He Tries Beer

To the Editor of The Rkgisteb:- Some intimations I received from John 's instructora led me to como to Vnn Arbor again, the third time, to asei-tain just how John was gettingalong vith his school vork, etc. 1 arrived in he evening as before, went directly to ohn's room, and as he was about reiring we had but little couversation hat evening. I could not help notiung, howcver that John 's breafbsmelled ather strong of beer. I also ascortaincd froni Johnnie. that rom a too freo indulgonce in beer, he had been quite ill. He told me that he had called Dr. Jones, a very eminent seholar and physieian at Ann Arbor. and also a very polite, aeeomplished and eultvu'ed gentleman. He gave Johnnie an exceedingLy nauseating do&e, but ie' i possessed of a most excellent constitution and fortunately survived, and is stili on deck ready for business. ïhe next morning after my arrival, aftoiwe had had our breakfast, we proceeded to discuss the beer question as follows : F. I see John, from somc indications that I have notieed, and from your own statements, that you are indulging in lager-beer. S. Well yes, father, the fact is I have been taking a glass of beer occasionally. F. Well, my son, you know that your rnother and I have never allowed you to use either wine, or beer, or any intoxieating liquors whatever. And you also know that we are earnestly opposed to your using these, and why have you done so? S. Well, father, you know that we have to study pretty hard here, somet irues late at night, and when a fellow is all fagged oui, a glass of beer irakés him up and helps him out with his extra vork. F. Well, John, thore is your sister Emma in the high school at home who luis to work as hard as you do. Shall we give her a glass of beer as a stimulant, and a nicc eigar as a sedativo occasionly when she is tiredV S. Welf no, father, certainly not. you must be crazy to think of such a thing. Wliy, that would ruin Emma in the eyes of evcrybody. F. But. John, Emmï has to work as hard as you do, and she is not uite half as strong. Now if you absolutely require the beer to help you out with your work, then Kmma needs it a great deal inore than you do. lf there is any good in it, if it is a valuable aid in performing hard tasks, then your weak sister onght to have it much more than yourself. S. Why, fathor, it really frightens me te think of your reoommending cigars and beer for my sister Emma. I realy foar you are growing erazy. F. But, my son, why do you get so excited about my suggesting a good thing for your sistor Kiama'' S. Well, father, I can't really explain the matter, and 1 don 't really know mysolf why it should be so. I only know that feociety has decreed that Enima should be ruined forever for doing just what I may do with impunity. 1 am free to confess that I can seè no good roason for the distinction. P. Ientirely agree with you, my son, I could never sec any good reason for the distinotion between tho requirements for men and vromen in this regard, as well as in many others that aro even more serios than these, and I never found an intelligent person who eould give a good reason wby this should be so. Is there any othor reason, my son, why you have bcgun the habit of drinking beer? S. Why yes, father, I drink beer bocause nearly all drink here. F. Who do you mean, John, by nearly all? S. I mean tho tony boys in tho high school and University, and about twothirds of the professors in tho University. F. Why, John, you don'tmoan to tel me that the majority of the boys in the high school drink? S. Oh no, but I think nearly. if not quite, one-third of them do. F. And you don't mean to teil rae John, that the majority ot tho students in the University drink. S. No, but I think that more than onc-third of the boys drink oceasionly and a very large nuiuber habitually Of courso, the six hundred lady stii dents don't drink at all, and prohibition is practically enforoed as to them by the Chrlstian public sentiment o the stato. You must also bc aware father that raany very eminent and worthy men in the world's past history havo usod intoxicatinsr liquors, and often to exeess. The best men have done these thin;,rH. F. If g-reat and good men always did right, the argument might have somo weight. I have yet to iearn that drunkenness and drinking are commendable and ought to be indulged in, beeauso great men have unfortunately fallen into these habits. The majority of good citizens in these times agree, "that it is a serious ovil formen to get drunk, and the greater the man the greater the evil. Genius may destroy itself, but it oan never destroy the lawsof right and wrong. But, John, how do you know that many members of the facultv of the University indulge in drinking" intoxieatino- liquors in some form'J S. Why, all the boys say so, and tho citizens in the town trencrally understand this to be the fact. F. Well, John, what do they all say about it? Vonrimi,,! ,xt 11,,.