Iowa news. [volume] (Dubuque, Upper Mississippi Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1837-1841, 1838-03-17
AN ONLY SON.

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AN ONLY SON.
/ aMan's inhumanity 10 man
Makes countless thousands mourn"
AS look abroad upon society, am remind
Led OF that small company which Milton dc
scilbes as seen by Gabriel in Paradise, ether
wee two that were angels still, but the third
though OF regal port, yet with faded splendor
wan, and by his gait and fierce demeanor
seemed the prince Of hell;" and though, GARTH
sad spectacle may be but one in ten, yet wha
tremendous defamation this!---falling as sure
~, as if by lot, upon the rich and poor, The
high and low; all, all, equally victims OF the
great destroyer, and in their fall alike too!-..
excepting, the greater the height, the keenel
the sense Of its depths, the more terrible the
writing in its agonies. And yet fact 60
palpably visible to all, and to which all may ;a,
apply remedy, produces In many not the
ieast emotion. They look. and pass by on
the other side. o! how much more suffering
must there be, how long must il be thus, be-
tore the sound part Of this vast community
snail be reused to banisl, an article from all
common use, which, come in what form it
may, destroys their fellow-men; and 10 break
an adamantine chain, and leave all to be free
and happy.
l knew an only son. boy Of rare promise;
he grew up strong, bold and active. full ofspi-
rit and full Of enterprise: His parents were
oPuent and intelligent; their views Of life
with all its responsibilities were broad and
deep,- generous in their affection, they min
gled extensively in society, which was eleva-
ted and ennobled by their influence. They
were rich in domestic joys; their son, their
darling son, was source ofthe purest delight
There seemed no cause for solicitude for him;
no weak points 10 watch over, to guard and
support; he possessed a sound constitution; his
intellect and his temper were as fair, as free
from any defect as were his physical powers;
the leading object Of his parents seemed 10 be
growth, and spread the whole character to its
his collegiate course honorably TO himself and
his friends; and, being inclined 10 active life,
he joined commercial house in one Of onr lar
ges. cities. Hero his prospects were full of
promise; he was encirclcd by friends that were
in the full career Of prosperity; his natural
temper was so fine---so pleasing was he in his
general intercourse with the world, that he
not only had no enemies, but all his associates
would have rcjoiced in his greatest prosperity.
He 'ods prosperous; and apparently forming
for himself permanent home. All who had
known him from his youth expected to see
him standing foremost among our rich and hon
orable merchants; when, suddenly, without
any apparent cause, his partnership was dis
solved. The house to which he belonged con-
tinued on in an honorable course Of business
till ii had amassed solid wealth; his partners.
in -
on in luxury, pleasure, and all the charities OF
life; cmbesomed in friends, and eventually,
in retired leisure to cultivate the higher powers
Of their nature, while this young man, the hope
Of his parents, went away alone, prey 10 the
ravages Of alcohol;---the wine cup had ruined
..ini. He had strict integrity, he had capa,
ei,v il, ell business, but he fell as fortress
which has ,ors been daily besieged till it is
all undermined; d whole garrison on the ram.
parts cannot save it; it falls headlong' and all
is buried in tho common ruin. Ne went home
to his distressed parents, but he had toe much
feeling left to be willing TO witness the miscf;;
he alone had caused; he fed from his home,
and sought solitude Of his own, and there
yielded up all his hopes. He took the dread.
fuI poison ill his powers were all destroyed;
his memory was broken, his affections were
scorched and scathed as by stroke Of light.
ming, and his reasonable seemed to have none,
bnt at some lucid intervals it would rise in its
full strength, goaded on by conscience, tina,
worm that never dies; and gladly would he
have taken his hated life, his hand was Otter
arrested by the fear of coming wrath; he died
alone, and the cloud of oblivion settled ovel
his memory. His parents never utter his
name; they drank to the dregs the cup Of bit
terness, he passed away, and no trace is LEFT
behind him;---decp burrows lie hidden in few
hearts, untold 10 that world which looks or
and passes by on the other side.
Temperance Union.