Lexington union. (Lexington, Miss.) 1838-18??, 1839-06-15

DihS'S AMCIlo oCCusHo tIlc
beau ideal of-my fancy, and ere I knew
her many months, was her worshpper.
MY thoughts were all bound up in the
frenzy Of my fee.ings-a affection had i'm
parted to my character a new tinge, and
to my habits another current. In my
communings with that being, 1 was su-
premely happy. There was enchantment
10 the very atmosphere she brea,hed--my
dreams caught their delirious raptures
from her memory, and my waking
thoughts dweit constantly upon Amelia.
She was worthy of all my regard worthy
Of all my devotion-and every hour SEEM
ed but to unfold some eslimable trait in her
character.
When I was twenty years Of age, we
were married. My father relinquished
his business in my favor, and LIE elided
on for another year, all sunshine and hap
piness.
By this time, l had gone out more fire..
quently tomingle with the world-became
interested in politics, and tlfristed for pow
er. was engaged in lucrative mercan.
tile carcer-my family was influential, and
my aid readily accepted, If not courted, by
the willy and perfidious nhnions Of office
Gradually, became deeply interested in
political ENTHUSIASTICALLY, 1 forgot the
spell of my wife's virtue and afIections,--
and, gradually, there was delrium and Joy
in the wine cup, and I became one Of The
votaries Of Bacchus.
cannot portray how insidioussy the
charm woye into my senses, and FILTERED
away my faculties. 1t now seems as
terrible and impossible dream--but the
horrors Of that dream are imprinted with
letters Of fire upon my brain. The agonies
ofmy remorse have been asserpents gnaw-
ing the tenderest vitals Of my existence.
| gaze back upon The past, and would fan
blot its hallowed moments from the page
of my being.
Bot 10 continue. With "stealthy step
and slow" became the victim Of intern
perance-neglected my business, and was
Bankruptcies at first pointed at and
pitied by my friends and reIatives, and at
last, Stunned and dcspised as disgrace
and dishonor.
1t was many months before my wife
could bring herself to the conviction that ]
was a drunkard. that had come 10 her
in her youth and beauty that had called
forth and broken up the deepest recesses
Of her soul! that was applauded for my
integrity--honored for my virtue-and
emulated for my character! how could she
deem me drunkard--loathed and con.
temptible sofa disgrace TO my name,
and a disgrace to humanity She closed
her eyes for weary period upon truth
so horrible, md endeavored to shut out
from her senses and her understanding,
the blackness of my guilt! Oh, God! how
that being chung TO, and worshipped me,
even amid the AFFECT contumely Of my
degradation. How she cludg amid the
wretchedness of despair, to the hope
that ! yet might be retrieved. How she
wept, and persuaded, and endeavored, to
fascinate me back to my domestic enjoy.
ments, and to keep me, even for one night
from the dens Of iniqui,y and reverely
ofcrime! How she ssthrewher white arms
around me-" and besought me, with ear
nest looks and pure caresses. to remember
my early vows-to remember my own
happiness-her peace Of mind, and my fa-
theirs cares for the sake ofhis only child,
and the heir to his hitherto unspotted fame.
Oh, my God! how impossible it now seems,
that could have steeled my heart against
such rersuasions- how impossible It seems
that [ could have gone forth after such
scene as this, and batbed my senses, like
a brute, in debasing influence Of intoxica-
ton. Would to heaven that l could live
ever again my young life. Would that
again | might hear the glad voice Of my
Amelia, and bask in the innocent smiles,
Of her affection! Would / could call up
the shade Of my murdered sire, and weep
away my shame and anguish in tears Of
blood! But in vain now is the agony Of
my remorse-in vain do repent of early
error, and invoke the past hours.
Amid the most abject poverty, my wife
shared my destiny. Bloated and distort.
ed as were my TEXTURES, she still imagined
she saw in il traces Of my early condition.
And when, 10 some titfui moment Of re-
morse and sanity, | professed repentance
when, for moment, ! told her that my
affection for her suli lived-Oh, God! what
a flush Of Joy overspread the features Of
my poor Ameiia--what thrill Of rapture
seemed tingIing through her veins, as she |
still hoped to save me.
Then she would tell me over all my |
prospects Of retrieving my fortune--that ]
was yet young--that my father would re-
ceive me back into his con6dence--that
she would love me and cherish me--and
then, for moment. melted and overcome,