Look out for Masked Batteries!
Beware of masked batteries! You know the mischief they work. They have various forms, and are located at various places; but they always work mischief. There are many of them, and for fear that they should be brought to bear upon you we will point out some of them. That screen, that you see as you pass the saloon door, is a masked battery. You know this without being told; for why do men or boys go behind that screen for anything that is honest or proper? Did you ever go near enough to read what is written upon it? "Come behind here, boys," it says, "and do what you are ashamed to be seen doing! Come behind here, and be cheated, by giving your money for that which will do you more hurt than good! Come behind here, and conceal a bad example! Come behind here, and see how mean a business we carry on; see how we mislead boys, and ruin men; how we get our living by doing evil to others; how we make drunkards and promote poverty; how we wring the hearts of fathers and mothers by enticing their boys to ruin! Come behind here, boys, men, women, children, and see what the screen tries to hide." Those little dog kennels, in the shop below, are masked batteries indeed. What kind of goods do men sell, whose customers have to go into those dirty holes and shut the doors? Better by far go into the lock-up. These holes are indeed masked batteries for men. More drunken men come out of these holes than go into them. Keep watch at the door, boys, and see who are the customers. Men with red faces and tattered characters enter there—men with "blue ruin" written all over them. They have faced masked batteries before. They think their disgrace is a secret, while everybody knows they have been "battered" till there is little left of them. Watch the door, boys, for nobody goes into those dog-holes except to conceal their shame.