Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1834-11-20
WHOLE NO. 242.

INTO a seat in the chapel. The chaplain,
in plain, pointed, but affectionate man
ner, spake of the sin OF which the often
ders had been guilty, and showed the
dreadful results of continued indul-
eence in the use oi intoxicating liquors,
not only to the partaker himself, but To
his friends, and to society. While the
subject was eloaucn,ly exhibited, tears
Coursed thick and fast down the cheeks
of Ruthven. Many time did he strug-
gle to repress "A groan that knocked nc
his heart for utterance. Solemnly he
there resolved, that this his first trans
eression of the Kind, should be his last.
Happy would It have been Tor him, had
no temptation prevented the keeping Of
those resolutions!
i Ruthven was alone, in his narrow
room, and there was no sound To disturb
the calm reflection of his mind, save the
measured tread of the sentry, when a
letter was handed to him. Eagerly, he
broke the seal, and read its CONTENTS
As his eye ran from line to line, his
eountenance changed, and the sheet
shook in his trembling hand Again he
read it. His eyes flashed, and his lin
grew pale and qui,ered A fell purpose
seemed to be forming IN his inmost soul,
as he threw the letter upon the floor, and
trampled it under his feet. He arose,
and shifting his forehead, he paced his
apartment in violent agitation. "Ban-
ished! discarded Gn'-muttered he; s'it is
too much-l cannot brook it. ] do not
deserve so much. When ] have fled
by confession and repentance to the on
ly covert left me from the strong power
/ Of empta:ion-parenlal afIection-I am
thrust out upon the bleak world ,-disin-
i herted- disowned! Well, mischief and
hate, work your fill,"-said he, as he
threw himself into his hammock. Des-
! pair began to devour his resolutions to
reform. And who can tell what strong
! young heart in that hour? From that
time, ga change came DER the fashion,
!, of his spirit.
E Dispatches had been received at the
institution, from the proper authorities,
e which directed the immediate expulsion
of the offenders On the day succ eeding
. the reception of the letter, Ruthven and
| his comrades stood before the command
: ing officer, to receive the sentence Of
their disgrace. The tempest in his soul
y had not subsided: his cheek was blaneh-
: ed; cloud rested upon his brow;-the
arrow was ranking in his heart. He
: head, though he seemed not to hear,
d the sentence; and turning upon his heel,
2 he went forth into the world, an outcast;
e unshielded by one solitary good resolu-
ton! 1t was fearful moment!
d TO mark the progress Of vice in its
!, inroads on the nobler inclinations Of the
IS soul, and to note the downward steps Of
II the beguled, is indeed painful task -
y When the foul passions Of our fallen ma
e lures obtain an ascendancy, they place
: us where ills, like our Affections,
o -----'.Come not single spies.
,rtl But in battalions!"
~ And he who is doomed to
"a -"Bide the petings Of this ptess storm,''
"a must be content to "feel what wretches
70 feel. F" We are too apt to consider and
n to trea at the first mis-step as an irrecov-
.. erable fall and happy, indeed, is that
man who finds friendly hand extended
= to relieve him, when he thus, and thus
10 only, stumbled.
a a thousand projects presented them
selves to the mind of Ruthven, as he
n turned towards the wide world; but none
20 seemed competent to afford him the
n means of mainte nance, or were suited TO
,r hrs tastes. His slender means could az
NJ ford him support but for a short tine, and
N something must be done to save him from
=. the gripe of penury He thought oi
10 entering some foreign service, and his
IN wardrobe was once placed on board Of a
10 vessel bound to the distant east. Then
: he doubted his ability to compete with
y older and mole experienced officers, and
ID he could not bear the idea of falling a
n. whit below the chefest. No feasible
i, plan suggested itself to his Imagination
r. and lonely and disheartened, sick o.
-, himself and the world before him, hs
- =. sought relief from his oppressive woes il
hv the poisonous cup. Half inebriated, h,
bbSo threw himself upon his couch tha, night
,r- This was q second fall.
a. In the midst Of accommodating wretch
ho edness, Ruihven found a friend, BY
-st whose mediation compromise with hi'
an parents, was so far effected, that they
nd promised to supply him with money, Il
o. complete his education, and to enable
ve him to enter upon some profession. The
in offer was gladly accepted, and he enter
he ed a seminary at. IL WIZ be need
49, less to detail all the events which trims
-, pred during his stay at this seminary. -
Suffice il 10 say, that beyond what ha
r been mentioned, his parents remained in