654 



JUVENILE GLEANINGS. 



Sept. 



he would call for the proceeds. Then he 

 went back home and resumed his work, and 

 heard nothing about the horse for several 

 weeks. Do you think he was happy with 

 this guilty conscience following him, and 

 fearing every moment that some one might 

 be approaching to arrest him V He was get- 

 ting hardened in sin, however, and kept on 

 drinking and going with his old companions; 

 and flnjuly one.day he drove down where he 

 left the horse, and, as any one of maturer 

 years would have known, was arrested. 



He tells me there are about ten or fifteen 

 boys of about his age who are patronizing 

 that saloon, and who are likely on the way to 

 a fate similar to his own. The boy has done 

 wrong, and should be punished, and it is 

 right and proper that he should be inside of 

 prison walls. But is he the only one to 

 blame ? I talked to him about his duty to 

 his country and his fellow-men in having 

 the saloon-keeper arrested ; but with a boy- 

 ish frankness he replied, '' Why, Mr. Root, 

 it would break him up. He has just paid 

 about $200 tax, and has also paid about that 

 much for a new pool-table. He told us he 

 wanted to sell all he could to get square." 

 Is it the boys alone who should be in prison, 

 and punished i* 



In the town of Mt. Vernon, in our own 

 State, a few years ago a boy of about the age 

 of this one shot a comrade while under the 

 influence of drink, and died on the gallows. 

 This boy's father was also an intemperate 

 man. When his poor wife laid him away in 

 his grave she resolved that her whole life 

 should be devoted to the task of keeping her 

 baby-boy from intemperance when he grew 

 up. No doubt she looked upon him as we 

 look upon our own baby as he prattles and 

 crows in his childish innocence. Did she 

 succeedV He was a model boy until he was 

 about ten or twelve years old. Then the sa- 

 loon-keeper who sesit his father to ruin call- 

 ed a crowd of boys into the saloon to have 

 some beer. It didn't cost them any thing, 

 you know. This boy. remembering his 

 mother's teachings, refused to take any. 

 " Oh I well," said the saloon-keeper, " you 

 needn't take any beer, if you don't want it, 

 but you can have some lemonade." It seems 

 lie thought it hard to refuse so kind an offer, 

 so he took the lemonade. My dear friends, 

 that glass of lemonade had whisky in it ; and 

 the boy's inherited appetite was aroused, and 

 he became an inebriate, and died on the gal- 

 lows. This same saloon - keeper was the 

 principal witness who appeared against him. 

 Before he was hanged he threw his arms 

 around his poor mother's neck, and in his 

 paroxysm of grief said, " O mother ! is it 

 really true, that I am the worst boy in the 

 world ? " Then they took him to the gal- 

 lows, and hanged him ; but, the rope broTce ; 

 and while the blood gushed from his mouth 

 and nose, they carriwl his limp form on the 

 platform again, and fixed the rope and hang- 

 ed him until he was dead. At the time of 

 his hanging, the saloon-keeper sold .more 

 beer than he ever sold in one day before I 



My dear friends, a few years ago they used 

 to drown people and put them to death for 

 witchdraft. What an aw€ul blunder it was ! 

 what a hon-ible mistake did our people 



make ! Are you sure we are not making a 

 horrible mistake now when we hang our 

 boys, sixteen or eighteen years old, because 

 they murdered somebody while intoxicated V 

 Does it necessarily follow, that these boys 

 are the worst boys in the world ? Is it not 

 possible, that we are making a mistake yet, 

 and hanging the wrong ones V 



Shortly after this number reaches you, our 

 people here in Ohio will have the opportuni- 

 ty to decide whether these saloons are to be 

 kept scattered all over our land or not. Very 

 soon all of you will have an opportunity of 

 voting in a similar way all over the United 

 States, for aught I know. Are we ready V 

 The boy we have in our jail might have com- 

 mitted murder just about as easily as he did 

 stealing, under the frenzy of liquor he had 

 taken : with only a boy's wisdom and judg- 

 ment he was likely to commit any crkne that 

 presented itself. Is it not possible, my dear 

 friends, that your sons and brothers might, 

 under similar temptations, be led away as 

 he has been V Whose business is it to right 

 this awful wrong V Who is my neighbor V 



VIRGBLi'S TREATISE OIV BEBS. 



TAKING HONEY — VIHGIL'S COLD SMOKER. 



M ND If at length the honey you will take, 

 ^^. And in upon the noble mansion break, 



' Robbing the treasury, thy cheeks first fill 

 With draught of water to spray forth at will; 

 In hand before thee careful hold a smoke, (1) 

 Following the sprinkling as their door is broke. (2) 



THE TWO HARVESTS. 



Twice In the year the well-fllled combs they take. 

 Two seasons of the harvest time they make; (3) 

 One whon, 'mid Pleiades in starry space, 

 Taygete shows to earth her honest face, (4) 

 And from the ocean, at the dawn of day. 

 With eager foot thrusts the spurned waves away; 

 And one ere winter, gloomy and severe. 

 Descends from heaven upon the waters drear, (5) 

 While on from Pisces, charged with stores of rain, 

 The same Taygete swiftly flies amain. 



GETTING STUNG. 



—The bees— their wrath beyond all bounds exceeds; 

 Bereaved and plundered, as their foe recedes, [(6) 

 They thrust in poison with their pungent stings. (7) 

 Fixed to his chosen spot each warrior clings; (8) 

 Hid in the veins relinquished darts he drives, (9) 

 And in the wound with zeal they lay their lives. (10) 



LEAVING SUFFICIENT FOOD. 



But, if you fear a winter stern and rude. 

 You'll surely spare en')u&h for future food; 

 You should have pity on their wrecked affairs. 

 And minds all torn with fresh-inflicted cares. (11) 



THE EVILS OF TOO MUCH EMPTY COMB. 



The force of mercy's claims why need you doubt? 



Smoke them with thyme, and empty comb cut out ;(13) 



For oft unseen a lizard, sly and small, 



Gnaws in the combs a place to snugly crawl; (13) 



And bed-chambers are made that do invite 



The cockroaches that scamper from the light; 



The idle drone, lurking I'ound empty comb. 



On others' food doth make himself at home; (14) 



Or cruel hornet, nesting there with ease, 



In arms unequal wars upon the bees; 



There the dire moth, which one hath cause to fear, 



