Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1829-06-18

whose name was Jones. lie was a
Christian, and bis house q little Sanctu.
airy in which the love of God dwsit.-
lie Immediately supplied me with de
cent apparel, for had nothing but sol.
dier's fatigue dress, and through his in.
fiuence, in less than week, was em
ployed at respectable wages, TO take the
charge OF a school, in the ne ghbourhood,
for three months. Here was the FIRST
instance iD which moral feeling over
powered the strong propensity for the
bottle. II was christian neighbour
hood, my immediate predecessor offiei.
ated at The sacred altar, and saw that
indulgence in intemperance would re
suit in dismissal, which would place !,
out Of my power 70 refund the advances
oil my generous beneiactoE This was a
step dare not take. completed the
contract, with perfect sobriety, & com
trenced new one at an increased sal
airy, which was farther augmented by
sureruumary scholars, some of whom
we're studying Latin and the higher
branches Of education. But my feet
soon began to stumble. l wept over
The first tit of iDtemperance, after the
abstinence of four or FIVE months; and
with prayers and signs implored the
God of Heaven to save me from the
gulf which seemed to yswn before me.
My case was communicated to the vii
lage clergy man, who opened bis doors
for my reception, and treated me with
peculiar delicacy and tenderness. But
all was in vain. could not pass tav
ern; and could not drink one glass,
without following the enchanting poison
with another and another, till frenzy, or
beastly intoxication ensued. neglect
ed my school, and dismissal followed.
Collecting my earnings and discharging
NY debts, ! proceeded to Montreal, gen
teelly habited, and with about sixty
dollars.
Here, instead of entering into bust
ness, passed the time in the lowest gro
ceries. with which that city ahounds
until had expended every penny, and
exchanged my wardrobe for rags
One morning as | awoke from broken
and painful sleep. afterexcessiye intox.
ication and family calculated ,he line oil
Horace--"Quo me Bacche," was sur.
prised TO find that NY stomach did not
crave the accustomed stimulant. Ma
ture would hola out no longer; disease
had set in; my frame was debiitatd il
my flesh was as yellow as saffron, and
seemed that rivers If water could not
allay the internal burnings which gnaw
ed my vitals. | was almost naked. an
iDclemsnt winter had begun, had now
become completely wretcbed, no bed
would receive me, no house would shell
ter me. fcommenced my retreat, from
this scene of ruin, and wandered With
slow and trembling pace, knew not
whittier; until my limbs refused TO sus
tain the, and / was received into q
sleigh. My mind was no less deblitai
ed than my body. When ! entered
Dr oc kville, in the immediate vicinity OF
my former residence, knew not where
i was; and my most intimste friends.
with whom ! was soon surrounded. ap.
peared as strangers. ] was immediate
ly supplied with clothing, and, with the
kind attendance ] received, my health
recovered. In the mean time newspa
per was established in the village, under
the title of"The Brockville Recorder 2
and | was employed as its editor. con {.
tinued in this capacity for few months
until intempersnce united me for bust
ness, and left the Province almost as
destitute as / entered il.
Such are some of the incidents which
have attended my course, and these
are but few of the wounds without
cause" and complicated woes. produc-
ed by my inordinate attachment to spi-
rituous liquor. This has been my ruiz
ing passion, has loaded my limbs with
irons, confined me in guard rooms and
dungeons. made me Kissing aud by
word, so that the very cable have treat
ed me with contumely, whom. in better
days, ! would have disdained to set with
the dogs OF my Hockn There have, in
deed been some lucid intervals of sholt
continuance. Nature could never have
held out thus long. under The consuming
influence of one incessant stream of Ii.
quid FIRE. At these periods, guilty and
undeserving as l was, Heaven never
failed TO confer choice blessings. The
wealthy and the educated befriendec
me. But these intervals, either of par.
tial or Of total abstinence, were like the
calm before storm, and the prelude oil