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Temperance in the Home

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 18, 1907

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 84, No. 16.

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Temperance in the Home

By Augusta C. Bainbridge

AUGUSTA C. BAINBRIDGE
“Why don't you drink your wine, Laurie?” said Mrs. Burns, as Laurie pushed his glass away at dinner.
“'Tisn't good,” said Laurie; “I don't want it.”
“Not good?” said Mrs. Burns, “I see nothing the matter with it,” as she took up her own glass and put it to her lips.
“Do you see anything amiss, papa?”
“Why, no,” said Papa Burns. “Why do you not want it, Laurie?”
“'Cause it's bad, papa; it has poison stuff in it, and it hurts you inside,” said Laurie.
“Yes, and makes you cross besides,” added Mamie.
“Then some men get drunk with it, and the jail man comes and locks them up. No, no! I don't want any,” said Laurie, pushing his glass farther away.
“Why, what has got into you children? Who told you such things?” asked Mama Burns.
“Kippy told us,” said Mamie and Laurie in the same breath, referring to the little son of a near-by neighbor.
“All right, son, you need not drink it, if you don't want to, nor you either, Mamie; and I will see Mrs. Stone about this later on,” said Papa Burns.
When Mrs. Burns took the baby out for its usual afternoon ride, she went directly to Mrs. Stone's house. She was so impressed with Laurie's earnest manner, that she felt she must know for herself if there was any harm in claret, or the pale ale, or mild beer, or even the white wine she served to her children and guests.
There was Kippy, playing in the sand in front of the house, and she would ask him first.
Question after question brought intelligent replies, and she was almost ready to turn back, convicted and convinced, when a cheery voice from the open window called out, “Come in, Mrs. Burns, and bring the baby. I've not seen her for a long time. The children can play with Kippy.”
Mrs. Burns went in, unburdened her heart, and found that the mother of the little temperance missionary had given him the lessons that he had repeated to her children.
How promptly mother-love responded to the cry of “Danger” to her children, and a short consultation between father and mother brought temperance to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Burns.
While temperance papers and temperance lectures are all right in their place, they can never take the place of the line-upon-line, precept-upon-precept instruction of father and mother in the home.
San Francisco, Cal.