The herald., 1837-05-05

for the Id Never touch IT. Joseph as you nope iof
lei uss saw that the speaker was the Of one OF
the most respectable persons in the countyhad been
we'll educated, and started IN manhood wgh hne
competency-but took TO rum. From one grade 10
another he had gone down 10 the rank OF conm.n
lahorer. in the town fhs BIRTH and earned miscra-
Bile living for wife and numerous children, Dy tne
most menia offices, and went home beasliy drunk
whenever he could get rum enough 10 make nm
intoxicated. He was lost mana miserable oDJect
/" Never touch it." said he !" as you hope for re-
spec in Ii e. Its deadly poison, palsylng all pny-
sca and moral powers-with its USE man IS pfu'e,
a slave 10 every who wishes 10 COMMAND MN
without il, temperate and industrious, he may Oe Wha
he pleases
{" No man can hope for respect who INDUCES IN rum
but temperate and with the education to be acqulr
ed in schools he must grow up IN the respect Oh
his fellow men, and, in time, must obtain conlpe-
tenQv Indulge i'm this" and he held up to the sun
the half empted bottle, and shame poverty ana ton
foow-avoid il, and you may command the services
Of every that sins in this way-may you never DC
thus commanded"
The man had besn sot, proverbially from our
earliest remembrance, and although we knew he pos
sessed spirit Of kindness towards others, we had ne
heard him thus refer to the SIN That most easily
beset him. We gaZed therefore, Tor some time upon
him. before we vcntured repy-at length we SAID,
in tone marked rather by affectionate socltude, than
the forwardness of boylsh impernence-" If respect
is only found by avoiding excess IA drinking why
then do we see so many forfetng that respect T.
Mr. - looked little confused, but ne was soon
prepared with a reply.
/" 1t is, perhaps, because they have no to point
out to them their errors
"But" said we "some know their own errors and
can point out the consequences TO others Why do they
not avoid them y
cloud passed acrossed the face Of the poor man
but it a feeling of pan not of anger Herose from
the ground which he was setting, and standing for
a few moments by my side, his feelings gradually
subsidized TO the calmncss of the delightful bay upon
which we were looking.
You ask, said he, why they do not AVOID the
evil consequences of rum Alas You are too young
to know the influence of appetite when the means OF
qualification are within reach. Y You cannot know how
desolaung every heart is the spirit ofnemperence.
At times, it seems that good resolves Will spring up,
but the temptation is not renewed, the evil is repeated
could there be found some powerful influence some
humane beings the sufferer from the plague,
TO raise him above the attack, ne would, perhaps be
saved-but who shall do II ~
"Look along this shore, nearly It's whole extent IS
marked by barren sand, or abradcd pebbles-not a
splre of grass shoots up for every tide wasses the
whitened surface and should there at any time sprln
up beyond us, few green spots of herbage the acrd
of the returning spring tide, would destroy il
all. THERE'S far up the bay, single exception Mr..
- has redeemed by care portion OF the shore,
by shutting out the tide and elevatng the SOIL no por
ton of the salt water now reaches the enclosure
which is as green and hourshing the upland fields.
And just II is with the drunkard. The poisoned
glass returns to his lips regular as the tide to thus
shore Every house he enters presents the bitter wa
titles appetite for the accarsed poison, in order to
stimulate his muscles 10 labor And M single rtsolu
lion of abstinence is formea in sickness or IN want
it is swept away by the returning wave OF dissipation
When | see what has been the murderous effect Of
drunkenness stand astonshed, that those who have
got something to loose should put all TO risk upon
every days gratfcatlon-f they cannot elevate the
fallen above the influence of the waves ofntoxeailon,
they mi gh at least place the feet Of their children
above the tide"
We were not astonished, child as We were, at the
correctness Of the mans perceptions. The wonder
was, that he should have ventured upon expressing
them
81 Ii the effect of drunkenness, said we, "is in
furious and so5rlety IS certain TO bring carly re-
spect and ultimate wealth-why do we sec so many
why, indeed, one that knowing these consequences
cor rather" sal the man. starting suddenly, as If
offended at the questlon-"why do continue 10
drlnk-why do 90 racing through the town every
week. mad as a bacchanal, and drunk a brute
why do destroy every germ OF rational pride and
every claim TO human respect ~ swllllng at the bot
tie until the very dogs bark at reel along the
road or seek lodging beneath the shelter of friend
ly walll Why is my wife, born TO something better
and nay children, who ruined by my example,
dsgraced and half starved by my cursed habits
This is what you ask-you mean TO inquire, why
make drunkard, beast Of myself while 1 caution
you against the crime"
We stepped backward somewhat startled at the
iorce Of appeal and the truth Of his application
we did not deny that his own case was in our mind
when we made the inquiry.
The man turnsd with us towards the beautiful bay
whose soft repose seemed to calm his az tnon, and
soothe the irritation sfhs mind He gaxed far some
time upon the CLASSY surface, if il ref cted back 10
him the pleasure Of his earlier days-full of fromse
OF honor himself and comfort to ethers-ai length
he said
n,You have heard from your mother and Others, all
my story, which Is one of folly-not of crime the
world rcckons t-no man charge me with even
the ordinary falsehoods which business excuses, If
not encourages My rapid descent was accelerated
by the custom which them as now, prevailed; and
my intoxication was but the consequence Of single
extra cup. / am now what you me, without the
ability or knowledge for mechanical labor, and con-
sequently, dependant upon the discharge of the
meanest offices for bread. Yet, with full recollec
ton of all that icas, a consciousness OF attainment
suited to the enjoyment If not the acquisition Of
weath-t is nor impossible for me TO do more tkan
earn my bread by this mcnal toll and II Is painful to
think that could have done better.
"When wake to sobriety, from my most beastly
state feel that this labor is suited TO such wretch
lose my self respect and grow content with my de-
gradauon-a weeks sobriety would make me too
proud to gather material for manure from the sea
shore and my family would starvc-my drunkenness
has stepped my family in poverty, must not by so
briefly make them beggars. You do not understand
this-you do not know the benefit of destroying all
natgral pride May you never attain that forbidden
knowledge; but remember that nothing is so effective
Observation-Disclosures is the pc feet destroyer
of selfesteem"