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After Many Days

After Many Days image
Parent Issue
Day
1
Month
April
Year
1870
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

From Arthnr's Homo ilaL'asiiie. "AL ! you Lavs cards for tho wedding, I S0." "Yes." "Are you going ?" "Yes. Can't stay away wilhout giving offence." "It's to be a stupid afluir, I Lear." "Stupid enough. liut Lyman is a character iii his way, aud when Le tscts bis niind ou doing a tliing, saints ajid aogeJs can't chango liim." "TLere's to be no wine.1 "Not a drop. Did yoia ever Lear of such an absurdity ? . jreddiug without wine !" "Yes, Tve h.eard of such things, but uever happeoed to be a guest at so odd an affair ia good so.ciety," Talk l,ike íLie wa? heard among a few young men, on the eve of a wedding, to be celebrated at the homo of a vvellkuowü, oitizen residing oa Chestnut Street. A few weeks before tliis, n a family counoil at the Lyirians', a discussion took placo tbat it s our provinco to record. Mr. Andrew Lyman is a merchant of i'hiladelphia, of high character, large wealth, and good social standing. He has two soos aud one daughter. These children grew up among the sons and daughters of people of liko position with their paretits, and acquired the tone of thinkiDg common to their class. Adeline was an attractive girl in person and in niauner, a littlc spoiled by her position, and the true graoo of her sex a littlc marrcd by that saucy dash and jauutiuess which too niany of our girls mistake for ease and indepeadenco. She was to be inarried. We cannot say that Mr. Lyman feit cutirely at ease n his mind touchiug the ful uro of bis daughter. Not that he had any special objection to the youDg man who had wooed and won her. He was good enough in his way - a fair specimen of the claes ho represented. The eon of a well-to-do merchant, he had been iairly educated, and at the ago of twenty introduced as a clerk intj his father's business. He was now a partner with a limited interest, and good expectations. As to his character aud personal babits, they were yet in a formative state. The influences surrounding bim were not all of tho safest character, and he sbared the common danger of those who were subject to like iufluences. He rnight rise to a high and noblo man nood, or siok to unfathornable depths of moral degradntion. Nothing in his character as yet developed gave to Mr. Lyraau, who bad studied bim closely, a cluo to his futuro ; and so, very naturally, he did not feel altogether at ease in his mind. But, to the discussion in family council : "There s one thiug,: Baid Mr. Lyman, speaking in his slow, quiet way, wheu his mind was inade up, "that I have tbought over a great deal. Wo have too muuh drinking at our social entertainments. At m-arly all of them wine is used by youug men with a dangorous frecdoui ; and very many, I foar, are drawn ou and on by the temptation of social parties to their ruin. Iow, for one, I have made up my miud to stand coneeicnce-clenr in ihis matter." " But wo are not going to give a large party," suid Mrs. Lyman ; " t is only a wedding reception." "With a handsome entertaiument," remarked Mr. Lyman. "Yes," responded the lady. "But no wiuo," Huid Mr. Lyman, settiu his lips firmly. '■Why, father," exolaimed tho brideto-bc, actually starting to ber ftet n burprise. "You are surely not in earnest," said Mrs. Lyman. "Altcgether in earnest,'' was answered, "I have thought about tLo matter a great deal, and lueant to havo fpoken of it bei'ore, and lucs abruptly tha now. I wish that 1 could got jou all to look at the matter as I do. It would bo so pleasant to inc if we could all neo eye to eye, aud act iu harmony." "Uut a wedding without wine, father !" suid Adeliue, io a vuico that was almost ehoking. "I have seen a number of wedding' in my day," answered Mr. Lyman. "At samo of them vvino bas llowed like water to tbe hurt of niaoy. At a few of them there has been no wioe. Aud as fur as my observution goos, the presenoo or the abceuce of wine lias aot had anything to do with tho future happiness of tho parties, except so far as its presenco oa tho oocasion favoied it-s after use." "J5ut it ia tho custoin in good society, father," urged one of the sous. "Wo would draw tho laugh upon us from overybody." "i am sorry you said that, Horace," replied Mr. Lyuiuu. Tho oolor mounted lo tbe'young man's íorehead ; ho uouderstood his father'. "Hcwho cannot, ip a right cause, brave so siuall a thing as a laugh, is not made, it spciiis to me, of very sound StuS," added Mr. Lyimtu. Tho youög maa vviuced a little, but answercd - 'If auy good wcro to come of it, ouo might et himself against tho customs or society. JLSut we shall simply draw the laugh, as I said, and there the matter will eud." t'My son," replied Mr. Lyman, "you may set tLia down as a rule that has no esoeptioD ; society always gains by the right act of an iodividual, [f I tjoe that ovil consaqucncts flo from our social driii!:ii)g customs, and break the cuttuni so far as Í aai cuucernud, then society must bo (he gainer, Btuull tbough it be." "How ? Iu what v.ay ?" askcd the young mau doubtfully. J'I gaits throogfa ray esample. Our nüighbor who soes aud deplores the evil of iutempuranco as 1 do, but has not (he moral courage to set hiinsulf Qgaiost it, streugthenud by iuy act, growa brave euüuh te do ia liko muuuer him-tlf. That is one gain. Auothcr auy be fouud iu the faet t! at soino wenk, young man, vho caonot deny his already vitiated ajipctite, wfaeo otbers aru drinking around .Liui, goe3 away from our Iiousj : witli a eleur liead, atid it luay be a i ful hearc. Your friend, Iiartwi.il, will, of com se, be here t" "Yes, BÍf." "Aud i' there á champagne on our fc&ble, wil] drink too nuiuh ?" l'I ato atraid so," auswered the young mau, a sliyht deprussiuu iu Lis iüüc oí" voioc. "lío shall uover go hoino to bis fat!;er an] inoiher from ray hous.i, witb lúa braia eoufused by wino I" said Mr. Lyman, speakiug iu so empbütic a wuy tbat 110 one for aubile mado auswcr. At lengtli the duughter said- "I'J rather have no reception." "Asyou like," retumed her father. But the family eouncil could uot decide against u receptioa. That would be a social ianovation tbey Were iiot independent enough to make. So tbe enteitainmont was without wine. Was it a stupid affair ? By no nieans. The brido was lovely - tlio cetemony iinpreseive - the entertainment liberal- tho compsny iu the best of piriis. Sisters and wives who, on similar occasions, grew dull and silent as the wiue exhiiarated brothers and husbands, now showed uuusual lifo and brilliancy. Youn men, who were apt at social parties to be silly or boisterous, were uow sensible aud truly convivía!, doiug their truo puit m tne lestivities ol the occasion. "The ploasantest wedding reception of the seasoo," said one to auother, as the guests separated. "And thcre was no wine." "No wino !" auswered a gentleman to wuom the rcmark was made. "Thai's so, as I live ! And I never oberved the omission. What does it me;in ?" "Just this, that Lyraan has been brave enouch to do what he sees to be right, aud I honor him for t, even though uot irave enough niysclf to follow so good an example. Of course. ho'll bo lauhed at." "Not by auy ono whoso Jaugh is worth a dime. Sensible people liever )au"h at sucli things." "I believe you there." On the very next week anothcr family couneil was held, bul not at the house of Mr. Lyman. One of bis neighbors md i-ent out cards f;jr an evenjug parly. The absence of wine at the Lymaus' wedding reception set tl) is neiglibor think mg, and gave him courage to think with a purpose. If the invitutious had not Deen out thcre would havo been no par:y - the wine and liquor qutstion would ïave decided that. 13ut, bciug out, the sattle betwecn a clear pcrceptiou of right, and the dread of a fajso public sentiment, had to be fought. "It will never do for us to set ourselves against society," saki tho vvife tiuiidly. "Some of our guests wiJ take H as a refleclion upon theiusei"es - others will think it a virtuous affeetation- a bid for DOtoriety, or a setting up of oursi;lvc as leaders in a reform. "Wo can't, indeed, husba.d. I ara cotstroug euouh for this." "Sliall we not be strong enough to do rÏL'lit, niy dcar," aoswered the husband. "íío ono that I have heard ot' lauhs at or censuren the Lyinans.'' „ "]5ut theirs wa.s oiily a recoption, Ouis is to bo au eveuing parly ; and who uver heard of such au allair in good society without wine ?" ■ai a iiuw iwug uuiicr t lio sun, repliud tlio husband, "we shall huve the eredit of ita inaugmation." "It won't take," eaid the vvife. PeojIí) ue not going to follow our lead iu bat dircctio, you may lio suro. We bball only get laughed or snceivd at, and aocomplish no ood.:I llcrc tlic duughtcr, a youg lady of twciity, spoko QUt iu no uncertain vvay. "Don't have a drop of liquor," she said. "I'üi on fathcr's sida. Youug ! men drink a great deal too much tul parties. Ilarry Grant took so much í champagne at Mrs. EImore's, last week ! ihat he was fooiish all tho evcning. I i never was so sorry fot aDy ono in iny : iife as I was for his sister Julia. And [ 'jiw Mrs. Bedford's anxicus ejea I lowing her son, George, ia the Bupperj room, aud read sorrow and puin in them I whenever he put a glass of' wine to Lis lifM. I wouldu't on any account see in uur house what I Iiuve seen at fashionable parties. Father is right. Don't lot us have üny liquor. l'm ready to face the wholo world in this thing." Thus reinforeed, the ariti-liquor cause prevíüled, und at tho party no mnre exhilarating ocvcrages than coffee and chocolato wero ferved. Thero were soiue I lii'tiuga of eyebrows, und exohanging of shrügs when the company asseinblcd in the banquetiog room, aud the usual reut'orcjineuts of sherry and cbampagau wcre rnissed. A few of the old st&gers, who carne more for what they would get to eat and drink thau to honor the host and hostoss, and who wcre nover able to i show their best souial points until after the corks bogan popping, wcre dullcr thau usual ; but a fiuer aud more sytnpatbetic clement of pleasure soon evolved itself, and in a little while tho room was echoing witb rich laughter, and tbc ujiuglii'g of happy voices. "Well doue, rny friend I" said a gentleman to the host, aü he stood sippiug a cup of cofl'ee. "Cliampagnu olwaje givcs me tho headache, fooi that I aiii over to touch it ! 13ut hüvv can ono resi.H when it sparkles in his eyts temptiugly ? You have done a bravo thing, aud I hjnor uud i ospeot you for it." Now, if thure was oüe in the coinpacy about whose opinión the host was ovor sensitive, this was the man. He had looked for light banter, just covering a sneer ; but, itistead, gothearty appioviil. "1 canuot set up a driuking-saloon iu my house, nor inake it a placo of temptation for tho sous of my friends," auswertd tho host. The man took the cup of coffeo from hid lips, aud stood in thoughtfui tilenee for a few inomcuts. ''It never struck me juat in that way," ho said ut kiigth, quito sobcrly, and with a liule abstractiou of muuner. "And yct, the idea you havo put in worda has mere thau once dimly shapod itself in my miud. M&ki&g drinking .saloons of our homfn ! That's just it ! I thank you, my friend I I shail remeniber your worda." "Well, it'a all over, and Pin glad of it," Siid the wife, iu a tone oí relief, after the last guest had departed. ''It watu't as s'.upid as I leured it would bc. But theru woro mauy who liiissed the wine " 'Pcrliaps so, but they vtoro botter without it." "I dou't imagine," said lbo wife, "that any particular good wiü como of all tilia, üur guoüts of to-night, at tbo uext purty they attend, will have pleuly of liquor, atid diiuk as freely as usual. We íaxvü only iuteruúued, uot stopped lht flow of wine." The huabaDd uiade no reply. lie was uot sanguine as to tho oñtsct of his esampie. JJut he had dono whatriisson and cundcienci told him was right, aud there he rooted. As to prty-giving, it was at an end witb him aud bit family. He could not have liquor, aud did not jfeel lilie aguiii sotting himself ia oppositiou to a social custom. And bo tho matter soou passed out of thought, and became a thing of the paet. But, liko evcry oiher right act in the world, it boro fruit. jS'ot every ooe seea the harvcst of his good decds; but still tho harvcst is suro. Oce day, ueaily fivc yeara after the reception giveu by Mr. Lyman oa the occasion ot his daughter'a wedding, a gentleman, after paying hiui some money in settloinent of a bilí, said - "I owe you another dabt not so casily cancdlod." "Ah ! On what account ?" osked Mr. Lyman, with surprise. 'A few years ago you gave Boeiety a leeson and an exumple whioh bave not been lost." 'Indeed !" "Yes, sir. I was not at the wedding roceptioD of your daughter ; but I attended a large party given a week af'.erward, by ono of our citizens residing ncar you. Following good example, he excluded all kiuds of iutoxicatiug liquor from the entertainment. A thing so novel set people to thinking and talking ; and I know that tho sad evils that come froin the freo use of wino among our young people, so commou at eveniug parties, wus soberly discussed iu many f'aniily oirohas, and that in not a few of ttieni no party bas since been given because, with some uieiuber ot' the family, consuience forbudo the free circulation of liquors; and'the rost werc not williug to brave public opiuion liko you and yuur neighbor. and givo au entertaiuuieut withuut wiue. ".Bui I have something more noarly personal to say. 1 have tvvo sous. One of them, lured on by our social driokiug customs - tempied with wine at fashiouable cveuiiig parlies, whcre 'good citizens' turn tbeir diniug halla iuto driüking saloous - lest lor a time the control of his appetite. Oiteu has he come home to us froin the house of a fricad, with hij brain all stupid or on firc iroua tho wino and brandy that friend bas pouvod out lor his gucsts, youug and old, as freely as thoLgh it wtre water, "He vu ut.the party to which I have refoned. Iiis molheraud I wereguests, both of us bearing iü our hoarta a dull weight of ansiety ubout our boy, whoso mauy goud aud nobla qualities were iu sucb duuger of a ead eclipso. When supper wlis ahiiounced, I saw uiy wife'a eyud turn iüstinotiyely toward our son, and knew by the exprssísion thcy wore wliut wus iu hor thoughts. Ah sir ! thoy ouly koow who havo had a fear likc ourw whut a light bouud of relief our hearts gavi wheo we cltarly compreheiK dcd the fact that thcre was do wiue on tho richly furuished table. "Well, sir, wo received our boy home that oight au clear-headtd as when he went out. And, what was better and gladder still, were ablo to lead him intü such tx conyictiou of his danger that he set a Leal of abstincnee on his lips that has not up to this day beeu broken. It was the contrast of that evening, and tho discussion it nwakencd, not ouly in our home, but in the homes of mauy of our friends, that gave light to our boy's mind, nnd strength to his will. Ho saw himself on thu brink of a dark and fearful gulf, and started back iu horror. I thauk jou, hir, for the good examplo you set. It has bleesod my home, oh 1 so richly - and ruany other home, I doubt not. And giving tho hand of Mr. Lytnaa a grasp full of strong ciuotiuu, ho turaed aud went away. So, after mauy days, Mr. Lytnan gathered from tLo iiuld wbero Lo bad aown in doubt a few ripe sheaves ; but of the rich hurvests that grew in other Celda from tho seed of this placting, he could not know, but aiany iicarts galliered them iu thaukfulLcss and joy.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Michigan Argus