[Illustration]
Oh, but I’ll have the jolliest time, though! I’m going out to Uncle
Nathan’s, Christmas!” and Nat Raymond threw his cap high in the air.
“Uncle Nathan’s just splendid; I was named after him, wasn’t I mother?”
Nat was too excited and delighted to wait for his mother to reply, and
he continued:--
“I’m going to be a sailor, too, some day, mother, just like Uncle
Nathan. I shall ask him to tell me all about the time when his ship got
frozen in, up among the funny Esquimaux. And besides, I want him to
tell me about those great big, furry dogs that used to draw him over
the snow.
“Uncle Nathan’s a great man,--don’t you think so, mother? and of course
he’s just the _best_ man!”
Nat paused at last, not so much because he really cared for his mother
to answer him, but the fact was, he was quite out of breath.
“Yes, dear, your uncle is a kind-hearted man, but I am so sorry to
say, he has _one_ bad habit. I’ve tried to reason with him again and
again, but he seems to think he has the best of the argument. No, Nat,
I shall not tell you what the habit is,--you will find out soon enough
after you get there, I’m afraid. But I’m going to trust my boy to the
promptings of his own conscience; for I am sure he will be brave enough
to do what he knows to be right. Only, Nat, my boy, whenever you are
tempted to do wrong, never forget to lift up your heart to God for help
and for courage to do the right. And don’t forget that even a boy may
sometimes be able to do great good by his example.”
Nat was somewhat mystified, but soon forgot all about his mother’s
conversation, in the excitement of preparing for the journey.
At last Christmas came; and Nat found himself aboard the flying
train. His uncle was at the train to meet him, and what a welcome he
received! Everyone seemed glad to see him, and to be anxious to give
him a pleasant visit. Uncle Nathan lived near the sea, and oh, how Nat
loved the sea! It seemed that he would never tire watching the great
white-caps toss and foam and chase each other to the pebbly beach.
When supper was ready, Nat’s place was beside his uncle. Now Nat was a
strict temperance boy; he wore the blue-ribbon badge very proudly, for
he had signed the pledge. So when several bottles of wine were brought
in and placed on the table, he looked inquiringly into his uncle’s face.
“Oh, it’s all right, my lad; it can’t hurt you a bit. You see, you
need it, after the long, cold ride, to warm you up!”
“But don’t you see my blue ribbon, Uncle Nathan? I’ve signed the
pledge, and I can’t drink wine.”
“Oh! but I think it’s quite ridiculous for a little shaver like you to
sign the pledge, like some old toper!” and Uncle Nathan leaned back in
his chair and laughed.
Poor Nat’s face grew very red. He did not like to be called a “little
shaver”--because he was twelve years old. And besides he _did_ hate to
have Uncle Nathan laugh at him. He wondered if it _would_ do any harm
_just once_ to taste of a small glass of wine with his uncle.
Then quick as a flash he remembered his mother’s words. Ah, so _this_
must be the bad habit to which she had referred.
“Come,” insisted Uncle Nathan, moving the sparkling liquid a little
nearer his plate. “Come, Nat, be a man! you ought to be able to drink a
little wine without getting drunk!”
Now Nat’s one ambition was to be a man. Maybe Uncle Nathan was right
after all.
“Even a boy may sometimes do great good by his example;” these were his
mother’s words. How plainly he remembered them! Nat’s resolution was
quickly formed. He wavered no longer.
“I’ve signed the pledge, Uncle Nathan, and if I can’t be a man without
breaking my word, why, I suppose I’ll have to be a boy, then, as long
as I live!”
Nat had a pretty hard fight before he could bring himself to oppose
Uncle Nathan in this manner, but the voice of conscience was growing
louder every moment, and with a silent prayer to Heaven for help to do
right, Nat continued:--
“I tell you this, Uncle Nathan, if everybody would sign the pledge and
keep it, there would be no drunkards any more, and there would be fewer
prisons and poor-houses, and ever so much less misery in the world;
that’s what my father says.”
The longer Nat thought about it, and the more he said, the stronger
grew his conviction that he was doing right.
Uncle Nathan only smiled and gently patted Nat’s shoulders. “Good boy;
good boy,” he smiled, “but we will see how you hold out.”
One evening they were all going on a sleigh ride to the country to
listen to a speech from a very noted gentleman. The evening was a
bitter cold one, and the crisp snow sparkled like diamonds as the
bright moonlight fell upon it.
[Illustration: _Sleigh Ride to the Temperance Lecture_]
“Come, my lad,” said Uncle Nathan, just as they were ready to start,
“it’s a stinging evening. Here’s a little glass of sweetened toddy for
you, just to keep you warm. I’ve had a nice glass, and I feel better
and warmer already.”
“I’m good and warm now, Uncle Nathan, and I don’t need it. Besides,
that stuff doesn’t keep people warm,--it makes them cold. My father
says he saw a man who froze to death just because he’d taken too much
of that kind of stuff. When I have to die, Uncle Nathan, I don’t mean
to die that way.”
Uncle Nathan smiled a little, called Nat a stubborn lad, and they all
drove away.
Oh! how Nat _did_ hope that the great gentleman whom they were going
to hear, would say a few words--just a few at least--in favor of
temperance; for Nat felt as if he needed a little help. He was tired of
standing alone, as he thought. But if we are doing right, we are never
alone. God is on our side, and His holy angels are with us.
Much to Nat’s delight, the speaker gave most of the evening to
explaining the evils of intemperance. He told of the misery and
wretchedness caused by the liquor traffic. He spoke of the bright,
promising young men of the nation, who were being led away from purity
and right, and held in the hateful bondage of the cup. He spoke
feelingly of the thousands of widows and tens of thousands of poor
orphans all over our fair land, whose husbands and fathers had been
murdered by the demon--drink.
At the close of his lecture, the speaker presented the Pledge. And
what was Nat’s delight, when he saw his Uncle Nathan walk to the desk
and sign his name,--and hark! Nat could hardly believe his ears! What
_was_ Uncle Nathan saying? What _did_ he mean? Was it actually true?
“I have been much interested in the lecture this evening,” began Uncle
Nathan, “and am glad to place my name on the Pledge. I only wish it had
been there long ago. As I have said, the lecture of the evening has
been good; but friends, the greatest temperance lecture I ever listened
to, has been given to me and acted out every day for the past week, by
my young nephew, Nat Raymond. He is here to-night, and I wish to tell
him that his influence, more than anything else in the world, has led
me to take this stand.”
[Illustration: _Uncle Nathan Signs the Pledge_]
“Hurrah for Nat Raymond!” broke out a dozen sturdy voices. And before
he fairly understood what was going on, Nat found himself quite a hero.
At last, when his visit at Uncle Nathan’s was over, and Nat was again
at home, he told the story over and over to his happy parents.
“I never would have had the courage to refuse to take the wine with
Uncle Nathan, mother,” he declared, “if I had not remembered what you
whispered in my ear the last thing before I left you: ‘_Don’t forget,
my son, that even a boy may be able to do great good by his example._’”
* * * * *
“We can trace four-fifths of the crimes committed to the influence of
rum.”--_Judge Allison._
“No business more thoroughly demoralizing, more destructive of public
morals, public order, and public decency.”--_Judge John Martin._
“Seventy-five percent of the crimes of New York City are due directly
or indirectly to strong drink.”--_I. Kenny Ford, New York Police Court._
“Seventy-five percent of accidents to life and limb due directly to
drink.”--_Dr. Cyrus Edson._
“The undoubted cause of four-fifths of all the crime, pauperism, and
domestic misery of the State.”--_Governor Dix, of New York._
“The chief source and immediate cause of more hurt to society and to
individuals than any other agency.”--_Hon. H. W. Blair._
“The original cause of most of the enormities committed by
criminals.”--_Sir Matthew Hale._