An interesting investigation was conducted by the Associated Prohibition Press in April, 1909, as to the causes of death in the city of Chicago of all men who had reached the age of sixty years and over, and whose death was reported during that month. Every death reported in Chicago during this month of April was carefully investigated for the purpose of securing an accurate memorandum of the age, nationality, and cause of death.
Out of 155 men concerning whose deaths this data was obtained, it was found that 73 had been total abstainers, 75 moderate drinkers, and 4 were said to be heavy drinkers. The age ranged from 60 to 92 years.
On the basis of the facts secured in this investigation, the drinking men, by their use of alcoholic poison, shortened their lives nearly four years.
In the aggregate, therefore, by means of its subtle poison, alcoholic liquor helped to deprive these 79 victims of a total of more than 334 years of active life which their abstaining contemporaries had lived to enjoy.—"American Prohibition Year-book."
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Abstinence as an Example—See Example.
ABSTINENCE, DIFFICULTY OF
There was a certain ancient colored gentleman
who was addicted to the habit of excessive
drink. When asked why he didn't
quit he replied:
"It's dis here way, boss. Jus' as long as I kin quit when I wants ter I ain't in no danger. Jus' as soon as I fin' I kain't quit I's gwine t' swar off."
There are numbers of drinking men who keep right on because they think they can stop when they want to. They frequently find out too late that they can not quit.
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ABSURD NOTIONS
I stumbled upon an English book of etiquette
the other day. In it I found this
curious statement: "A gentleman may carry
a book through the streets if it is not wrapt,
but if it is done up in wrapping paper it becomes
a parcel and must be carried by a
servant." The wrapping-paper makes a
wonderful difference. And so absurd are
the fashionable ideas of refinement and gentility.—Obadiah
Oldschool, The Interior.
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ABSURDITY IN NOMENCLATURE
All who have seen the ancient maps of
North Carolina will remember Win-gin-da-coa
as its name. This was the first thing
said by a savage to Raleigh's men. In reply
to the question, "What is the name of this
country?" he answered, "Win-gin-da-coa." It
was afterward learned that the North Carolina
aborigine said in this phrase, "Those are
very fine clothes you have on." And so
North Carolina carried a fashion-plate label
to unsuspecting readers.—Edward Eggleston.
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Abundance and Incompetency—See Opportunities Unutilized.
Acceleration of Life—See Fast Living.
Accident as a Minor Thing—See Misfortune,
Superiority to.
Accident—See Loss and Profit.
ACCIDENTAL DISCOVERY
Argand, the inventor of the famous lamp
which bears his name, had been experimenting
for some time in trying to increase
the light given out by his lamp, but all to
no purpose. On a table before him one
night lay an oil-flask which had accidentally
got the bottom broken off, leaving a long-necked,
funnel-shaped tube. This Argand
took up carelessly from the table and placed—almost
without thought, as he afterward
related—over the flame. A brilliant white
light was the magical result. It is needless
to add that the hint was not lost by the experimenter,
who proceeded to put his discovery
into practical use by "inventing" the
common glass lamp-chimney. Hundreds of
discoveries which have been heralded to the
world as the acme of human genius have
been the result of merest accident—the
auger, calico printing and vulcanization of
rubber being among the number.—St. Louis
Republic.
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See Discovery, Accidental; Insulation.
ACCIDENTAL SUCCESS
Protogenes, the Greek painter, was an impatient
man. In painting a picture of a
tired, panting dog, he met with satisfactory
success except that he failed in every attempt
to imitate the foam that should have
been seen on the dog's mouth. He was so
much provoked over it, that he seized the
