these crafty savage foes. A sentinel
was placed just on the border of the forest, and he was told to be very
watchful against a surprise from the Indians. But one day, when the
sergeant went to relieve guard, he found the sentinel dead, his scalp,
(that is, the hair with the skin and all), torn from his head, and his
musket gone. This was plainly the work of an Indian. Strict charge was
given to the new sentinel to fire his musket on the first approach of an
enemy. Again they went to relieve guard, and again they found the
sentinel dead and scalped as the one before him. They left another
soldier in his place, and after a while, hearing the discharge of a
musket, they hurried to the spot. There stood the sentinel uninjured,
and close at his feet lay a Red Indian dead. The sentinel's account was
this. While he was keeping his eyes on the forest, he saw coming from
it a sort of large hog common in those parts, which rolls itself about
in a peculiarly amusing manner. In its gambols it kept getting nearer
and nearer to him, when all of a sudden it darted into his mind,
`Perhaps this creature is only an Indian in disguise.' He fired at it,
and found it was even so. The crafty savage had thus approached the
other sentinels, who had been thrown off their guard by his skilful
imitation of the animal's movements, so that the Indian had sprung up
and overpowered them before they could fire or call for help. Now it is
just so, dear boys and girls, with the drink. It comes, as it were, all
innocence and playfulness: it raises the spirits, unchains the tongue,
makes the eyes bright, and persuades a man that the last thing he will
do will be to exceed; and then it gets closer and closer, and springs
upon him, and gets the mastery over him, before he is at all aware. But
don't you trifle with it, for it comes from the enemy's country--it is
in league with the enemy--repel it at the outset--have nothing to do
with it--it has surprised and slain millions of immortal beings--never
taste, and then you will never crave. Oh, how happy to show that you
can live without it! Then you may win others to follow your example.
Ay, the young total abstainer who will not touch the drink because he
loves his Saviour, does indeed stand on a rock that cannot be moved, and
he can stretch out the helping hand to others, and cry, `Come up here
and be safe.' And now away to your games and your sports, and may God
bless you all!"