Litchfield enquirer., 1830-02-25

bow ildering spell of infatuation. I was unable to resist its influence. was una Die to turn away from the tide of ignominy, which vSs hurrying mo to the vortex of destruction. My mind, though i. did not actually decay, seemed somewhat affected with my body. My affections were be- numbed and torpid, and the sympathies of my bosom, held affinity with nothing but drink.
 l Amid the most abject poverty, my wife shared my destiny. Bloated and distorted as were my features, she still imagined she saw m 1t traces of my curly conditiOn.- And whens in some fitful moment of re- morse and sanity, l professed repentance -when, for moment, told her that m, affection for her, still lved-Oh God !- what a Hush of joy overspreao the features ot Amelia-what a thr,.! o' sanGur" seer,- cd tingling through her voi,s, as sho s:il! hoped to save me.
 Then she would tell me over all mY prospects ofretrieving my fnrtune-that ! was yet yo0ng-thSt any father would rec ce've me back again into his confidence that she would love me, and cherish me-- and then, for a moment, melted and over. come, l would promise her to reform But could not. The curse was upon me, and in vain cndeavorOd to ShakN il of.
 At last my poor wifc grew sick; she bore up for long season under her suffer- ings, but finally her heart broke aud she died.
 I had humanity enough left ,o know the extent of the evil had ihllicted--but in the horrors of tho mertent had but one resourco-thc bOw!-the accursed bowl. Again and again, l slipped deep of its dama nation.
 A little longer, and | was a spectacle most distgusting to the philanthropist. A begGar and a drunkard; l wandered through the streets of my native city, an object of contempt and shamo. My fa- thor spurned me from his door-.hus alah tho old man was but little while for ,h,s world. My infamous career soon bo,e hs gray hairs with sorrow to the grave ss" bequealhed his fortune to d!staur rolA. ] tive.
 At tho timc of his death was tenant of the alms-house, being a victim of mania pOtu, and a maniac.
 For long dime I struggled with death, but was yet young, and 6nally recovered. My form was now emaciated ,and my coun- tcnance ghastly. 1 My mind had somewhat recovered its s"rmor capacity, but as my reason Aoated back, Good God what horrid images mingled among my memories. I was tho murderer of my wife-l vas parricide- and my fathers dying greans and maledic- ton, seemed like an eternal knell in my ears. have toiled through twenty years moro have lived life of the most appalling suffcrings and misery-and now, whilst 1 totter on the brink of eternity, | sm still a drunkard {! 1T ever a human being has suffered for the crime of drunkenness, that being am I. l have hesitated oiten as to launching myself into another world. but l resolved to boar tho agony of my ret!ec- tions aud the horrors 0f my condition, as an atonement for my crimes.
 am a murderer! feel, as finger on the confines ofthis world, thAt have mur- dercd the wife Ofmy bosom feel Una. have sent my father in his old age, with sorrow, to his tomb But oh! have I not suffered for my iniquities s--Have not, by living in squalid misery, iE degradation and in infamy, suffered more than thou~ sand deatl.si Forgive, I besesch thee, o God, in this, my last and niorssl hour of anguish Forgive me, saiu.ed spirit c: my injured wife. and hallowed shadow O.: } my murdered father. Angels of heaven, I pray ye, forgive me And ere die, oh youth whilst my soul is yet lingering in its mortal tcnsd,ent, shun, oh shua, be- seech you. tho intoxicating bowl: .s ...-..
 
 Asktng e Small FGv0r.-A few days since, us one of the eastern steam bUats was about leaving the wharf, passenger was asked to take charge of letter to a friend in Boston. He did 60, very readily, and others having like favors to ask; appli- cd to him in their turn. In very accom- modating manner, he accepted the addi- iional charge, and soon had his pockets filled with letters. Others embroidered by the readiness with which he undertook these little errands, applied to him ,o take charge oflarger and more weighty articles -such as packages of wedding cske, pat- terms of newest fashions, and such like matters, which. with the greatest good-na- lure in the world, were also taken eharse Of by the accommodating passengeS.-- Wont you be kind enough said gsnde- man, just to put this shawl into yonr rock. a, and laawa ;t as AA.S Cuch. T: