Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1836-02-02

how vain and futile were his glorious an
,icipations of future bliss and enjoyment
when moving in the circle Of his friends a
pattern of honesty, frugality and temperance
he should hear his name spoken with plea.
sure by hts associates and receive their ap-
proving bencdictions. =.
The DESTROYER came in the shape Of the
friendly treat. Fashion worked his ruin.
It was the fashion of the day to pass the
sparkling bowl around when friends met
to talk over the news and spend a few
hours in each others society. Temperate
at first, he slowly acquired the habit OF ire,
qucnt drinking, and was occasionally found
suffering under too much spirits. he little
thought TO wha, an end his course was
leading.-what fearful results. were soon
to burst upon his vision! Remonstrancc
from his friends had no effect. His former
standing in society, and the full into which
he was Fastening, checked not, but rather
accelerated his doom. Gambling lent its
aid to complete his ruin. The company
ofthc respectable was ,torsakcl for that of
the vile and vicious-thc pleasures of the
domestic circle, for the companionship of
those who rcvcl in the lowest sinks, Of
pollution and folly-whose deeds love dark.
ness rather than light, and who glory not in
spreading abroad the benevolent principles Of
virtue, science, and religion, but only those
of a corupting, dcmoralizing and dcbasing
influence. His possessions passed away,
| like the morning cloud, falling into the
hands of the gambler and seller of Rum.
His friends forsook him, and he held COM
munion only with the workers of iniquity.
From the respectable standing he once held
in society, he fell to the lowest and most dc.
graded, curse to kimscf. and sorrow to
his friends. His career Of folly and had
ness at length came to an end. His pro-
pcrty was gone; and he, who could once
boast of being in possession Of thousands,
now a tenan, Of the poor house, miserable
victim to iutempcrance, thrown for his sub.
| sistence upon the hand of charity, with q
constitution Worn down by the dissipations
Of manhood.
When asked him what had become Of
his companion in dissipation, his reply was,
one is in the same condition with myself, in
the poor house; another became q confirm.
ed drunkard, and in fit Of mtoXication.
jumped from a window and was killed.
Another and another have died miserable
victims of fintemperance.
Reader, this is not q fictitious narrative,
bat true one. as told me by the individual
above mentioned. How many thousand
cases similar to this there arc in our coun.
try, we know not. Undoubtedly many of
a similar nature have fallen under our own
observation. This is not u solitary one.
Would to Heaven it was,-that our ears
were not daily panied with the recital Of
such melancholy events. and eyes sinkcned
with beholdmg them,-that we were not o.
bhged to sec the immortal spirit of man so
degraded and fallen that rational and ac-
countablc beings will suffer themselves to
be cnticed into the paths Of dissipation by
the willy articles Of the votaries Of sensual
pleasure. Yet human nature is weak. We
arc too willing to suffer our appetites to gain
the asccndency over our better feeling, and
lCuu Us HUN tlIC WHICH, 1OAu VI Ouf 1llOldl
obligations.
That our country may be freed from the
withering and blightning effects OF intem.
pcrcncc, it is necessary for all who love
mankind and desire to see them prosperous
and happy, to aid in expelling this Arabian
exile from.the land of the "bra,e and the
free" Nay all be willing TO enlist in the
crusade against crime and iniquity, who
wish to sec advance the glorious principles
of mortal rectitude and right. Let us rest
not, until we ore free from this annoying
evil this curse and scourge Of nations and
men. This cause appeals for support to
every age and sex, for all are exposed to its
destructive effects. Let us strive to hasten
on the long wished for day when there shall
be no more drunkenness in the land, but all
be enlisted under the wide spreading banner
of temperance and her kindred virtues; and
the reward We shall have for our labors,
will be the consciousness Of having done
our duty to ourselves and those around as.
G. S.
AN INCIDENT.