Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1830-04-21

cts Of the cantonment, i wandered through
woods and morasses for three days with
out sustenance, in which progressed a
bout forty miles, until at length i found
canoe at Alexander bay, with which l
crossed to the British dominions. Heav-
en-, which had ever loaded me with un-
merted blessings, still continued to be
merciful. Although stranger, and ap-
pearing under the most unfavorable cir
cumstances, experienced, almost at the
first house | entered, the kindness and
affection ola brother, and the confidence
of a friend, from mercantile gentleman
whose name was Jones. lie was a
Christian, and his house little Sanctu-
ary in which the love of God dwelt. He
Immediately supplied me with decent ap-
parcl, for | had nothing but soldiers
dress, and through his influence, in less
than a week, was employed at respect
able wages, to take the charge Of a
school, in the neighborhood, for three
months. Here was the first instance in
which moral feeling ovcrpowered the
strong propensity for the bottle. 1t was
christian ncighborhood, my immediate
predecessor ofliciatcd at the sacred altar,
and ! saw that indulgence in ntempe-
rance would result in dismissal, which
would place it out of my power to refund
the advances ofmy generous bcnefactor.
This was a step | dared not take. /
completed the contract with perfect so
bricty, and commenced new one at an
increased salary, which was further aug
mcnted by supernumcrary scholars, some
of whom were studying Latin and the
higher branches of education. But my
feet soon began to stumble. i wept over
the first fit of intcmperance, after an alb
stincnce of four or five months; and with
prayers and sighs implored the God of
Heaven to save me from the Gulf that
seemed to yawn before me. My case
was communicated to the village clergy
man, who opened his doors for my recep-
ton, and treated me with peculiar deli
cacy and tenderness. But all was in
ain. | could not pass tavern; and l
could not drink one glass, without follow
ing the enchanting poison with another
and another, till raving frenzy and beast
ly intoxication ensued. l neglected my
school, and a dismissal followed. Col
lecting my earnings and discharging my
debts, proceeded to Montreal, genteel-
ly habitcd, and with about sixty dollars.
Here, instead of entering into business,
| passed the time in the lowest groceries,
with which that city abounds, until | had
expended every penny and exchanged
my wardrobe for rags. One morning as
l awoke from broken and painful sleep,
after excessive intoxication, and family
calculated the line of Horace" Quo
me Bacche," was surprised to find that
my stomach did not crave the accustomed d
stimulant. t.-Nature could hold out no
longer; disease had set in; my frame was
dobilitatcd, my flesh was as yellow as
saffron, and it seemed that rivers of wa
ter could not allay the internal burnings
which gnawed my vitals. was almost
naked, an inc)ement winter had begun, i
had now become completely wretched,-
no bed would receive me, no house would
shelter me. l commenced my retreat,
from this scene of ruin, and wandered
with slow and trembling pace, l knew
not whittier; until my limbs refused to
sustain me, and l was received into a
sleigh. My mind was no less debilita-
ted than my body. When l entered
Brockville, in the immediate vicinity of
my former residence, knew not where
l was and my most intimate friends,
with whom l was soon surrounded, ap-
peared as strangers. Twas Immediately
supplied with clothing; and with the kind
attendance received, my health recov-
cred. In the mean time a newspaper
was established in the village, under the
title of "The Brockville Recorder" and
l was employed as its editor l contin-
ued in this capacity for a few months, ,un-
til intemperance untitled me for business,
and left the Province almost as destitute
as entered it.
Such are some of the incidents which
have attended my course,-and these
are but few of the "wounds without
cause" and complicated woes, produ-
ced by my inordinate attachment to
spirituous liquor This has been my rul-
ing passion, has loaded my limbs with
irons, confined me in guard rooms and
dungeons made me kissing and a
by word, so that the very rabblc have
treated me with contumely, whom, in
better days, "l would have disdainod to
set with the dogs of my flock" There
have indeed, been some lucid intervals
of short continuance. Nature could
never have held out thus long, under the
consuming influence of one incessant
stream of liquid fire. AT these periods,
guilty and undeserving as | was, Heaven
never failed to confer choice blessings.
The wealthy and the educated beiriend-
ed me. But these intervals, either of