In the midst of it who should come in 
 but Clifford Nash ! Now as it happened 
 very fortunately for our little temperance 
 champions, Clifford had been absent from 
 school for some days, or else he would 
 have fought against it, and put no ordi 
 nary stumbling-blocks in their way. As 
 it was they had fairly the start of him. 
 They were all on the side of right, and 
 they knew it. From that day Cliff's in- 
 fluence among the boys of that school 
 waned. But the temperance boys, as they 
 were called, prospered finely. At the 
 suggestion of George Barker, and with 
 bis help, they formed a regularly organized 
 society, of which Jeff was unanimously 
 elected the president, Charlie the treas'i-
 
 102 THE BRANDY DROPS. 
 
 rer, and George kindly consented to lenO 
 uis aid as secretary. 
 
 It would make my story quite too long 
 to relate all their interesting adventures 
 in getting signatures to the pledge. After 
 getting nearly all the school, they went 
 out into the streets and hunted up a great 
 many little boys, and persuaded them to 
 join their society. They met at noon time 
 in the school-j'ard, and in this way many 
 a ragged little boy began to come to 
 school, and then to the Sunday school ; 
 and it would take another whole book to 
 tell half the good they did in this way. 
 
 Man}' of these deeds and adventures 
 may yet be told in some future volume 
 We think enough has been said here to 
 show the value of the pledge even to little 
 folks that we do not suppose to be in 
 much danger from intoxicating drinks. 
 And very many of our little readers could, 
 no doubt, get others to sign the pledge 
 also. Perhaps they could get up a little 
 Bociety, that would be pleasant as well 
 as useful to its members. And, to begin 
 with, here is one of the favorite hymns
 
 A TEMPERANCE SOCIETY FOKMED. \0b 
 
 ^f tbe "Temperance Boys," as they called 
 themselves. Learn it yourself, at all 
 events, and get up a temperance society 
 if you can. 
 
 THE PLEDGE. 
 
 "United in a joyous band, 
 
 We'll sign the pledge with heart and hand ; 
 
 The ruby wine we'll lay aside, 
 
 And be our country's hope and pride. 
 
 " 'T will keep the roses on the cheek, 
 Preserve the spirit mild and meek ; 
 The eye will beam expression bright, 
 The mind improve in wisdom's light. 
 
 " It makes the home of labor sweet, . 
 
 And happy faces there you'll greet ; 
 
 It leads the way to honest wealth, 
 
 And gives earth's choicest blessing- heaith."

 
 The Consultation.
 
 Tn E 
 
 TEMPERANCE BOYS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 TOO .AIUCH COLD WATER. 
 
 "Well, Charlie," said Mr. Martin 
 to his son, how does yoni- temper- 
 ance society prosper ? I have not 
 heard much about it for some weeks. 
 Do you still keep up your meet- 
 ings?" 
 
 " Yes, father," replied Charlie ; " Lat 
 t hen you know we meet in the school- 
 yaid, and it is getting to Le so cold 
 now, that the boys only stay a Httle 
 while when they do come. They run
 
 108 THE TEMPERANCE BOYS. 
 
 off to keep warm by playing, or go 
 back into the house again." 
 
 " Then they still continue to come, 
 do they ?" 
 
 " Yes, sir, they are almost all there 
 one day or another through the week, 
 but they begin to leave after they 
 have been there a few minutes ; and 
 indeed, none of us can stay long. If 
 we only had a comfortable place to 
 meet in, w^e could do well." 
 
 "Why do you not meet in the 
 school-i'oom ? Would not your teach- 
 er permit you to do so ?" 
 
 " He said we might, if we would 
 not bring in boys from the street." 
 
 "And what do you want of boys 
 from the street ? Have you not 
 enough \\ ithout them ?" inquired the 
 father. 
 
 " I think so, papa ; but as we have
 
 TOO MUrll COLD WATiai. 100 
 
 got one or two of tbem to come to 
 school, Jeff Townley thinks we had 
 better keep ^hem all in, and perhaps 
 we may get ijore of them to attend 
 Bchool. It just spoils our meetings. 
 If It were not for them we should 
 have first-rate times." 
 
 "Well, what is Jefferson going to 
 •lo about it ?" 
 
 "01 don't know. Sometimes he 
 talks about getting somebody to let 
 us have a room ; but I think he 
 might just as well let the street boys 
 go. They are only a trouble t6 us, 
 any way." 
 
 Charles said this rather bitterly. 
 To be sure, he was only the treas- 
 urer of the little society, and Jeffer- 
 son Townley was the president ; but 
 then he claimed the honor of ha^'ing 
 originated it. He took too much
 
 ] 10 THE TEMPEEANCE BOYS. 
 
 lioiior to himself, however, for though 
 he and his brother Eddie were the 
 first to sign the pledge, yet it was 
 Jeff that first proposed ha^dng officers 
 and an organization. But this made 
 little difference about the advice. No 
 advice should be taken if it is not 
 good, no matter from whom it comes. 
 Mr. Martin was interrupted in his 
 conversation with his son by domestic 
 business, and before he was through 
 with this, Charlie was off to school 
 But Mr. Martin did not foiget about 
 it. He felt a deep concern in tho 
 prosperity of that society; for since 
 his young sons had become inter- 
 ested in this little temperance move- 
 ment, many things had come to his 
 knowledge that surprised him. He 
 found that young people genei'ally 
 were acquiring a fearful familiarity
 
 TOO ]\n[cn COLD water. Ill 
 
 tt'itli tlie taste and appearance of in- 
 toxicating liquors. Twenty years be- 
 fore tliis, when lie was a lad, the tem- 
 perance reform was very popular, and 
 a young man could hardly disgrace 
 himself more than to let it be known 
 that he was a tippler. K he only 
 refused to sign the pledge he was 
 looked upon suspiciously. Men of 
 good social standing would hardly be 
 willing to be seen purchasing alco- 
 hol, even for medicinal and mechan- 
 ical purposes, such was the universal 
 odium that had fallen upon it. 
 
 "But now," he said to himself, 
 "things are changed. Men drink, 
 boys drink, and I do not know but 
 women drink too. They certaiidy 
 have it on their sideboards, and offer 
 it to others again, just as they did in 
 my father's days, before the temper-
 
 113 THE TEMPERANCE BOYS. 
 
 ancc reform was dreamed of. It is 
 but a few years since we thought in- 
 temperance almost driven out of the 
 land ; but here I see liquor shops on 
 almost every corner, and saloons on 
 every block." 
 
 And so Mr. Martin pursued this 
 train of thoujxht as he w^ent about his 
 business, till, finally, he set his heart 
 on helping these young temperance 
 folks. 
 
 But how should he do it ? was the 
 question. We will leave the gentle- 
 man to form his benevolent plans, 
 while we go to the ward school-house 
 and witness a meeting of the temper- 
 ance boys, which took place one or 
 two days later. 
 
 It was about the middle of Novem- 
 ber, and the weather was much colder 
 than usual for that time of year. At
 
 TOO MUCH COLD WATF.R. 113 
 
 noon the boys put on their caps, and 
 coats, and mufflers, and were soon fill- 
 ing the yard, in high glee, playing 
 tag, ball, leap-frog, follow-master, and 
 i>ome other such stirring plays, suita- 
 ble for the cold weather. 
 
 "But say, George," said one of a 
 group of boys that gathered under 
 the tree ; " isn't it too cold to have a 
 temperance meeting to-day V 
 
 " It is rather cold, that is a fact ! 
 but don't let's give it up entirely. 
 Let's have a sing, at all events ; let's 
 sing, ' Come, sons of Columbia.' " As 
 no one objected, he struck it up to 
 the merry tune of "The Star-Span- 
 gled Banner," and as they marched 
 about the tree singing it, half the 
 schooi gathered aiound them. 
 
 And it was a pretty song, too 
 Here is the whole of it 
 
 8
 
 114 THE TEMPERANCE BOYS. 
 
 " COME, SONS OF COLUMBIA, 
 
 " Come, sons of Columbia, while, prouflly and high, 
 Every heart with the love of our freedom is 
 swelling, 
 While our star-blazon'd bird has his home in the 
 
 sky, 
 
 And tyranny's death-song is heard in each 
 
 dwelling. 
 Come, the bright chalice drain, and again and again. 
 Let our pledge and our toast, in a far-sounding 
 
 strain, 
 Be water, pure water, bright sparkling with glee. 
 That flows, like our life-blood, unfettered and 
 
 free. 
 
 " 1 the wine-cup may sparkle its ruby dropa 
 
 bright, 
 And o'er its glad brim, in phalanx advancing, 
 Fair gossamer spirits, in rainbow-like light. 
 
 May to bacchanal music be gracefully dancing 
 While they dazzle our eyes with the hues of the 
 
 skies. 
 Soft and silvery tones on the breeze seem tu rise, 
 'Tis the gush of pure water, bright, sparkling with 
 
 glee, 
 That flows like our life-blood, unfettered and free.
 
 TOO MUCH COLD WATER. 115 
 
 * O, then, hail to thee, water ! the bacchanal's Xosn^t 
 May be drunk in red wine, that in ruddy light 
 
 flashes ; 
 I?ut Columbia's freemen still proudly shall boast 
 Of the free gift of God, that o'er hill and dalfa 
 
 dashes. 
 The diamond's bright ray seems forever at play 
 On the glancing cup; and tlie soul-breathing lay 
 Shall be praise of pure water, bright, sparkling with 
 
 glee. 
 The gift of our God, and the drink of the free." 
 
 They sang on right cheerily till 
 they came to the latter part of the 
 second verse, when fizz ! up rose a jet 
 of Croton water from the other side 
 of the fence near by, and down it 
 came, splash, all over the little group, 
 and they scattered, poor wet boys, lit- 
 tle and big, as quickly as if a fii-e- 
 brand had been thrown in their midst. 
 
 " Ha ! ha ! ha !" shouted the mock- 
 ing voice of Clifford Nash, who was 
 at this moment standing at a safe dis-
 
 116 THE TEMPEEANCE BOYS. 
 
 tance, looking on. " Got cold water 
 enough now, hav'n't you ? Quite 
 cooled down, I reckon !" 
 
 "Ah, you young scape-grace," said 
 one of the larger boys ; " you are at 
 the bottom of that." 
 
 "Indeed!" he replied; "I think I 
 am out of that entirely." 
 
 And so he was out of the way of 
 the water, of course. 
 
 But it was a cruel joke. The 
 weather was so cold that the water 
 froze almost as soon as it fell, and the 
 poor boys, some of whom were badly 
 wet, were glad to run into the house 
 and dry themselves by the fare. 
 
 When this came to the knowledij^e 
 of the principal, there were some in- 
 quiries made about it. It was found 
 that the water was thrown up from a 
 neighboring yard, belonging to a fire-
 
 TOO .MUCH COLD WATER. 117 
 
 company, and some of them said they 
 believed that Jack was using the hose 
 out in the yard about that time. Jack 
 was nowhere to be found just then; 
 but if he had been questioned about 
 it, he might not have been able truth- 
 fully to deny his acquaintance with 
 Clitford Nasli, or his own love of 
 mischief; and perhaps, too, Cliiford's 
 pocket-money had something to do 
 with it. 
 
 I do not see how Cliff, the worth- 
 less fellow, could have done it, for the 
 pool' boys would be likely to take 
 such colds as would half kill them 
 But I suppose he did not care, for he 
 jiated the temperance boys for doiag 
 what he knew he ought to do him- 
 self; and so he had been their enemy 
 from the first, using most freely that 
 favorite weapon of aU cowards, ridi-
 
 118 THE TEMPERANCE BOYS. 
 
 cule. And tliis was what the boys 
 felt most keenly now. Their health 
 might or might not suffer serious re- 
 sults ; their spirits certainly did. To 
 think of being showered with cold 
 water, and that too while in the very 
 act of singing its praises, was so lu- 
 dicrous that older persons, even the 
 teacher himself, could hardly refrain 
 fi"om a smile when they heard about 
 it, and others lau2:hed outrio;ht. 
 
 " Got cold water enough for once, 
 I guess," cried one. 
 
 "'O, then, hail to thee, water!'" 
 bung out another. 
 
 Even the boys that they had looked 
 upon as quite friendly and disposed 
 to join them, could not resist the 
 temptation of a little meriiment on 
 so apt an occasion. Charlie's sensi- 
 tive spirit suffered acutely, though he
 
 TOO MUCH COLD WATER. 119 
 
 tried to say to himself, " I wou't care. 
 We did nothing wrong." 
 
 George Barker, the secretary, ft r- 
 tunately escaped with very little wet- 
 ting, but he laid the matter to heart 
 as a serious injury to their cause 
 among the school-boys. Numbers 
 who were friendly, and would soon 
 have joined them, would novv^ be pre 
 vented by the ridicule, and the fear 
 of similar persecutions in the future ; 
 and he felt sure that the society 
 would soon go down unless some 
 other place of meeting could be 
 found. So he went to his desk look- 
 ing so gloomy and downcast that he 
 received his full share of the ridi- 
 cule. 
 
 Jefferson Townley was the fii-st to 
 rally, and he declared that the fel- 
 lows had made a mistake ; he be-
 
 120 THE TEMPERANCE BOYS. 
 
 lievo.d they must have been tipsy, fol 
 everybody knew that rum would do 
 for external application, while the 
 temperance boys believed in water 
 for the internal. 
 
 Just now Clifford stepped up to 
 Jeff, who had been a special friend 
 of his until this temperance matter 
 separated them, and surveying him 
 from head to foot, he said with a 
 mock patronizing air : " Got pretty 
 wet, didn't you ? Don't you think 
 you had better take a glass of brandy 
 to prevent a cold ?" 
 
 " A glass of brandy !" exclaimed 
 Jeff, firing up ; " I would not take 
 such a dose as that if I had been 
 ducked in the Atlantic Ocean !" 
 
 This turned the laugh somewhal, 
 but all the temperance boys felt 
 quite uncomfortable during the rest
 
 TOO .MUCH COLD WATER. 1 !?1 
 
 of the day. Some of them got (;x- 
 cused, and went home to put on dry 
 clothing ; a very suitable proceeding, 
 but it only added to the jokes of the 
 others, for they thought it a "pit}' if 
 they could not stand so much cold 
 water as that." 
 
 Charlie Martin carried a long face 
 home from school that day, and it 
 was a bitter tale he had to repeat to
 
 122 THE IJilMPERANCE BOTS. 
 
 the sympathising family circle. He 
 was sure it would be the ruin of their 
 little society. 
 
 " Well, my son," said Mr. Mai-tiu, 
 " I see you are not very hopeful about 
 your affiiirs." 
 
 "I do not see anything to hope," 
 was the moody reply. 
 
 " Well, now, suppose somebody 
 should get up a thanksgi\ang dinner 
 for them, don't you think it would 
 help them a little ?" 
 
 " Why, yes, I don't know but that 
 would," replied Charles, brightening 
 up perceptibly. 
 
 " There you see how easily some- 
 thing might be done ; so I advise yon 
 to keep your courage up, and we wilJ 
 cons alt mother, and see what can be 
 done." 
 
 Mrs. Martin was consulted in due
 
 TOO MUCH COLD WATER. 123 
 
 form, though if Charlie had noticed 
 the quiet smile with which she re- 
 ceived the proposition, he might 
 have guessed that she had heard of it 
 before. 
 
 The result of the consultation was, 
 that the temperance boys should be 
 invited to dine at ]\Ir. Martin's, at 
 three o'clock on Thanksgiving-day, 
 which would be on Thui'sday of the 
 next week. This invitation, when 
 circulated among the boys the next 
 morning, warmed them up, and threw 
 off some of the chill left by the ad 
 venture of the previous day.
 
 124 THE TEMPERA XCE BOYS. 
 
 CHx\FrEii n. 
 
 THE THANKSGIVE^TG DINTSEE. 
 
 Thanksgiying-day came Ttricrhfc 
 and clear, and just cold enougli to be 
 pleasant. Three o'clock in the after 
 noon found a brilliant company of 
 little folks assembled at Mr. JNIartin's 
 They were brilliant, not Tvith jewels, 
 but with clean, neat attire, and happy, 
 smiling faces. 
 
 Mr. Martin himself waited upon 
 them at the door, to receive their j^ass- 
 word, as he playfully called it. When 
 Chai'lie was giving the invitations, 
 some of the boys had inquired, half in 
 sport, if there was any password by 
 which the members of the society
 
 THE THANKSGIVING DINNER. 125 
 
 should be known. When Mr. Martin 
 heard of this, he immediately pi'oposed 
 that each one should recite a veise 
 of Scripture, showing the duty or ad- 
 vantages of temperance, and that 
 should be their password. 
 
 It was quite interesting to listen to 
 the various texts that were quoted,' 
 though many of them showed greater 
 familiarity with the concordance than 
 with the Bible. 
 
 As might be expected, many of 
 them chose the same texts. That most 
 frequently quoted was : " And as he 
 reasoned of righteousness, temperance, 
 and judgment to come, Felix trem- 
 bled." Next in frequency followed 
 those excellent admonitions of Solo- 
 mon in the book of Proverbs : " Look 
 not upon the wine when it is red, 
 when it giveth its color in the cup,
 
 126 THE TEMPERANCE BOYS. 
 
 when it moveth itself ariglit : at the 
 Uist it biteth like a serpent and sting- 
 eth like an adder." George Barker 
 repeated: "Be not among wine-bib- 
 bers, among riotous eaters of flesh, for 
 the drunkard and the glutton shall 
 come to poverty." 
 
 " An excellent admonition to keep 
 good company," said Mr. Martin ; " I 
 hope you will heed it." 
 
 " You see I am trying to, sir," was 
 the polite response ; and no one who 
 knew George would have doubted 
 him, for he w^as called " a very steady 
 young man" 
 
 Then followed Willie Bathbone, 
 with the text, " This our son is stub- 
 born and rebellious, he will not obey 
 our voice, he is a glutton and a drunk- 
 ard. And all the men of the city 
 shall stone him with stones, that he
 
 THE THANKSGIVING DIXXEK. 127 
 
 die ; so slialt thou put away evil from 
 among you ; and all Israel shall hear 
 .ind fear." 
 
 Little Eddie Martin, who wfwi al- 
 ways sure to be where anything un- 
 usual was going on, had slipped out 
 into the hall. He had taken great 
 interest in these Bible texts since 
 they were first mentioned, and he 
 had been searching the Bible faithful- 
 ly to see what he could find. He 
 had more than once wished that he 
 was a visitoi", so that he could say his 
 verse, for he had one that he liked 
 very . much. So when he came out 
 there, and stood in the hall, and heard 
 some of the same verses so many 
 times repeated, a bright thought 
 came over him. In less than a min- 
 ute he had acted upon it. He ran 
 down stall's and out of the front base-
 
 128 THE TEMPERANCE BOYS. 
 
 ment door, into the street. He did 
 not like to ring the bell himself, so he 
 waited till some others came up, and 
 he went in after them. 
 
 . " So ho !" exclaimed his father, with 
 a laugh, " you want to get in do you ? 
 Well, now, I will let j^ou in on one 
 condition, and if you cannot comply 
 with it you may stay out or go back 
 by the way you came. If you will 
 repeat a verse that no one else has 
 repeated, you may come in," 
 
 " I have drunk neither wino nor 
 strong drink," said the little fellow, 
 and he looked somewhat anxiout?, for 
 he had not heard all the verses, and he 
 did not quite relish the idea of being 
 sent back to come in at the basement 
 way. Besides, the unusual conversa- 
 tion had reached the ears of the vis- 
 itors in the parlor, and they had aD
 
 THE THANKSGIVING DINNISE. 129 
 
 come out to see what was the matter, 
 and there they stood facing him. 
 
 Eddie could not imagine why his 
 father did not answer him. He did 
 not see the emotion gathering in that 
 })arent'8 eye, and he exchiimed : " Well, 
 father, I do not know whether any 
 one else has said that or not, hut it i^> 
 true, ' I have drunk neither wine nor 
 strong drink ' in my life ; and I do not 
 mean to, if I live to be a hundred 
 years old." 
 
 " Come in, my boy, come in," ex- 
 claimed the hap])y father, clasping 
 the little fellow in his arms ; " I would 
 let in all the boys in the city if they 
 could say that." 
 
 Soon after this Jeft'ei'son Townley 
 arrived, and was a little surprised to 
 find the whole company in the haU 
 to receive him.
 
 loO TfiE TEMPERANCi; BOYS. 
 
 " Don't be afraid," said Mr. Martin ; 
 " the boys have come out to listen to 
 the verses, and I presume they will 
 be very glad that they have come in 
 time to hear yours." 
 
 Jefferson bowed, and rej^eated 
 slowly and distinctly : " But Daniel 
 purposed in his heart that he would 
 not defile himself with the portion of 
 the king's meat, nor with the wine 
 which he drank," 
 
 " Well, that is an excellent resolu- 
 tion," replied Mr. Martin ; " and you 
 will all see, by several of the verses 
 that have been repeated, that there is 
 an intemperance in eating as well as 
 drinking; not only in eating food that 
 has intoxicating properties, but also 
 in eating too much, so that the person 
 injures himself. It will be well for 
 you all in future life to remembei
 
 THE THANKSGIVING DINNER. 131 
 
 that the Bible classes gluttony with 
 druukeuuess, and it may save you a 
 fine intellect with which to bless the 
 world.'' 
 
 In due time all present were seat- 
 ed around the generous-sized dinner- 
 table. There were about one third 
 of the temperance boys who were 
 not present; some who were visit- 
 ing with nearer friends, uncles, aunts, 
 cousins, and grandparents, after the 
 old New-England fashion. There 
 were about twenty assembled here, 
 and they formed a goodly company. 
 
 " Now, my young friends," said Mr. 
 Martin, after the blessing had been 
 juiked, "I will give you a choice of 
 drinks for dinner, tea, coffee, or cold 
 water." 
 
 "Cold water, sir, if you please," 
 was the almost unanimous response.
 
 132 THE TEMPERAKCE BOYS. 
 
 and cold water it was. A cheerful, 
 plentiful meal followed, with a des- 
 sert of fruits, and toasts in cold water. 
 ]Mr. Martin commenced with, "The 
 temperance boys : success to all their 
 good undertakings." "Thank you, 
 sir," said Jeffei'son, rising and bowing 
 to JVIi\ Martin. "I think we have 
 had great success in one good under- 
 taking to-day, and that is, of making 
 a good dinner ; and I hope none of us 
 will find ourselves any the worse for 
 it. Your health. Mi*. Martin, and 
 yours, Mi-s. Martin, May you live 
 long to be the true friends of temper- 
 ance and of the temperance bo3''s." 
 After a few more simple toasts Mr. 
 Martin said that he had a new subject 
 to propose to the company. 
 
 "I have been thinkino^" he con- 
 tinued, " what I could do to help your
 
 THE THANKSGIVING DIN]S:ER. 133 
 
 little society, and I cannot think of 
 anything that would seem more ac- 
 ceptable than the oifer of a room for 
 you to meet in. There is one that is 
 unoccupied in a building under my 
 care, and I have ventured to secure it 
 for you to meet in once or twice a 
 week," 
 
 This proposition was received in 
 silent wonder, and then followed a 
 murmur of approbation. " O how 
 nice!" "How kind!" "Just the thing!" 
 and so on, l^roke from their lips. " I 
 have only one condition to propose," 
 continued Mr. Martin ; " and that is, 
 that you shall use your best endeavors 
 to get others to come in, and, if pos- 
 sible, that each of you shalJ bring in 
 one new member. Can you do that ?" 
 
 Replies of "Yes, sir," and "We'll 
 try," came from all parts of the room,
 
 134 THE TEMPERANCE BUYS 
 
 and Mr. Martin, after telling them 
 where the room was, dismissed the 
 table, and they all adjourned to the 
 parlor. 
 
 Here they joined in a general dis- 
 cussion of the subject, proposing plans 
 for lighting and warming it, and Mr. 
 Martin received a cordial invitation 
 to visit them in their new quarters. 
 Jefferson told Mr. Martin that it was 
 just what they needed, and without 
 something of the kind they had been 
 fearing that the little society would 
 die in its babyhood. George Barker 
 was also particularly dejighted. He 
 doubted not they would flourish now 
 finely, and he thought they might 
 induce older boys, and perhaps the 
 parents of the members, to sign the 
 pledge ; while the merry voice of 
 Ralph Sherman spoke out: "If wo
 
 THE TnANKSGIVLNG DUSTNER. 135 
 
 should all say what we think, I guess 
 you'd find we were about as glad to 
 get rid of the danger of another 
 shower-bath as anything," 
 
 This caused a merry laugh, and 
 then a song was proposed, and they 
 sang to the air of " Long, long ago :" 
 
 "TOUCH NOT THE CUP. 
 
 " Touch not the cup, it is death to thy soul ; 
 
 Toucli not the cup, touch not the cup : 
 Many I know who have quaff 'd from the bowl ; 
 
 Touch not the cup, toucli it not : 
 Little they thought that the demon was there, 
 Blindly they drank, and were caught in the snare. 
 Then of that death-dealin<i; bowl beware! 
 
 Touch not the cup, touch it not. 
 
 " Touch not the cup when the wine glistens bright 
 Touch not the cup, touch not the cup : 
 
 Though like the ruby it shines in the light ; 
 Touch not the cup, touch it not : 
 
 Th' fangs of the serpent are hid in the bowl. 
 
 Deeply the poison will enter thy soul, 
 
 Boon will it plunge thee beyond thy control : 
 Touch not the cup, toucli it not.
 
 136 THE TEMPERAITCE BOY^. 
 
 "Toucli not the cup, young man, in thy pride; 
 
 Touch not the cup, touch not the cup : 
 Hark to the warnings of thousands who've died ; 
 
 Touch not the cup, touch it not : 
 Go to the lonely and desolate tomb, 
 Think of tlie death, of the sorrow and gloom ; 
 fhink that perhaps thou may'st share in the 
 doom : 
 
 Touch not t]ae cup, touch it not. 
 
 " Touch not the cup ; drink not a drop ; 
 
 Touch not the cup, touch not the cup : 
 They whom thou lovest entreat thee to stop ; 
 
 Touch not the cup, touch it not : 
 Stop ! for thy home that to thee is so near, 
 Stop ! for thy friends that to thee are so dear, 
 Stop ! for thy country, the God that you fear s 
 
 Touch not the cup, touch it not." 
 
 They were accompanied by Misa 
 Amelia, Charlie's sister, on the piano ; 
 and as they went on their enthusiasm 
 rose, and they must needs ha\^e 
 another song, and to the tune of the 
 *' Last Rose of Summer," they sang.
 
 THE TIIANKSGIVmO DINNER. 137 
 
 'TWAS THE LAST, LAST RUMSELLEB. 
 
 •' 'Twas tlie last, last rumseller 
 
 Sat musing alone ; 
 All his former companions 
 
 Had left him and gone : 
 Though his bottles around him 
 
 Were filled to the brim. 
 Yet none came to purchase. 
 
 No joy was for him. 
 
 " They had left him all lonely, 
 
 Discarded his rum ; 
 They had all signed the pledge. 
 
 Ajid temperate become. 
 And he said, as he sat there, 
 
 ' No more will I sell ; 
 I will join with my comrades. 
 
 And drink from the well.' 
 
 " 'Twas the last, last rumseller 
 
 Took pen in his hand ; 
 'Twas the last, last rumseller 
 
 Throughout the wide land ; 
 Twas the last, last rumseller 
 
 The pledge signed that night; 
 And the conflict was over ; 
 
 Wi ong yielded to right."
 
 1;JS THE TEMPERANCE BOYS. 
 
 They were now invited to partake 
 of some nuts, raisins, and candies, and 
 this was followed by some childish 
 sports, in which all joined, such as 
 button, lawyer, fox-and-geese, not for 
 getting the time-honored game of 
 " blind-man's-bufi^" in which Mr. Mar- 
 tin made them lots of sport. 
 
 Before breaking up, which they 
 did at eight o'clock, their young 
 president called them to order, and 
 one of the boys moved a vote of 
 thanks to Mr. Martin, and an invita- 
 tion to visit their meetings frequent- 
 ly. Both of these motions were 
 passed unanimously. Mr. Martin 
 kindly responded, assuring them of 
 his interest in their welfare. 
 
 Finally Miss Amelia played and 
 sang " The Kobin's Temperance Song," 
 with which they were much delighted
 
 THE THANKSGIVIXCt dixxer. 139 
 
 ♦'THE ROBIN'S TEMPERANCE SOXG. 
 
 "I asked a sweet robin, one morning in May, 
 Who sung in tlie apple-tree over tlie way, 
 What 'twas she was singing so sweetly about ; 
 For I'd tried a long time, but could not find out. 
 'Why, I'm sure,' she replied, 'you cannot guesa 
 
 wrong ; 
 Don't you know I am singing a temperance song? 
 
 '' ' Teetotal ! O that's the first word of my lay, 
 And tlien don't you see how I twitter away ! 
 'Tis because I've just dipi)'d my beak in the 
 
 spring. 
 And brush'd the foir face of the lake with my 
 
 wing. 
 Cold water! cold water! yes, that is my song, 
 And I love to keep singing it all the day l<.>ng. 
 
 ' 'And now, my sweet miss, won't you give me a 
 
 crumb, 
 F'or the dear little nestlings are waiting at home ? 
 And one thing besides; since my story you've 
 
 heard, 
 I hope you'll remember the lay of the bird ; 
 And never forget, while you list to i.iy song. 
 All the birds to the cold-water aru'y beh.Mig.' "
 
 140 THE TEMPERAlSrCE BOYS. 
 
 Soon after this tliey adjourned, de- 
 claring it the pleasantest day they 
 ever spent ; and singing " Good- 
 night," with merry voices, as thev 
 filed out of the hall.
 
 A NEW MKMBER. 14:1 
 
 CHAPTER m. 
 
 A NEW MEMBER. 
 
 At their first meeting in the new 
 hall they made rather a comical ap- 
 pearance. A crazy old table and a 
 rickety chair formed the hastily col- 
 lected accommodations for the boy- 
 president ; a box was the secretary's 
 chair, and the numerous members sat 
 on rough planks, supported by boxes. 
 They had, with the consent of their 
 parents, fixed the time of their meet- 
 ing at three o'clock in the afternoon, 
 which was directly after school, so 
 til at the} avoided the necessity of 
 lighting the room, and the much 
 more serious evil of being out at 
 night.
 
 14C THE TEMPEEANCE BOYS. 
 
 The roll being duly calJecl, the 
 members were requested to tell what 
 they had done for the temperance 
 cause since their last meeting. 
 
 Willie Rathbone said that he had 
 induced his father, and mother, and 
 sister to sign the pledge, and to 
 remove the liquors from the side- 
 board. They had once been firm 
 temperance people, but had grown 
 lax on the subject until their con- 
 sciences were re-awakened by the 
 earnestness of their petted only son. 
 They would do a great deal to please 
 him, while he, in turn, wiis much at- 
 tached to his parents, and repaid 
 their kindness by his best aifections. 
 
 Ralph Sherman had brought in 
 two more boys from the street, acd 
 he related the circumstances in which 
 he found them.
 
 A NEW ME3II3EK. 143 
 
 Johnny Capers had formed a ' Try 
 Company,' of his brothers and sisters, 
 and they were going to try to get 
 their uncle to sign the pledge. 
 
 "He is the very best uncle that 
 ever was," said the little fellow, en- 
 thusiastically, " l)ut he is a sailor, a 
 ship captain, and you know that 
 nearly all sailors drink more or less. 
 But he'll do almost anything for us 
 children, for he loves us dearly, and 
 brings us lots of nice presents, and I 
 don't believe but that we can get him 
 to sign the pledge." And the little 
 fellow sat down amid clapping and 
 cheers that brought quite a flush to 
 his face. 
 
 Just then in walked Mr. Mai-tin 
 leading a ragged little boy by th« 
 hand. 
 
 Many smiling faces greeted hia
 
 l-:^4 
 
 THE TEMPERAINCE BOTS. 
 
 coming, and George Barker immedi 
 ately advanced to show him a seat. 
 
 " Now don't let me interrupt you," 
 said Mr. Martin. 
 
 " O no, sir !" was Jefferson's reply. 
 '* Some of us have just been telling 
 what we have done, and what Wc 
 thought we could do, toward gettmg 
 others to sign the pledge ; but we
 
 A NEW MEMBER. 145 
 
 have nothing special on hand now, 
 and are very glad to see you." 
 
 " Well, then," resumed Mr. Martin, 
 " you will allow me to say how very 
 glad I am that you are entering with 
 BO much spirit into the idea of labor 
 for others. Many of the old temper- 
 ance societies rested satisfied when 
 they were safe themselves, without 
 laboring for the individual good of 
 others. If they had all adopted the 
 principle upon which you have begun 
 to work, they would have done a vast 
 amount of good, and have been in ex- 
 istence at the present time. As it is 
 I am afraid some of them died igno- 
 ble deaths; the societies I mean, not 
 the members. Now here is a little 
 lad that would be a good boy if he 
 only had good company ; and I thought 
 if I could get him in as a member of 
 
 10
 
 146 THE TEMPERA N'CE BOYS. 
 
 your society, and he should show him- 
 self worthy, it would be a r(!com- 
 mendation to help him get a place as 
 errand-boy in some store. How is it, 
 Andrew, would you like to belong to 
 this nice society of temperance boys !" 
 
 "Yes, sir, I think I would," said 
 the little fellow, looking around 
 timidly, as if he hardly understood 
 what it meant. 
 
 . " Do you ever drink beer, or gin, 
 or whisky, or any such thing?" in- 
 quired George. " No, sir, not now ; 
 I used to, before my father died, but 
 since I knew that the drink killed 
 him, I have not touched another 
 drop." 
 
 " Poor little fellow !" said several 
 voices, " And is your mother alive ?" 
 
 "No, mother died a long time 
 ago."
 
 A NEW MEMBER. 117 
 
 "Did she drink too?" inquired 
 Charlie, rather carelessly. 
 
 "My mother drink!" exclaimed 
 tlie boy. " Who said that ?" 
 
 "Nobody said it," replied Mr. Mar- 
 tin, soothingly; "but some one want- 
 ed to know how your mother died." 
 
 " My mother was a good woman," 
 said the boy, as tears came into his 
 eyes. " It is a long time since she 
 died, so that I do not remember all 
 about it; but T think may be she'd 
 have been alive now if father had used 
 her kindly. The drink has done me 
 hurt enough already. I do not meau 
 it shall hurt me any more." 
 
 " Ilavn't you got any home at all 
 now?" asked the warm-hearted little 
 Johnny Capers. 
 
 "No." 
 
 " Then w here do you sleep 2"
 
 148 THE TEMPERANCE BOFS. 
 
 " O, ia behind boxes, down around 
 the docks, and sometimes, in warm 
 weather, I sleep on the carts." 
 
 " And how do you get anything to 
 eat ?" inquired another. 
 
 " By selling papers." 
 
 " O, a newsboy," responded two or 
 three. "And how much do yon 
 make a day by selling papers V 
 
 " Not much," was the brief reply. 
 
 Their sympathies had drawn him 
 out; but now that their curiosity 
 had showed itself he had little tc 
 say. 
 
 Mr. Martin gently checked them, 
 and said that he thought some better 
 business might be found for him if he 
 were only a little more neatly clad. 
 This he said, not because he was un- 
 able or unwillino; himself to clothe 
 him, but because he wished to teach.
 
 A NEW MEMBER. 149 
 
 them how to be generous and benev- 
 olent. 
 
 " I'U give him my coat," said little 
 Johnny Capers, beginning to pull it 
 off; " it will just about fit him." 
 
 "Not quite so fest, my good little 
 fellow," said Mr. Martin ; " it would 
 not be right to give that without ask- 
 ing your mother. But I'll tell you 
 what can be done. You ai-e all of 
 you outgrowing your clothing, moio 
 or less, and those that have any out 
 grown garments tliat would fit An 
 drew, might bring them, and we'll tr}' 
 to give him a start in the world." 
 
 " Now you will sign the pledge be- 
 fore you go, won't you !" said Jeff, who 
 always kept a bright look-out for the 
 names and number of members. 
 
 Andi-ew looked wistfully at Mr. 
 Martin.
 
 150 THE TEMPERANCE EOYS. 
 
 '' You'll have no objections to tak 
 ing the pledge and becoming one of 
 the temperance boys, will you ?" in- 
 quired that gentleman. 
 
 ''No, sir," was the low reply. 
 
 "Well, then," said the secretary, 
 " here is a card and pen." 
 
 "01 can't write," said the boy, 
 drawing back. 
 
 Sure enough ! here was a difficulty. 
 Fortunately Mr. Martin could decide 
 it. He took the card, read it over cart- 
 fully, explained it to the boy, and then 
 asked him if he would promise that. 
 
 " Yes, sir, indeed, twice over," was 
 the eager reply. 
 
 " Well, then, shall I put your name 
 to it ?" 
 
 " If you please, sir." 
 
 " Very well ; now put two little 
 mai'ks like this in the middle."
 
 A NEW SIEM13ER. 151 
 
 He did so and there it stood : 
 Andrew x Piielan. 
 
 niark. 
 
 The boys crowded around to look 
 at it. They had learned something 
 new ; how a person that cannot write 
 can sign his name. 
 
 "It's too bad !" said Charlie ; "can't 
 you come to our school and leai-n to 
 wTite ?" 
 
 "Not if he is going into a store, 
 my son," replied Mr. Mai-tin. 
 
 " He could attend evening school, 
 couldn't he, father ?" 
 
 " Perha})s so ; but we can tell bet- 
 ter when he gets into his new 
 place." 
 
 It was then arranc^ed that Andrew 
 should be there by eight o'clock the 
 next morning, and those who could 
 bring any clothing fur him shouhl
 
 152 THE TEMPERANCE BOYS. 
 
 be tliere at the same time. Mr. 
 Martin then took Andrew away, 
 and the meeting soon closed, for it 
 was nearly dark.
 
 JOHNNY CAPERS. lo.j 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 JOHNNY CAPERS AND HIS DNCLE. 
 
 " Is Uncle John at home ?" shouted 
 attle Johnny Capers, as he burst into 
 the sitting-room that evening. 
 
 "Yes, Uncle John is in the libra- 
 ry," replied his sisters, as they ran on 
 with him, wondering what strange 
 thing he had to tell in such a hui-ry. 
 
 " Ahoy there, my little skipper !" 
 was Uncle John's greeting ; and ahoy 
 he came right into the old man's 
 arms, without waiting to return the 
 salute. 
 
 "Say, Uncle John," said the little 
 boy, struggling to relieve himself 
 fi'om the frolicsome caresses of his
 
 154 
 
 THE TEMPEEANCE BOYS. 
 
 elderly namesake ; " say, Uncle John, 
 I want to tell you something." 
 
 rF, .^> ^^■^■:*^' 
 
 " Well, then, say on, make all sail !" 
 said the uncle, holding t\e boy at 
 arm's length. 
 
 "Now, Uncle John, now you know 
 we have a temperance society, don't 
 you?" 
 
 " Which way are you steering, 
 middv?"
 
 JOHNNY CAPERS. lij^ 
 
 " Now do be still, uncle, and let 
 me tell you what I want to. We just 
 had a meeting this afternoon, and 
 Mr. Martin brought a boy in there, a 
 newsboy, and he was ragged and 
 dirty, and don't you believe he had 
 no father, and no mother ; they were 
 both dead." 
 
 " Well, that is likely ; but I don't 
 see as that is worth getting up sucli 
 a tempest about. I suppose there 
 are a great many or2:>hans in the 
 city." 
 
 "Yes, but his father died of drink, 
 and his mother too. No, his mother 
 did not drink ; but his father abused 
 her when he was drunk, so that bhe 
 (3 led a long time ago." 
 
 " The brute ! he did not deserve a 
 wife. But what are you going to do 
 with the boy in your society ?"
 
 156 THE TEMPERANCE BOYS. 
 
 "We are going to dress him up, 
 and Mr. Martin will get him a place 
 as errand boy, and then he can go to 
 night-school." 
 
 Then followed a discussion of the 
 best means of fitting him up. Mrs. 
 Capers was appealed to, and ere long 
 an entire suit of Johnny's cast-off 
 clothes was bundled up, and Uncle 
 John furnished money to buy the boy 
 a pair of shoes. It was with joyful 
 hearts they gathered around the tea- 
 table that evening, though no father's 
 voice was there to offer the expres- 
 sions of their gratitude to the great 
 Giver of all their blessings. 
 
 Johnny's father had died some 
 years before the commencement of 
 my story, leaving Mi's. Capers with 
 five children, of whom Johnny was 
 the third. A small property and a
 
 JOHNNY CAPERS. 157 
 
 ■jvell-settled state of affairs, left the 
 kind mother an abundance of time to 
 devote to the improvement of her 
 children, to which she devoted her- 
 self with gi'eat judgment and assidu- 
 ity. And if there were times when 
 sorrow for the departed cast a shade 
 of sadness over her pensive features, 
 and reflected too much gloom over the 
 spirits of the younger members of the 
 household, so again there were other 
 occasions when their young hearts 
 would give way to an almost boister- 
 ous gayety; and that was when Un- 
 cle John came home. 
 
 Uncle John had been for years the 
 master of a merchantman, trading be- 
 tween the Mediterranean and New 
 York, and at the close of his three- 
 n\onth cruises he always found a 
 hearty welcome beneath the roof
 
 158 THE TEMPERANCE BOYS. 
 
 of his younger brother, Mr. Harvey 
 Capers, the father of Johnny. 
 
 Since the death of this brother, the 
 captain's kindest sympathies were en- 
 listed for the welfare of the bereaved 
 family, and his visits were like sun- 
 beams to the house, more welcome 
 than ever. 
 
 The children would count the days 
 long before his expected coming, and 
 the week or ten days' rest was always 
 too short; but when, on the occasion 
 of this visit, they learned that the 
 ship would be hauled up six weeks 
 for repairs, their delight knew no 
 l)0unds. 
 
 After the supper, at which we left 
 them, Johnny became very thoughtr 
 ful and silent. 
 
 " What is the matter now, little 
 skipper ?" inquired Uncle John.
 
 JOHNNY CAPERS. 159 
 
 " O nothing, uncle, only I was 
 fchinkinGT how much mischief the 
 drink does." 
 
 "Yes, yes, mischief enough, like 
 any other good thing that is abused." 
 
 " But really, uncle, don't you think 
 it the best way to let it quite alone ?" 
 
 " May be, child, may be, but for an 
 old salt, like me, it would be hard 
 work to give it up, and of no kind of 
 use either. Why what should I do 
 when I am out tlie whole night in a 
 storm, and get wet twenty times from 
 head to foot. Rather stiff work it 
 would be without a glass of whisky 
 punch to warm uj) by. I understand 
 what you want, child ; but it is of no 
 use to tease me to sign the j^ledge, I 
 cr n't give up an innocejit glass at this 
 *"■ ae of life." 
 
 Johnny was disappointed. He
 
 160 THE TEMPERANCE BOYS. 
 
 intended to make this the occasion of 
 a strong appeal to the good-natured 
 captain, to sign the pledge, and he felt 
 almost sure he would do it, for he 
 always did everything that the chil- 
 dren asked him to. But this time 
 Johnny had failed. He had not said 
 half what he wanted to ; he had met 
 with a decided rebuff, with no chance 
 to say anything more. 
 
 So we shall all find discourao^e- 
 raents in the way of doing good. But 
 we must not let these prevent our 
 trying to do what we can, though we 
 may wait, as little Johnny Capers did, 
 for a more favorable moment to carry 
 cut our plans. 
 
 The next morning Johnny was at 
 Temperance Hall in good season, 
 where he had the satisfaction of see- 
 ing his new friend, Andrew, fitted out,
 
 JOHNNY CAPERS, KU 
 
 from liead to foot, with his otvn out- 
 grown clothing. But he was not 
 alone in the good work. Others of 
 the temperance boys had brought 
 clothing, and though it would not all 
 fit him, they made up another outside 
 «uit for him, besides plenty of under 
 clothing. 
 
 There was quite a bundle of cloth- 
 ing left, and several pairs of half- worn 
 shoes that were too small for him. 
 Jeff and Kalph, after trying in vain to 
 decide what to do with them, ap- 
 pealed to George Barker, who advised 
 to stow them away, for the present, in 
 an empty closet that opened out of the 
 room. " It may be," said he, " that 
 we shall want them for some one 
 else." 
 
 " And now you have two suits of 
 
 clothes, such as they are," said John- 
 It
 
 162 THE TEMPEEANOE BOSS. 
 
 ny, " one for Sundaj^s and one for 
 week-days ; now you will come to 
 our Sunday school, won't you V 
 
 "Yes, if Mr. Martin is willing," 
 replied the boy. 
 
 "Of course he will be willing, for 
 Charlie and Eddie both go to the 
 same school that I do. At any rate, 
 we shall look for you." he added, and 
 off they all ran to be in time for 
 school. Andrew went down to Mr. 
 Martin's office, and in the course of 
 the day he found himself in his new 
 place, in a temperance grocery store, 
 where he was to carry packages of 
 tea, coffee, flour, sugar, and so forth, 
 to the customers. This was active 
 work, and suited him very well, 
 though at first he only got wages 
 enough to pay for his board at the 
 house of a poor widow, where Mr.
 
 JOHNNY CAPERS 163 
 
 Martin sent him. But this wsxs vast- 
 ly better than selling papers for a 
 Jivinof. 
 
 Then, too, he was soon introduced 
 into the evening school, and the Sun- 
 day school, where he won the good- 
 will of all by his readiness to improve. 
 Though he seldom had time to visit 
 the meetings at the Temperance Hall, 
 yet his young temperance friends 
 often inquired after him, and were 
 pleased to find him doing so well ; and, 
 indeed, he had the company of some 
 of them in the evening schooL
 
 164 THE TEMPERANCE JK)Y8 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 AN INTEMPERATE FAMILY. 
 
 For more than a week after thig 
 last talk on temperance, Johnny had 
 been thoughtful and needlessly shy 
 of his uncle, for he feared he had 
 offended him. But one afternoon he 
 received a very cordial greeting from 
 him. 
 
 " Come here, Johnny," said he, " I 
 have seen something to-day that will 
 interest you." 
 
 Johnny soon resumed his old seat 
 on his uncle's knee, though it must be 
 confessed he was a pretty big boy foi 
 that, and waited to hear what it was. 
 
 "Well, my lad, I have seen a case
 
 AN INl'EMPEEATE FAMILY. 1(55 
 
 to-day that was worse tbau An- 
 drew's." 
 
 "Worse ! uncle, bow can that be?" 
 
 "Why, very easy. It would bo 
 worse to have bad parents than none 
 at all, would'nt it ?" 
 
 Johnny assented, and his uncle 
 went on. 
 
 "T was passing through Chatham- 
 street this morning, and I saw two 
 little girls sitting on a door-step, 
 crying as if their little hearts would 
 break. As I laid to, with my eye on 
 them, the biggest one ])ut out lier 
 hand for a penny, ' Why, my poor 
 children,' said I, ' what are you doing 
 here ? you will certainly freeze. Now 
 just put helm about, and make all sail 
 for home.' 
 
 "But she never moved, and only 
 cried the harder. ' Come,' said I
 
 166 THE l-EMPERANCE B0Y8 
 
 'there is your penny; now run home.' 
 But it was of no use. So, after long 
 coaxing, I got her to tell me what 
 was the matter. Her mother would 
 whip her if she came home without a 
 shilling. 
 
 " ' And w^hat does she want of the 
 shilling V 
 
 " ' O sir, she wants it to get some 
 whisky.' 
 
 " ' And who does she want tlie whis- 
 ky for?' 
 
 " ' For herself, sure.' 
 
 " ' Does she drink whisky V 
 
 "'That indeed she does. She'a 
 drunk near about all the time.' 
 
 " ' And your father ?' 
 
 "'Father's been gone these three 
 days, and I don't know where he is.' 
 
 " It was a Ions: time before I could 
 get her to tell me where they lived.
 
 AN INTEMPERATE FAMILY 
 
 107 
 
 but, finally, the gift of the much-de- 
 sired shilling persuaded her, and they 
 ran on before to show me the place 
 
 
 It was a dirty, damp btisement, woi-se 
 than a ship's hold after a year's 
 voyage. 
 
 " I crept down the gangway after the 
 children, and there was a woman and
 
 168 THE TEMPERANCE BOYS 
 
 a babe stowed away on some sti aw 
 in one corner, and she began to storm 
 away at the girls ; but when she saw 
 me she stopped. 
 
 " ' See, mammy,' said one, ' the gen- 
 tleman gave me a shilling.' 
 
 "The woman took it; but she did 
 not look pleased. 
 
 " ' And what does he want himself?' 
 she said at last. 
 
 " ' I felt so sorry for your little girls 
 that I came home with them, to see 
 if they could not be made a little 
 more comfortable.' 
 
 " 'And ye can do as much for them 
 as ye like ; for I'm sure there is 
 enough to be done,' was the moody 
 I'eply. 
 
 "'Have you nothing warmer for 
 them to wear about their shoulders, 
 I inquired.
 
 AN INTEMPERATE FAMILY. 1G9 
 
 " But, O, how she did abuse me for 
 daring to ask such a question ! 
 
 " Finally, when I had pacified her, I 
 asked if these were all the children 
 she had. No, there were two more 
 boys somewhere in the street. 
 
 "And the lather? 
 
 " He'd taken a drop too much, and 
 been a bit noisy and troublesome to 
 the police, and they had shut him up 
 for it. She thouorht it was too bad 
 
 o 
 
 if a poor man could not take a bit 
 of comfort without beins: sent to 
 the Island for it, and I think so 
 too. 
 
 " The children were hungry, and she 
 declared she had no bread for them, 
 and no money to get any. I remind- 
 ed her of the shilling I had given the 
 child, but she said she wanted that to 
 get some medicine with for the baby.
 
 170 TTTE TEMPERANCE BOYS. 
 
 and the poor thing did look as if it 
 was sick. So when I went away 1 
 sent her some coal, and bread, and 
 groceries V 
 
 " O uncle, can't I go with you the 
 next time you go to see them ? Do 
 let me," urged Johnny. 
 
 " Why yes, I suppose you can if 
 you want to," was the reply. 
 
 " And can't we go now, uncle ? I'd 
 like to go now." 
 
 "Why, what's in the wind now, 
 that you're in such a hurry to get 
 your sails up ?" 
 
 O, I'd like to see them," replied 
 Johnny, getting his uncle's hat for 
 him. In truth, Johnny wanted to try 
 to get some of them to sign the pledge, 
 but he was not very sure that he 
 could do it. 
 
 Johnny and his uncle were so^*<i od
 
 AN INTEMPERATE FAMILY. 171 
 
 their way to the drunkard's hoiLse, 
 accompanied by Ralph Sherman, in 
 whose powers of persuasion Johnny 
 placed much confidence, and who 
 happened to come along just as they 
 started. 
 
 " O ! there is the kind gentleman, 
 sure !" was their greeting as they 
 clambered down the rotten steps 
 " The houly Virgin bless ye !" said the 
 woman. " All the saints purtect ye !" 
 
 " Tut, away with your nonsense !" 
 said the captain. "What less could 
 any one do when a body was suffer- 
 ing in that way?" 
 
 "Indade and there's many a one 
 that don't do it then. There's none 
 that's so kind as yei'self, sir, with al] 
 the nice praties ye sent us." 
 
 The sailor cut her short this time, 
 by tui'niiig to the little girl, who
 
 172 THE TEMPERANCE BOYS. 
 
 stood looking at him with opeu 
 mouth, and asking about her father, 
 
 " He hasn't been home yet ;" and 
 she began to snivel and put her 
 fingers in her eyes. 
 
 While the captain was talking to 
 the child, Johnny summoned all his 
 courage, and went up to the woman, 
 saying that he had come with his 
 uncle to see if she would not take the 
 pledge. 
 
 " Och yes !" said she ; " I'll be after 
 taking anything he'll send me. It 
 was a nice lot of stuff he sent me 
 this morning." 
 
 "Yes; but we want you to prom- 
 ise that you won't drink any more 
 whisky." 
 
 " O yes, and as many times as you 
 please !" 
 
 " Well, then, you will have no
 
 AN INTE>/PERATE VAMU.Y. 173 
 
 objections to putting your name to 
 that promise," said he, reaching it out 
 to her. 
 
 But the woman would not sign the 
 pledge. She would put her name to 
 no paper. She knew nothing about 
 papers, she said, and did they want 
 to take her to court ? 
 
 By this time Uncle John's atten- 
 tion was attracted, and he had to 
 join in trying to pacify her with the 
 assurance that it was only a promise 
 not to drink any more. 
 
 "And sure," she said, "ye have my 
 word for it, and that's enough. But 
 come to-morrow, and the old man 
 will be home, I'm thinking. They 
 only sent him up for three days; and 
 he knows all about papers and the 
 like, for he has a deal of book 
 larnin'."
 
 174 THE TEMPEEANCE BOYS. 
 
 "Well, come, boys," said the cap- 
 tarn ; " I do not see any nse in teasing 
 her about that f and so they all left. 
 
 Johnny was disappointed, but he 
 did not despair. He would try 
 again when he got a chance to see 
 the old man, as Mrs. Maloney called 
 her husband. 
 
 As for Ralph he had not been 
 using his eyes in vain. While he 
 was looking at the ragged, bare- 
 footed children he thought of the 
 shoes and garments that were left in 
 the closet after fitting up Andrew 
 Phelan ; and when they were out he 
 at once proposed to Johnny to get 
 them for these children. 
 
 At this suggestion Johnny capered 
 about in great glee. He declared 
 that it was just the thing ; but they 
 ought to ask the other boys: that
 
 AN INTEMPERATE fAlIILY. 175 
 
 they could do to-morrow. It was 
 VQvy lucky that the society met to- 
 morrow. And so the matter was 
 settled. 
 
 You may well believe that Johnny 
 Capers had a very interesting story 
 to tell at the Temperance Hall the 
 next day. To hear him talk you 
 would have supposed that all that 
 was wanting to raise that family 
 from misery to happiness was for the 
 father to come home, and sign the 
 pledge. O yes ! there was one other 
 item, but his friend Ralph would 
 speak of that. 
 
 So Kalph made a motion that their 
 bundle of shoes and clothing be given 
 to this poor fiimily. 
 
 This met with ready approval, and 
 Johnny and Ralph carried off the 
 bundle in triumph.
 
 176 THE TEMPERANCE B(.)y8. 
 
 There was a great scrambling 
 among the little Maloneys when the 
 shoes were opened before them. One 
 little fellow seemed to think himself 
 made for life when he had put on one 
 big shoe and one little one, and stood 
 up in them. The clothing seemed to 
 be mostly of suitable size for the two 
 boys; but the mother cunningly de- 
 clined to try it on till the visitors nad
 
 AX IM'EMPERATE FAMILif. 177 
 
 gone, for slie feared they would lake 
 away what might not pi'ove suitable. 
 
 On the other side of the room sat 
 the father, smoking his pipe with the 
 greatest indifference. But, in spite of 
 his morose looks, Johnny ventured up 
 to him, saying : " Ple^ise, sir, will you 
 sign the temperance pledge ?" 
 
 ''What's that?" said the man, 
 gruffly. 
 
 "It is the pledge, sir; and we are 
 temperance boys, and go around try- 
 ing to get people to sign it; and 
 sometimes it does them a great deal 
 of good." 
 
 " Yes," interrupted the woman ; 
 " didn't I tell you that yesterday 
 they wanted me to put my name to 
 it ; and I told them to come to-day, 
 when ye'd be at home, foi- I had no 
 larnin' to meddle with such things " 
 
 13
 
 178 TITE TE.^IPERANCE BOYS. 
 
 The man took the paper in his 
 hand, arjd, looking over it, said : 
 "Snre, this is the same thing they 
 had in the ould country once, with 
 Father Matthew. And it is just a 
 promise not to drink any more, 
 eh ?" 
 
 " Yes, that is it," cried Johnny, de- 
 lighted at his ready understanding of 
 the matter ; and you'll sign it, won't 
 you ?" 
 
 " And what good would it be if 1 
 should ? Here's all the folks in rags, 
 and nothing to eat, and I've no work. 
 I don't see as it's any good to try to 
 do anything, for it's the same thing 
 over and over again, and there's no 
 work to be had for a poor man f' 
 and so he went on with a senseless 
 string about the poor that could not 
 get any work ; just as if he wanted
 
 AN INTEMPERATE FAMILY. 179 
 
 work, or would do it if he had it 
 to do. 
 
 "Yes," replied Johnny; "but we'll 
 help you. We'll get clothing and 
 food for you ; and then my Uncle 
 John will get work for you, if he 
 can, so that you can help yourself." 
 
 "O, I'll sign it, sure, if you are so 
 good as all that ; but when'll you do 
 these fine things that you're a prom- 
 Isin'?" 
 
 "Do them?" said Ralph: "right 
 away. We've begun now," and he 
 pointed to the shoes and the clothing. 
 
 The man rather moodily stretched 
 out his hand for the pencil, and 
 scrawled his name ; and, after a little 
 urging, the woman's name was added 
 too. 
 
 In the coui*se of a day or two Misa 
 Amelia Martin, Charlie's sister, hear
 
 180 THE TEilPERANCE BOYS. 
 
 ing, througli her little brothers, of the 
 destitute condition of the family, and 
 that they had signed the pledge, in- 
 terested herself in dressing up the 
 mother and the girls till they a]»- 
 peared quite neat.
 
 OEOEGE BARKER'S SCHOLAR. 181 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 GEORGE BARKER'S SUNDAY SCHOLAB. 
 
 George Barker was a teacher iu 
 the Sunday school. Having a fine 
 voice and good natural taste for mu- 
 sic, he led the singing of the infant 
 class. He was too young to be the 
 first teacher, but as second teacher 
 his kindness won the hearts of all the 
 little ones, and at no time would 
 they sing with so much life and 
 animation as when George Barkei* 
 led them. 
 
 There was one bi'ight but poorly- 
 dressed little girl in the class that 
 often attracted his attention. She 
 Biiug well, and seemed to take great
 
 182 THE l-EMPERANCE BOYS. 
 
 delight in it. But wlien they were 
 not singing she was full of mischief, 
 seemed never able to sit still, and 
 annoyed her teachers and her class- 
 mates in many ways. 
 
 The infant-class teachers hardly 
 knew what to do with her, till it was 
 proposed to have her put into the 
 larger school, in a small class, under 
 a teacher. The next question was. 
 whether she could read. George 
 volunteei-ed to talk with her. That 
 was just the thing. She seemed at 
 once elevated with an idea of self- 
 respect, to think that the teacher 
 should specially notice her. She was 
 so much lari2:er than most of the other 
 scholars that George felt sure that 
 she could read. But a little talk 
 settled the matter; and she seemed 
 to be so grieved to acknowledge hei
 
 GEORGE BARKER'S SCHOLAR. 183 
 
 ignorance that he was sorry for hav- 
 ing asked her. 
 
 "Don't you go to school through 
 the week?" inquired George. 
 
 " No ; mother wants me at home, 
 to take care of the baby ; and besides, 
 mother says she cannot get clothes 
 for me to wear. A lady gave me 
 these clothes I have on, just to wear 
 to Sunday school." 
 
 George assured her they were glad 
 to see her there, praised her good 
 attention to the lessons as much as he 
 could, told her that she would make 
 a good singer if she tried faithfully, 
 and he hoped she would grow up to 
 make a good and respectable woman. 
 There might yet be an opportunity for 
 her to learn to read, if she showed 
 herself a good girl ; and so, with kind 
 woi'ds, he sent her back to her seat.
 
 184 THE TEMPERANCE BOYS. 
 
 From this time lier behavior waa 
 greatly changed. She was so quiet, 
 obedient, and careful as to gain a deep 
 interest in the hearts of her teachers. 
 She made rapid progress in singing, 
 and learned the hymns very quickly, 
 because she paid such good attention 
 
 After a while George found a lady 
 among his friends whom he interested 
 in the welfare of the little girl, and 
 who promised to take a personal in- 
 terest in teaching her to read. 
 
 The next Sunday morning the lady 
 was at the school to see little Annie ; 
 but the child was not there. Another 
 Sunday passed without her making 
 lier appearance, and then George went 
 to call on her, to find out what wag 
 the matter. But he found that th<? 
 family had removed, and no one knew 
 where they had gone.
 
 GEOIIGE barker's SCHOLAR. 185 
 
 "A good i-uldaiice it was, too," a 
 neighbor said, " for the niaii was lazy 
 and drunken, and the woman was not 
 much better, though she did not 
 drink ; and the children were dreadful 
 impudent and always in the way." 
 
 " Were the children all bad ?" 
 inquired George. 
 
 " Yes, all but the little girl, and she 
 had become quite decent lately, though 
 I think that came from going to Sun- 
 day school." 
 
 GeoT'ge turned away sorrowfully. 
 It was evident that the girl was im- 
 proving, and he regretted that all his 
 good efforts should be wasted so soon ; 
 and the poor child, that wanted to be 
 good, lost, perhaps, forever. 
 
 The next Sabbath morning, as he 
 3ame out of the infant-class room, he 
 met a ragged, filthy looking man, who
 
 ISG THE TEMPERAlSrCE BOYS. 
 
 came eagerly toward him, and inquired 
 if he was Annie Dean's teacher. 
 George replied that he was one of her 
 teachers, and then inquired where she 
 was. " Well," said the man, " are yon 
 the one that sings ? She wants the one 
 that sings so good ;" and then George 
 learned that his interesting little 
 scholar was sick, that she would pro- 
 bably die, and was very anxious to 
 see him. He immediately started to 
 visit her, feeling very solemn, and not 
 much disposed to talk with the un- 
 worthy father, who went on with 
 different subjects, evidently not quite 
 sober. 
 
 At last they came to the mean 
 nbode, away up sev iral rickety flights 
 of stairs, and there he found the sick 
 Sunday scholar in the last stages of 
 disease. Her large dark eye kindled
 
 GEORGE BARKERS SCHOLAR. 18^ 
 
 with pleasure as it fell upon him, and 
 she reached out her thin hand eagerly. 
 
 " O teacher," she said, " I was afraid 
 father would not go for you. I am 
 80 glad you are C(jme. I wanted to 
 see you once more." 
 
 " Once more," said George, " 1 hope 
 we shall see you at Sunday school 
 many times more yet," for he did not 
 know how sick she was. 
 
 "No," she replied solemnly, "not 
 here ; but I am going to that Sunday 
 school in heaven that you used to tell 
 us about. Perhaps I shall see you 
 there." 
 
 " And how do you know, my child, 
 that you will go there ?" 
 
 "0 1 know it. I feel it. Some- 
 thing in here tells me so. Two 
 weeks ago I was feeling very bad 
 because I had been so naughty, and I
 
 188 THE TEMPERANCE BCY3. 
 
 was afraid I'd die and go to hell. 1 
 didn't know what to do, and I tried 
 to think of the verses that they used 
 to teach us out of God's book ; but I 
 could'nt think of one of them. And 
 then I thought it would be just right 
 for me to be lost, because I would not 
 learn those good verses when you 
 tried to teach us. and I was so sure, 
 all the while, that just one little verse 
 would tell me what to do and save 
 me. But I couldn't think of any. 
 By and by I thought of that hymn, 
 
 'Jesus, lover of my soul;' 
 
 and then I remembered that it was 
 Jesus I was to go to; and then all at 
 once I thought of that beautiful verse, 
 * Come unto me, all ye that labor and 
 are heavy laden, and I will give you 
 rest.' And then pretty soon I thought
 
 GEORGE BARKER'S SCHOLAR. 189 
 
 of another : ' Him that cometh to me 
 I will in no wise cast out.' Then all 
 my bad feelings went right away, and 
 I knew that I should go to Jesus 
 Ever since that I have been trying to 
 sing 
 
 'I want to be an angel,' 
 
 but I can't sing it much, I'm so tired 
 all the while," and she sunk back on 
 her pillow. Indeed she had been 
 obliged to stop and rest several times 
 while talking. And soon she said, 
 " Teacher, I thought if you could only 
 come and sing it for me." 
 
 Pausins: a moment to command his 
 feelings, he sung, and the dying child 
 hung on his words as if they had been 
 indeed the accents of Heaven. It was 
 a strange scene, that degraded, ragged 
 ftimily gathered around the dying bed 
 of little Annie, and the young Sunday-
 
 100 THE TEMPERANCE BOYS. 
 
 school teacher singing the hymn that 
 told of her high hopes for another 
 world. Then he sang, 
 
 "Jesus, lover of niy soul," 
 
 and one or two other hymns, until 
 even Annie herself seemed satisfied. 
 Bidding her a tender good-by, he left 
 with a promise to call again the next 
 day. 
 
 Going immediately to the lady who
 
 GEORGE BARKER'S SCHOLAR. 191 
 
 nad previously offered to provide her 
 with the means of learning to read, he 
 told the circumstances to her, and 
 the worthy woman soon visited the 
 scene of suffering, with many little 
 comforts and kind words that greatly 
 soothed the dying hours of the little 
 Christian. 
 
 She w^as very anxious about the 
 family, especially her ftither, and be- 
 sought him with tears to become a 
 sober man. 
 
 O fiither !" said she, " if you 
 would only let the rum alone, and 
 bring home your wages to mother, 
 she would take heart again, and take 
 better care of the baby. And may be 
 too she could keep Joe and Tommy 
 out of the street, where they are learn- 
 ing so much swearing and fighting all 
 *he time and send •'"hem to school.
 
 192 THE TEMPERANCE BOYS. 
 
 Say, father, only say you will lea^e 
 the drink !" 
 
 It was a broken promise the poor 
 man gave ; but the child was com ■ 
 forted. 
 
 When George called again his little 
 scholar was almost gone. She could 
 say only a few words about her 
 brothers. She wanted them to go to 
 Sunday school. Then, turning her 
 eyes upward, she said : " O teacher ! 
 I shall soon be with the angels, 1 
 am going to Jesus." 
 
 That night she died. Through the 
 kindness of the lady friend they had 
 A decent funeral, after which George 
 returned to the house with the par- 
 ents. The poor father was quite 
 broken down; for in his sober mo- 
 ments he had loved his little Annie, 
 his oldest child, with tender affection
 
 GEOEOE barker's SCHOLAR. 193 
 
 " 1. promised my poor Annie," said 
 he, " that I'd let the drink alone, and, 
 by the help of God, I'll do it. I want 
 yon, sir, to write me off a pledge, and 
 I'll sign it before God, and my poor 
 abused wife, and yourself." 
 
 It was soon done, and the man, 
 folding it up carefully, put it away in 
 his Bible, saying: "There, when I 
 read my Bi])le I'll turn and read 
 that, and, God helping me, I'll keep 
 it." 
 
 By the kindness of friends, who 
 ha^l become interested in the story 
 of little Annie, employment was ob- 
 tained for him, courage came back to 
 the disheartened wife, and plenty 
 once more smiled upon them, as it 
 had in the early days of their mar- 
 ried life. 
 
 13
 
 104 ITIE TEMPEEANCE BOITL 
 
 CHAPTEE VII. 
 
 UNCLE JOHlSr COJnnERTED. 
 
 JonNET Capers had tried some 
 time to get his uncle to sign the 
 pledge, but he was nearly discouraged 
 with his lack of success. The good- 
 natured sailor avoided all conversa- 
 tion on the topic. When on shore, 
 and especially when enjoying the 
 hospitality of his sister-in-law, he very 
 seldom indulged in strong drink of 
 any kind. ladeed he rarely used it 
 ut any time to such an excess as to 
 show much of its effects. He was of 
 a temperament not easily affected in 
 this way. But at this time, as hia 
 visit was much longer than usual, he
 
 imCLE JOim CONVERTED. 195 
 
 found it difficult to abstain entirely. 
 He did so, however, until one even- 
 ing, a few days after the fitting up of 
 the Maloney femily. Happening to 
 call on another ship-master of his ac- 
 quaintance, he found him just going 
 out to some public dinner, and no 
 excuse would answer, but he must go 
 with him. We will not detail the 
 uproarious scene. It is sufficient to 
 say that by midnight many of the 
 number w^ere so far gone that they 
 could not help themselves home. 
 Captain Capers did not realize his ex- 
 act situation, or he would not have 
 gone home himself, much less would 
 he have allowed his merry com 
 panions to pull the bell so violently, 
 or shout so lustily, to get the servant 
 ap to let him in. 
 
 The next morning he kept his bed
 
 196 THE TEMPERA]S^CE BOYS. 
 
 Mrs. Capers looked sad, and the chil 
 dren were very mucli alarmed he- 
 cause Uncle John was sick, so sick 
 hat he could not get up. 
 
 He came down to dinner, but did 
 not seem very cheerful, and in the 
 afternoon he went out again. 
 
 "Mother," said Johnny, when he 
 found that lady alone in the evening, 
 "mother, was that Uncle John that 
 came in so late last night, and made 
 so much noise ?" 
 
 " Why do you ask that, my son ?" 
 was the mother'?, ^espouse. 
 
 " Because," said he, hesitatingly, " I 
 did not know ; I was afraid he had 
 not been a temperance man," he 
 added, hardly knowing how to say a 
 thing so offensive. 
 
 " Well, what then, my child ?" con* 
 tinued the mother.
 
 UNCLE JOHN CONVERTED. lUT 
 
 "O, nothiug ! only I was thinking 
 that I did not want to be a sailoi- if I 
 could not be a temperance man too." 
 
 Now it so happened that long since 
 Captain Capers had marked his young 
 namesake for a sailor. He genei-ally 
 called him " skipper" or " middy," and 
 would frequently talk over his future 
 adventures, and the lands he would 
 visit. His mother was not pleased 
 with this, but she did not oppose the 
 idea, hoping that his own good sense 
 would, as he grew older, show him 
 some better way. And now, like a 
 careful mother, she tried to lead and 
 strengthen that judgment. 
 
 " Well, my son," she continued, 
 "what will you do about it? You 
 know he expects you to go." 
 
 " I'll tell him that I've changed my 
 mind, and do not wish to be a sailor
 
 198 THE TKMPEKANCE BOYS. 
 
 because I could not be a temperance 
 boy too." 
 
 " But be sure to be careful and re- 
 spectful toward him, even if you can- 
 not follow his example ; for he is your 
 uncle, and a much older person than 
 you are, too." 
 
 The next day Johnny went with 
 Jeiferson Townley tosee the Maloneys. 
 The society and friends had done 
 much for this family; but somehow 
 they did not seem to be any better 
 off for it. To be sure the children 
 sometimes had shoes on, and were a 
 little better clothed ; l)ut the room 
 was as untidy and comfortless as ever. 
 The secret was that the best of the 
 clothing that had been given them 
 was sent to the pawnbroker's shop to 
 get money with it, and the money 
 was spent for whisky; but this fact
 
 UisrCLE JOHN CONVEKTKI). 199 
 
 was carefully concealed fi'om those 
 who helped them. 
 
 Through the efforts of Uncle John, 
 work had been obtained for the man, 
 who pretended to be a painter. Ac- 
 cordingly some ])lain painting had 
 been given him ; l)ut he soon com- 
 plained that climbing made him dizzy, 
 and he could not work there. It 
 finally turned out that he was only a 
 whitewasher, and as this was not the 
 season for whitewashing, he could get 
 no woi'k. Such difficulties as these 
 the benevolent sometimes meet in their 
 labors of love ; but, for the sake of 
 those who are worthy, still continue 
 to assist all who appear to be so. 
 
 When Johnny and Jeff came with 
 in two or three squares of the Malo 
 neys, their w<iy was blocked up by a 
 crowd. With natural curiosity they
 
 200 THE TEMPERANCE BOYS. 
 
 ptopped to inquire the cause of it ; but 
 finding it only a drunken quarrel, 
 they picked their way around, and 
 were going on in quiet, when they met 
 Mrs. Maloney rushing on in frantic 
 haste, crying out, "They'll kill him! 
 They'll kill him, sure !" 
 
 The boys turned to follow her, and 
 elbowing their way into the foul- 
 mouthed crowd, they saw one of the 
 most diso-ustino; sights belonsriua: to a 
 course of intemperance. Two drunken 
 men, one of whom was Maloney, were 
 fighting. Maloney had been thrown, 
 and his antagonist was pounding his 
 face and eyes, when Mrs. Maloney 
 burst in, and seizing the other by the 
 hair, dragged him off. Then there 
 were cries of "Fair play," mingled 
 with 7ery foul words and curses, and 
 the woman was taken away. Maloney
 
 UNCLE JOHN CONVEIITED. 201 
 
 *v7te helped up and ui'ged on, and at 
 it they went again. It was horribly 
 sickening, a ghastly sight for those 
 young eyes to look upon, one which 
 would often flit before their minds 
 shockingly perhaps for years. How 
 thoroughly debased then must l)e 
 those hearts that, brought up in the 
 midst of such scenes, can look upon 
 them unmoved, or coolly cry, " Give 
 it to him ! give it to him !" O rum, 
 rum ! who can tell half the misery and 
 the vice that thou bringest ! 
 
 Heart-sick the two boys were turn- 
 ing away to leave the crowd when 
 they saw it already dispersing, and 
 two policemen were leading away tli** 
 bruisers to the station-house. Maloney 
 Beemed badly Imrt, and the boys fob 
 lowed timidly to inquire about him. 
 
 "O no," the policeman replied to
 
 202 THE Ti;3IPERANCE BOYS. 
 
 their inquiry ; " they have only set his 
 nosf^ a-bleecling. The best medicine 
 for him will be a month or two on 
 the Island. But these streets are no 
 place for you, my lads. You had 
 better go where it is safer." 
 
 In returning they saw Mrs. Maloney 
 standing on a corner talking in a high 
 tone, cursing her husband and the 
 policeman alternately ; but no one 
 seemed to think of cursins: the rum- 
 shops, which, found on every corner, 
 were the causes of all the trouble. 
 Even with that awful example before 
 them, they dropped into the grocery, 
 one after another, to "hquor again." 
 
 This disturbance seemed to havo 
 called out into the streets all the low 
 inhabitants of that low neighborhood. 
 Everywhere the boys saw nothing but 
 filth, misery, and rags^ and in the
 
 UNCLE JOHN CONVERTED. 208 
 
 features of every face seemed to be 
 writteu, " Intemperance," " Strong 
 drink," " Rum," " Ruin." If by chance 
 a decent man did pass by that way 
 it only served to show the contrast 
 between temperance and intemper- 
 ance more strikingly, as the boya 
 could not help obsei'ving in one case 
 wnere a miserable drunkard who was 
 holding himself up by a lamp-post
 
 '20 i T2E TEMPEKAXCE 130 IS. 
 
 stopped a fiue-looking gentleman to 
 beg an alms. It was a sight which 
 our young friends thought they wouhl 
 not soon forget. But the low people 
 about there seemed absolutely blind, 
 without an idea of the cause of all 
 their misery. 
 
 " uncle," said Johnny sadly when 
 he saw that relative in the evening, 
 " Mr. Maloney has been getting drunk 
 ao-ain, and fiorhtino;, and he is to be 
 shut up for it a long time." 
 
 "So much for signing the temper- 
 ance pledge," said Uncle John. 
 
 " No, uncle," said Johnny respect- 
 fully but earnestly, "it is intemper- 
 ance that does that. If he woidd 
 stick to his pledge, and let strong 
 drink alone, it would not be so." 
 
 "Will you give up the family, then, 
 because the father drinks ?"
 
 UNCLE JOHN CONVERTED. 205 
 
 "Jeff says he does not see as ii is 
 of much use to help them. They are 
 no better off, after all that we have 
 done for them. The children are 
 nothing but street beggars, and do 
 not seem^ to know how to tell the 
 truth. They will not go to school 
 nor to Sabbath school, and I do not 
 see what we can do for them." 
 
 Johnny paused ; but as his uncle 
 made no reply, he went on : 
 
 "This drinking is a terrible bad 
 thing, uncle. I do not see that any 
 good comes of it anywhei'e. I am 
 really afraid of it. I don't believe 
 I'll be a sailor. I'm afraid that some- 
 how I shall learn to drink. You 
 know almost all the sailors drink." 
 
 Johnny stopped short ; for his uncle 
 looked angry, and that was something 
 very unusual for him. Indeed the
 
 206 THE TEIVIPEEANCE BOYS. 
 
 boy was friglitened himself wlien ho 
 came to think how bold he had been. 
 
 The captain stood up and said 
 sternly : " I hope you do not mean to 
 compare sailors with those Five Point 
 drunkards ;" but when he saw how 
 frightened Johnny looked, he stroked 
 the child's head, adding in gentler 
 tones : " Well, well, my boy, you are 
 more than half right. You are quite 
 too good a boy to be a sailor, that's a 
 fact," and then he left the room. 
 
 Thei'e was some anxiety that even- 
 ing at the supper table because Uncle 
 John did not make his appearance. 
 The maid was sent to knock at his 
 door ; but there was no answer, and 
 she said that she had seen him going 
 out over half an hour before with his 
 overcoat on, and she was certain he 
 had not returned.
 
 UNCLE JOHN CONVERTEf* 207 
 
 The evening passed away, and still 
 he did not come. Mrs. Capers ques- 
 tioned her son closely. She feared 
 that Johnny liad said something that 
 might have seriously offended his 
 uncle, though it was very unlike him 
 to take offense at anything his nephew 
 might choose to say. 
 
 Johnny was allowed to sit up an 
 hour later than usual, but no uncle 
 came. It was some time after he went 
 to bed before he slept, and then it 
 was to dream about his uncle. 
 
 The morning came and went, but 
 ptill no uncle. Very eai-nestly did 
 Johnny go to his heavenly Father 
 and tell him all about it, praying him 
 to keep his uncle safe, and make him 
 a very good man. 
 
 When the children returned from 
 school that day, they found to their
 
 208 THE TEMPEEANCE BOTS. 
 
 ^eat joy that Uncle Jolin had been 
 home. 
 
 " But he has gone again," said Mre. 
 Capei-s. He was tired of waiting for 
 his old ship to be refitted, so the 
 owners gave him command of a much 
 larger one, that is lying at B. He 
 was obliged to go right on to take 
 the oversight of the pi-eparations for 
 the voyage, and, as she must sail soon, 
 he did not expect to be able to see 
 us again before leaving. 
 
 The big tears came into Johnny's 
 eyes. " O mother !" he cried, " why 
 did'nt he come to bid me good-by? 
 I am afraid he never will love me any 
 more. This temperance business! I 
 wish I had not said a word to him 
 about it !" 
 
 " My son," said the judicious mother 
 reprovingly, you know we show tha
 
 ITNCLE JOHN COXTEilTED. 209 
 
 truest kindness to our friends when 
 we try to do them good, and we must 
 leave the result with God. But I do 
 not think that your uncle is displeased 
 with you. He spoke of you very 
 kindly, saying that he had not time 
 to go and see you ; but he left a little 
 parcel for you which he said he sup- 
 posed would please you more than 
 half a dozen good-bys." 
 
 Johnny took it sorrowfully, saying 
 that he did not know of any j^resent 
 that would please him half so much 
 fis his uncle's good-will. Judge then 
 of his surprise when, on breaking the 
 seal, he found a temperance pledge 
 with his uncle's name signed to it, and 
 a copy of the agreement he had made 
 with the owners to sail the ship on 
 temperance principles. 
 
 14
 
 210 THE TEirPEKANCE BOYB, 
 
 CHAPIER VTIL 
 
 NEW YEAR'S DAY. 
 
 Ajiio]N"G the customs handed down 
 to the good people of New- York, by 
 their Dutch ancestors, is that of 
 making New Year's calls. It is really 
 a very pleasant custom. Everybody 
 has a holiday; and it is a very suit- 
 able time to call on everybody else, 
 in whom we have an interest, and see 
 how they have prospered through the 
 past year, and offer them our good 
 wishes for the comino: one. 
 
 But then if everybody made calls 
 there would be no one to call upon; 
 80 it is arranged that the gentlemen 
 make the calls, and the ladies remain 
 at heme to receive them.
 
 inEW YEAR'S DAY. 211 
 
 In many houses a table is spread 
 m the parlor, and the lady of the 
 house invites her guests, with cordial 
 hospitality, to partake of the dainties 
 spread before them. 
 
 All this makes the city a scene of 
 great bustle and gayety. The streets 
 are filled, from morning till night, 
 with well-dressed gentleman, on foot 
 and in carriages, veiy few ladies ven- 
 turing out of doors ; while the parloi's 
 are adorned in their brightest, and 
 the tables glitter with cliina, glass- 
 ware, and plate. 
 
 Now all this is very nice. 1 dis- 
 like to spoil the picture. But it 
 seems almost impossil)le for poor hn 
 man beings to have anything perfect, 
 and there are a great many ways of 
 spoiling a good thing. In the first 
 place, it is the greatest ambition of
 
 212 THE TEJrPERAlSrCE BOYS. 
 
 the gentlemen to make as many calls 
 as possible. He that makes the most 
 calls is the best fellow. It is also the 
 ambition of the ladies to receive a 
 great many calls, and if any of their 
 gentlemen aquaintance do not call on 
 them it is considered a grievous 
 neglect. 
 
 It follows that if a gentleman has 
 a pretty extensive acquaintance he is 
 kept very busy, making perhaps from 
 thirty to fifty calls. Then you must 
 remember that he is asked to eat 
 something at every place, and is 
 urged to eat much. As may be sup- 
 posed, there is often some suffering 
 from intemperance in eating. 
 
 They are not so wise as the Indians 
 ill that respect. When the Dutch 
 settled the Mohawk Valley, the In- 
 dians, who were then living there.
 
 NEW YEAR'S DAY. 213 
 
 adopted many of the habits of theii 
 new white neighbors. Among the 
 rest was this of making New Year's 
 calls. But the young Indians soon 
 found that they could not eat a full 
 meal at many places; and still, ac- 
 cording to the long-established cus- 
 tom, it would be considered an affront 
 to refuse the hospitalities of any one. 
 So they prudently took along a bag, 
 into which they put the surplus cake, 
 and carried it home, to eat it at their 
 leisure, or distribute among the other 
 members of the family. This custom 
 is continued among some of the tribes 
 to the present day; and I once knew 
 a young chief, who was quite a favor- 
 ite in the tribe, that carried home 
 more than a bushel of cakes in one 
 day. Our young New-York aristoc- 
 racy would probably object to carry
 
 214 THE TEMPEEAIS^CE BOYS. 
 
 ing the extra sack, and so they ge.ii' 
 teely crowd it all down their own 
 throats. 
 
 But this is not the worst of it. 
 Since the first great temperance 
 movement died away it has become 
 very common to pLace the decanter 
 and the wine-glass on the table ; yes, 
 and porter, and brandy, and every- 
 thinsr else that is used as a drink. 
 And the ladies, I am sorry to say it, 
 turn tempters, and offer the intoxi- 
 cating draught. 
 
 My readers will doubtless think 
 that this will not seriously affect our 
 temperance boys, as they were too 
 young to make calls ; and so they 
 were, the most of them ; but George 
 Barker was not. He was just turned 
 sixteen. He was a thoughtful, studi- 
 ous lad, very little accustomed to
 
 NEW year's day. 215 
 
 society, and had as yet never made 
 New Year's calls. But within the 
 past year he had grown six inches, so 
 that he was quite a man in size, and, 
 what was of still greater importance, 
 he had laid by his roundabout, and 
 put on a frock-coat. 
 
 His strict though somewhat world- 
 ly mamma thought it high time he 
 should begin to go into society ; and 
 it was duly arranged that he should 
 make New Year's calls this season 
 with his cousin Cyrus. 
 
 They had a large circle of fashion- 
 able relatives and acquaintances, 
 among whon. Cousin Cyrus was al- 
 ready a great favorite, so that places 
 for calling were not wanting. Sonie- 
 liow, in the anticipated pleasures of 
 the day, George never thought of the 
 probability of being tempted to break
 
 216 THE TEMPEEANCE BOYS. 
 
 his pledge, or, if he did, he intended, 
 of course, to decline drinking, if in- 
 vited to do so. 
 
 At the first two or three places 
 where they called no liquors were oa 
 the tables, and George got on ad- 
 mu'ably. His cousin complimented 
 him on his fine appearance, the ladies 
 smiled on him, and he seemed in a 
 new world of delight. He quite for- 
 got everything but the new excite- 
 ment around him; and when they 
 did call where there were liquors 
 on the table he did not observe 
 them. 
 
 Bashful and excited people are not 
 usually very accurate observers. Be- 
 sides he was quite bewildered with 
 the dazzling beauty of their young 
 hostess. He had seen her before, as 
 she was a family connection, and the
 
 NEW TEAR'S DAI. 217 
 
 remembrance of her was like some 
 l)eauteous dream. As she chatted 
 gayly with Cousin Cyrus, and now 
 and then addressed some smiling re- 
 mark to him, it is no wonder he took 
 unheeded everything she offered him. 
 It is no wonder he mistook the glass 
 of champagne for water or lemonade, 
 and, following the example of cousin 
 Cyrus, swallowed it down. 
 
 No, not quite all of it. He stopped 
 half way of the glass, to inquire what 
 it was, and he crimsoned deeply under 
 her quizzical eye as she replied : " The 
 very best champagne. Cousin George. 
 Don't you think it nice ? I heard pa 
 say that he took great pains to get 
 the best article, and this is some that 
 we have had in the cellar a long time, 
 longer than I can I'emember, though 
 that is not a great while," said she
 
 218 THE temperjMtce boys. 
 
 laughingly. " Have some more of it, 
 George." 
 
 " No, I thank you, I'd rather not," 
 said George, stammering; "I never 
 drink it," " Some scruples, have you ?" 
 interposed Cousin Cyrus ; " well, it is 
 quite too late ; you have drank half a 
 glass ah^eady." 
 
 " Pray do finish one glass, at least,'* 
 urged the lady. " I am sure it can- 
 not hurt you. Indeed, I often take 
 some myself," and then she sipped a 
 little from a glass. 
 
 George could not resist this, and 
 he drained the glass ; but he left the 
 house with a heavy heart. 
 
 Once out again, his cousin rallied 
 him on being over nice. 
 
 " If you are not going to take any 
 liquor," said he, "you may just aa 
 well not make any more caUs, for you
 
 TSTEW YEAR'S DAY. 219 
 
 will find it quite frequently, and you 
 will only make yourself ridiculous )j 
 refusing it." 
 
 " But I've signed the pledge," said 
 George. " Well, you have broken it 
 now, and it can't be helped, so you 
 may as well go on," he urged, seeing 
 George was inclined to take his sug- 
 gestion and not make any more calls. 
 " You need not take much," he added, 
 "if you are afraid of it; just a sip to 
 pass it off." 
 
 George felt better when at the next 
 call he saw no liquors on the table, 
 and at still the next, when Cyrus 
 kindly got him excused from taking 
 any. 
 
 After this call his cousin patroni- 
 zingly said : " You see, George, there 
 are some places like the last where it 
 will do to excuse one's self, and I'll
 
 220 TEE TEMPEKAlSrCE BOYS. 
 
 do it for you when T can ; but now 
 we are going to call at Major Doane's, 
 and I hope you'll not make yourself 
 and me so ridiculous as to refuse a 
 taste. If you should, I should hardly 
 he able ever to make up a face to call 
 there ao^ain." 
 
 The sumptuous elegance of the 
 apartments charmed George, and the 
 dignity of the lady awed him. 
 
 " Don't you like the wine, my 
 young friend ?" said she graciously, as 
 he put down the barely tasted glass. 
 "It is the pure juice of the grape, 
 which we have had specially manu- 
 factured for our own use." 
 
 So Geo]"ge tasted it again. He had 
 heard so much said about the adul- 
 terations of wine, that if this waa 
 pure he wanted to try it, and he 
 di ank a little more.
 
 WEW YEAR'S DAY. 221 
 
 The champagne began to work in 
 Lis head by this time, so that it was 
 miicli easier to drink more ; and he 
 "just tasted" a little at nearly every 
 call. The company, the brilliancy of 
 the day, the general hilarity greatly 
 raised his spirits. Pie thought he 
 never enjoyed anything so much be- 
 fore. He was glad to find that the 
 new circle whose acquaintance he was 
 that day making contained so many 
 elegant people; in short, he was in 
 excellent good-humor with himself 
 and all tlie world. 
 
 It was late that afternoon that Miss 
 Amelia Martin stood half concealed 
 by the heavy folds of the window 
 drapery looking into the street below. 
 She had been permitted to assist her 
 mother at their temperately, but 
 tast(^fuly spread table, until she was
 
 222 THE TEMPEKAlSrCE BOYS. 
 
 quite wearied with excitement Seiz* 
 ing a favorable opportunity, when no 
 one was in, she stole away to the 
 deep recess of the window to cool her 
 burning cheeks, and watch the out 
 door scenes. 
 
 Couples and parties of gentlemen 
 were hurrying along, arm in arm, with 
 cigars in their mouths, and some were 
 more leisurely sporting their canes 
 and chatting with great glee. But it 
 did not escape her eye that there 
 were many that wore a flushed face 
 and carried themselves with an uncer- 
 tain step. These were mostly young 
 men, quite young, and Amelia thought 
 sadly that probably many of them 
 had that day drank for the first time, 
 had that day first played with the 
 viper that might hereafter sting thenj 
 to death.
 
 NEW YEAR'S DAY. 223 
 
 And she was glad with a childlike 
 joy, as she thought how free their own 
 table was from all that could tempt 
 to indulgence in the fatal draught. 
 There was not even the flavor of 
 brandy or wine in pie, cake, or sweet- 
 meat, and her mother's gentl*^ roice 
 had more than once advised their 
 youthful visitors to beware of aught 
 that might bring repentance on the 
 morrow. And a tear of gratitude 
 trembled in the eye of the thoughtful 
 maiden that she was blest with such 
 a home, and that her youthful haud 
 nad never been lent to tlie fearful task 
 of beckoning her dear young friends 
 from the blessed walks of temperance. 
 
 Just then two young men passed, 
 one of whom she thought she had 
 seen before, but she could not recall 
 his name. He saw her, and bowed
 
 224 TlIE TEirPEKAjSrCE BOYS. 
 
 unsteadily, half losing his balance, and 
 the next minute he was ascending the 
 steps. It was George Barker. He 
 had recognized the place where he 
 took his thanksgiving dinner, and he 
 must calL His cousin, who by this 
 time was quite ashamed of his own 
 work, and was getting him home as 
 fast as he could, tried in vain to dis- 
 suade him from entering ; but George 
 declared that he had been calling on 
 " Cy's friends " all day, and now Cy 
 should make one call with him on his 
 friends. 
 
 We need not say how shocked they 
 all were on recognizing the condition 
 of the temperance boys' secretary, 
 and Mr. Martin, who was now ai 
 home, took an early opportunity of 
 bowing him out, assuring him that ht 
 was half sick, and ought to go home.
 
 NEW YEAR'S DAf. 225 
 
 O ! it is shocking to see one whom 
 we have learned to love and respect 
 .juite make a fool of himself, actually 
 in some cases going about the streets 
 with less decent behavior than a re- 
 spectable dog. And I wonder how 
 any man in his right mind can see 
 another man thus behave, and then 
 go and make a like spectacle of him- 
 self. 
 
 But George Barker was not the 
 only sufferer on that day. Let us 
 trace one other instance. 
 
 Among the most boisterous of those 
 who sallied out on that gay morning 
 was Cliiford Nash, the early and de- 
 termined opposer of the temperance 
 boys. Though he was quite too 
 young, his indulgent mamma could 
 not resist his importunities to allow 
 
 him to make calls. Indeed, they werw 
 
 ir,
 
 226 THE TEMPEEAiSrCE BOYS. 
 
 rather demands than importunities. 
 He "-would go and make calls, and 
 that was all there was about it." 
 
 His father interposed, saying that 
 he might accompany him in his car- 
 riage in the afternoon ; but the spoiled 
 boy, made so much ado about it that 
 he was permitted to go in the morn- 
 ing, with the injunction that he should 
 be back in the afternoon to go with 
 his father. 
 
 " Hurrah for young America !" he 
 shouted when he reached the rendez- 
 vous, and met the young fellow that 
 was to accompany him. " If dad 
 thinks he'll get me back in the after- 
 ■noon to trot round with him in his 
 slow coach he is mistaken. I believe 
 in fast horses; don't you, Ed?" and 
 off they started for the livery stable, 
 where they were acquainted, and
 
 :SEW YEAR'S DAT. 227 
 
 soon engaged a horse and light 
 buggy. 
 
 His parents had no idea of such a 
 maneuver, but some of his profuse 
 holiday pocket money had been saved 
 up with special reference to this occa- 
 sion. 
 
 They fancied they made a great 
 dash when they started out, and I 
 suppose they did ; for every one stared 
 to see two such young lads with a 
 fast horse ; but if they stared in the 
 morning, there was much greater oc- 
 casion for it before three o'clock. 
 
 The tables at every house where 
 they called were spread with liquoi-s, 
 of which Cliff and his friend partook 
 quite sparingly, at least so they 
 thought; but the mingling of different 
 kinds ol liquoi'S was quite too much 
 for them, and they were soon more
 
 228 THE TEMPERANCE BOYS. 
 
 giddy than usual, which was quite 
 unnecessary. 
 
 A policeman who saw them spin- 
 ning along, almost thought it his duty 
 to stop them, and it would have been 
 a mercy to them if he had ; but they 
 drove too fast to make that (][uite 
 convenient. They turned into Broad- 
 way with a sweep ; but in attempting 
 to run before an omnibus which was 
 fast coming up, the buggy was caught 
 with a violent jerk, and they were 
 both thrown to the ground. 
 
 They were each carried home to 
 their parents senseless, and when 
 Cliff awoke to consciousness he found 
 himself a cripple for life, his right 
 ankle having been completely smashed 
 under the wheel of the omnibus. Hia 
 arm was also broken ; but this soon 
 healed His friend lost an eye.
 
 KE^^ t EAR'S DAY. 229 
 
 Suiely the way of the traDsgr(;ssor is 
 hard. 
 
 When Jeffei'son Townley heard of 
 this lie humbly acknowledged a kind 
 providence that had preserved him 
 from such a fate. For had not this 
 temperance movement separated them, 
 he would probably still have been 
 one of Cliffs most intimate friends, 
 and most likely have been with him 
 in the buggy when this accident hap- 
 pened.
 
 230 THE TEMPERANCE BOYS 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 CONCLUSIOIS'. 
 
 The next meeting in Temperance 
 Hall was a sad one. The first comers 
 gathered around the stove, conversing 
 in low tones, and the gloom de>jpened 
 on their countenances as, one after an- 
 other, three of their number were 
 mentioned as havinsr fallen from their 
 'Utegrity on New Year's day. What 
 course would be pursued by these 
 members, or toward them, was an 
 important question. They loved them 
 Tiiey hoped the offenders would not 
 remain away, and be shy of them. 
 Jeff said nothing. He alone had
 
 COTTC ELUSION. 231 
 
 carried out the Scripture principle, 
 '' If thy brother trespass against thee, 
 go and tell him his fault between 
 thee and him alone. K he hear thee, 
 thou hast gained thy brother." 
 
 After the meeting was called to 
 order there was an expressiv_ silence ; 
 the secretary's chair was vacant, and 
 they all felt as if some great calamity 
 had befallen them. 
 
 Then the chairman remarked that 
 they would be obliged to elect some 
 0Jiep7'0 tern, to take the place of the 
 secretary in his absence. Willie 
 Rathbone was elected. 
 
 After the roll had been called, and 
 some business about cleaning and 
 warming the hall had been transacted, 
 several of the members related their 
 New Year's doings, and their observa-
 
 232 THE TEMPERANCE BOYS 
 
 tions showing that they at least had, 
 not forgotten the spirit of their 
 pledge, nor their promise to do all in 
 their power to drive King Alcohol 
 from the nation and the world. 
 
 The little company felt greatly 
 cheered when the door opened and in 
 walked George Barker. Willie rose 
 to resign his seat ; but George shook 
 his head, and sat down in the back 
 part of the room. When the boy 
 who was then speaking sat down 
 George arose. 
 
 " My friends," said he, " I see you 
 are all aware of my sad betrayal of 
 our common principles. I have come 
 to make my confession." 
 
 And then he stated the facts, so far 
 as he could recollect them, in an 
 humbled tone and manner that show-
 
 CONCLUSIOJ!^. 233 
 
 ed his real sorrow for hi° misdeeds. 
 " I have yielded," said he, " to a fool- 
 ish fear of appearing singular, the 
 fear of ridicule, the meanest principle 
 a boy can acknowledge, and one to 
 which I hope I shall never yield 
 again. It has cost me something to 
 make this confession ; indeed, I do not 
 believe I should have had courac^e to 
 do it, had it not been for a kind visit 
 from Jeff Townley. He begged me 
 not to throw myself away because I 
 had done one wrong. 
 
 " I hear that two or three others have 
 done as I did, and I see they are not 
 here to-day. Now you that are ac- 
 quainted with them go to them, 
 and persuade them to come back. 
 It may save them from being drunk- 
 artls yet.
 
 234 THE TEMPERANCE BOYS. 
 
 " As to my case you must do wliat 
 you think best with me. I am very 
 sorry for what I have done, and would 
 like to remain a member of the society 
 if you will let me do so, trusting that 
 you will never again have occasion to 
 find fault with me," 
 
 One of the boys immediately mad( 
 a motion that he should be forgiven 
 and restored to his office, and it wsa 
 passed. He walked up to the desk, 
 and signed the pledge again, and 
 though he tried to refuse his office 
 it was forced upon him, and he 
 was again seated in the secretary'? 
 chair. 
 
 It was a rare and affecting sight 
 for a boy like him, at an age wher 
 boys are apt to feel most consequen 
 tial, to get up and confess to that little
 
 CONCLUSION. 235 
 
 assembly, as if they had been his 
 fathers and his uncles, instead of 
 being his schoolmates, and most 
 of them his juniors. It showed an 
 excellent trait of character, which 
 would afterward shine out nobly in 
 the man. 
 
 They followed his advice in their 
 kind treatment of the other erring 
 ones, and they were all brought 
 back. 
 
 From this time their hearts were 
 more closely knit together, they took 
 a deeper and more kindly interest in 
 each other's welfare, and watched 
 more intently against the common 
 foe. 
 
 We may not follow our temperance 
 heroes on to manhood ; but we believe 
 that those who are spared to see that
 
 236 
 
 THE TEMPERANCE BOYS. 
 
 time will have reason to bless God, 
 in all their social and business rela- 
 tions, that they have embraced strict 
 temperance principles ; and that they 
 will cherish as some of their dearest 
 friends those with whom they were 
 once associated as "The Tempekaj^ce 
 Boys." 
 
 /a yt^' 
 
 
 4:i&^Mi%
 
 8 Vols. .". 12mo. /. $2. 
 
 Bright, Attractive Cloth Binding. 
 
 I-^OR THE YOU XG EST READERS. 
 Witli Pictures. 
 
 CARELESS MAGGIE. 
 CHILD DAYS. 
 
 DAISY'S PASTIME. 
 
 KITTY-CATS. 
 SOME DOGS I KNOW. 
 SUNNY HOURS. 
 THREE PAIRS OF EYES. 
 
 TOWN SPARROWS. 
 
 New York: HUNT & E.ATON. 
 Cincinnati: CRANSTON & CURTS.
 
 MRS. ROBBINS'S 
 gOORS FOR THE yOUNG. 
 
 ILLUSTRATED. 
 All Small 16mo. Cloth. 
 
 Daisy Downs, . . . . $0.55 
 Kitty's Dream, . . . .45 
 
 Little Sea Bird, 40 
 
 Walter and Nellie, . . . .50 
 
 AUNTY MAY'S CHILDREN . 
 Four vols., $1-75 
 
 JESSIE BOOKS. 
 Five vols., . . . . . $2.so 
 
 WILLIE BOOKS. 
 Five vols., ^2.2^ 
 
 New York : HUNT & EATON. 
 Cincinnati: CRANSTON & CURTS.
 
 -C J% I »— -» 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY 
 
 Los Angeles 
 
 This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. 
 
 NO PHONE fJENEWALS 
 
 APR 1 \ 1988 
 
 14 
 
 V-VHii sVc'^i %.-<^. 
 
 O u- ^
 
 1^ jl 3 
 
 *■'" >*■• ?3 
 
 
 '^smwm^ "^^/sm 
 
 3 1158 01212 0720 
 
 
 vj.OF-CALlFOft^^ 
 ,^\ — ^^ 
 
 ^ - 
 
 UC SOUTHERN Hf GIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 
 
 / MS 
 
 AA 000 837 270 8 
 
 ^^.0FCAIIF0% 
 
 aWEUN1VER% 
 
 ^(9Abvaan-^v^^ ^OAavaaiT# ^TiuoNvsoi^ 
 
 ^iir ihi;\'rii 
 
 JJIJJOtV iUI 
 
 'iijjf'Vyj 
 
 lOSANCnfj> 
 
 AOSANCFlfj> 
 
 ^ii\Km\\\ 
 
 ^UIBRARYd?/ 
 
 ^.OFCAllF0/?>^ 
 
 
 AlllBRARYO/:^ 
 
 ^IIIBRARYQ^ 
 ^ 1 ir^ ^ 
 
 i<yii wi 
 
 AWEUNIVERJ/a 
 
 P^ i