010 - Chapter 14

This compelling novel, subtitled A Temperance Story, delves into the moral dichotomy of alcohol consumption. Frances Harper, a dedicated Christian moralist, uses her writing to impart important lessons. Through the contrasting lives of two couples—Belle and Paul, whose abstinence leads to joy and fulfillment, and Jeanette and Charles, whose lives spiral into chaos due to the grip of alcohol—Harper vividly illustrates the profound impact of choices on happiness and productivity. (N.B. Some portions of the text are missing.)