THOU ART T HE MAN
{"newspaper_name": "The Washingtonian.", "edition": "01", "page": "p1", "byline": "BY T. S. ARTHUR."}
{"character_count": 2790, "word_count": 502, "ccnet_language_score": [0.9664999842643738], "ccnet_perplexity": [911.7000122070312], "fasttext_language": ["en"]}
"How do youreconcile it to your conscience
to continue in your present business, Mr.. Mud
rileraD asked a venerable clergyman OF ta
vern keeper, as the two walked home from
the funeral of young man who had died sud
denly.


al find no difficulty on that score," replied
the tavern keeper, in confident tone, My
business is as necessary to the public good as
that Of any other man."


"That branch of it which regards the com
fort and accommodation of travellers, will
grant to be necessary. But there is another
nortion of it which you must pardon me for
saying, is not only uncalled for by the real
wants of the community, but highly deleteri.
Gus to health and good morals"


"And pray, Mr. Mildman, to what portion
of my business do you allude s'


81 allude to that part of it which embraces
the sale of intoxicating drinks
"Indeed, the very best part of my business.
But certainly you do not pretend to say that
am to be accountable for the unavoidable ex-
cesses which sometimes grow out Of the use
of liquors as beverage"


al certainly must say that, in my opinion,
a large share of the responsibility rests upon
your shoulders. You not only make it a bu-
siness to sell liquors, but you use every device
to induce men to come and drink them. You
invent new compounds, with new and attrac-
tive names, in order to induce the Indifferent
or the lovers Of variety, to frequent your bar
room. In this way you often draw the weak
into an excess Of selfindulgence, that ends,
alas in drunkenness, and final ruin of body
and soul. You are not only responsible for all
this, Mr.. Muddler, but you bear the weight Of
fearful responsibility"


"I cannot see the subject in that light, Mr..
Mildman," the tavern keeper said rather
gravely. "Mine is an honest and honorable
calling, and it is my duty to my family and to
society, to follow it with diligence and spirit
of enterprise"


"May ask you plain question, Mr.. Mud
dler 2"


"Oh, yes, certainly, as many as you please!'


"Can the calling be an honest and honorable
one, which takes sustenance from the commu-
nifty and gives nothing in return I"


81 do not understand the nature OF your
question, Mr.. MildmaH."


"Consider, then, society as man in lar
ger form, as it really is. In this great body,
as in the lesser body Of man, there are various
functions, of use and reciprocity between the
whole. The hand does not act for itself alone
receiving strength, and selfshly approprla-
ting it, without returning its quota Of good to
the general system. And so of the heart and
lungs. Reverse the order, and how soon is
the entire system diseased. Now does the
member of the great body Of people act hon.
estly and honorably, who regularly receives
his portion of good from the general social
system, and gives nothing back in returnt