rinciple involved in this law than that which is found in our statutes
controlling the shooting of certain birds, the sale of tainted meat, the
location of slaughter-houses, the existence of lotteries, and many other
things that might be named--all showing that the legislature has
authority to prohibit whatever the public good requires. That the public
good demands the suppression of intemperance, who can deny? It is the
greatest scourge of our land, and the world. It sends thirty thousand
annually, in our country, to a drunkard's grave. It tenants our
almshouses and prisons with its wretched victims, and causes three
fourths of all the crimes that fill the calendars of our courts. It
swells your taxes more than all other evils combined, and is the nursery
of blasted hopes and miseries that language cannot describe. If then,
the public good requires the suppression of any vice in our land, it is
this."

Thus he disposed of this plea of the rumsellers, to the happy surprise
and satisfaction of the friends of temperance. He discussed other topics
connected with the law, and which we have not space to consider. For an
hour or more he held his audience in breathless interest, by the strain
of argument and oratory that he poured forth from his fruitful mind and
earnest heart. A more delighted audience never listened before to a
temperance lecture. Its depth, power, and compass were more than they
expected. A round of hearty applause told plainly how it was received,
as Nat uttered the last word, and took his seat.

"There, Nat," said Marcus to him on the following evening, "you did more
good last night than all the temperance lecturers who have come to
town."

"How so?" inquired Nat, not understanding his meaning.

"They say you fairly convinced Miles, and he is going to stop selling
liquor."

"How do you know?" asked Nat, with a very incredulous look. "I shall
want pretty good evidence of that before I believe it."

"He has told a half dozen people so to-day, and one of his best
customers among the number."

"Who is that?"

"It was Johnson, who pays him as much money in a year as any other man.
Johnson got excited, and denounced him and all the friends of temperance
in strong language. He called you a 'fool,' and Miles cracked you up in
return, and so they had it for a while rather hot, much to the amusement
of Mr. Fairbanks, who happened to hear it."

This was gratifying news to Nat, and to all who sympathized w