Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-06-27


6, ieui terriers 10 deter. The VIII was en-. mann
ed TO :yrant who never SAID, enough. Du' ]"
| imprisonmt mt, the manacles which bouod my
body set my spiri free. fhe unnatural cra'-
| Jugs of the stomach gradually subsided WIN
| the disuse Of spirit =,
In the haunts of dissipation, the mind may be
banished from itself; but in the cell Of prison,
who can avid revolving in his mind the varie,
" Of causes witch consp ed to riyei his letters!
| Who will not inquire-At wha period oil lie
did commence the construction OF this sloo-
! my abode! When did laythe first foundation!
On what anvil did forge the bolts and bars! -
from what quarries did obtain materials tor
the wall! Through what means did provide
and adapt the various materials oil the building,
until. at length came forward with The lasl
keystone TO the arch? Why I'm | doomed,
like The Ok, 10 toll for another? Was ! no!
"born free as Casar!" Why, then, have "sold
myself for nough,?" Alas! while can trace
the source of my present w'etcbednrss and ru .
in toike nfa, uating effects OF ardent spirits,
am constrained TO add tia, it, has blasted the
fairest hopes.
Ieniered upon the active scenes OF lie. with
out friends, patrimory ar connexi"ns, al Inc
age Of Is; and though thu years Immediately
preceding were passed in active labor, yer
works Of Literature and philosophy were my
companions in The field; AID, a that early pc
Rod, anticipated l'eraly career "hrn
parental protection was ,emoyed, exchanged
the axe for he pen. My 6s essays were pub
lished in an obs sllag paper, and had
the grati6ca ion Of seeing Them reprinted III
popular journals. Al seventeen removed To
one Of our Atlantic cities where. the ediorial
department, Of daily paper was committed
Temporal lily 10 my charge. darn The ST. kntss
of i S proprietor There, although an entire
Stranger, aud almos, without resources, sue
cetded in acquiring the friendship Of some lI!l-
erary men. Perhaps they were willing to &C
ccpi my homage 10 science, in he place oi pro-
found knowledge. The friendship oil such men
was worth more ,ha" the patronage. OF The rich
Il opened wilder sphere of action, snd, al %,
having visited Eor"pr, found mys' II the pro-
pretor ofan ample fortune exclusively 'he pro
duc,ion Of the pen. Blu, before this period the
seeds Of destruction had ben sown, aud they
now began to take root. Shortly after enter
ing III, CITY of--.I attached myself 10 sever
al clubs of wits. A" free and e,sy" associations:
bu: soon found that convi,ial ,eniDg drew
heavily upon the morning of the succeeding
dav A,lengih the morning bitter was called
for To chase away tn ennui a,islng from the
midnisn: debauch. This impaite ed The relish
for breakfast. Ccffe be, anne nsipid- appetite
for food diminished Biuers in the morning
required rejoindrr al eleven, and sure re
io,adlr at one. And it was n" Unrii I e.
quen,iy found mys"lf in state Of inoxi' avon.
and some Of nv friends began 20 Hisprr, "'hs
is he road % rum" har 6rs, suspected my
self Il beng rcprehensihy iniempera'e had
completely entered he Camp OF The enemy ne
fore | iscoveie' the preseHce OF danger. Ev-
sry effort 40 r-,race-ny STRIPS proved vain; sisr
by burn'ugS aud craving, inSatiablt os lh'
gray, Ear, fit ofin,"mpe a"ce operated upon
my conltitn; ION wi,h-morri Ordinary iorce;
1t led to distrac'ing frenzy and ezra, giant ex
cess My friends could weep; and Yet want
ed resoiu ion to dash he fatal poison from my
lips. I'm Hing 10 blss' ever! pro>prcl, in a
city still dear o my Hrction, removed to an
other, under the vain nope thata change Of
place Nigh, lead 10 change Of habit
From thai period till tue commencement OF
my presen, mp isonmrn', in 1924, an inter, al
Of lrven years, have floaied over he snrii'
Of The world without any settle purpose Of #
and there rs scarce section in Two EN- Dir s in
witch have no, temporarily resided. My re
sources were soon exhausted, and found lie
nee essty Of adopting some meas FOR i'veli
hnod, aave been the precep'or. OF school in
httcen Glf'rtn villages ana nrlghDorhoods;
nae conducted'ihe edi oriai department uf
eight different newspapers, to three OF which
my name was attached; and have worked as d
mechani Il primer in thirty or forty dlfft'en
Offices Blu 30 completely had the desire OF
sp,rituous liquor acquired the ascrndancy,
III, The earnings of ID month were not unfrr
Qrsb,iv squandercd IN week, and il was new
er ii my pockets were emp led, that lief: the
tsveru, or ih, grocery, in qur> Of employment
But an empty purse WAS the least Of all The e.
wills occ stoned BY 'his reseuing and bcso ing
| sin The same stimularts which hea'ed the
blood, and enfamed The animal splits. over
| powered reason; while The feet totterrd, the
arms tre,nbled, aud the tongue faltcred. the SOU!
VS. in The wides, frenzy Three timesI have
| been led in excuses which fell within he cog
rizanc' IF re munic,pial law; and lmprIson-
,arnt followed; twice Cor a few days and once
! f'r a Ii IL more titan y ar.
! The de ail> of my unh' ppy course would fill
volumes. will m rely mention Two or th, e.
aldi ional incidtn's.
One If ,hr instances of imprisonment, y hi h
! I hay. already mentioned was a, Salem Wash