From Wealth to Poverty; Or, the Tricks of the Traffic. A Story of the Drink Curse

A devoted husband, Richard Ashton, vows to abandon the bottle after a heartfelt plea from his wife, Ruth, whose love and concern stir both tenderness and turmoil within him. As he steps away from the tavern, the narrative follows his struggle to keep that promise, showing how the lure of cheap spirits and the covert schemes of the liquor trade threaten to unravel his resolve and jeopardize his family’s fragile peace.

Through vivid, true‑to‑life episodes—violent confrontations, desperate pleas, and the grim consequences of drunken excess—the story exposes the ruthless tactics of those who profit from the “drink curse.” It offers a stark, personal look at the social forces that undermine temperance laws, urging listeners to recognize the hidden costs of alcohol abuse and consider how collective vigilance might protect communities from such exploitation.