Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1841-10-16
Icy NIasser s. Eisely,

my separation from those held most dear--suffce
TO sav, that received the blessings Of my parents
and in return, promised faithfully and honestly to
avoid all bad company, as well as their vices. Had
| kept my promise ! should lave been s,vcl this
shame. and been free from the load Of guilt that
hangs around me continually, like fiendsh ,u-
tore, threatening to Ding me TO justice, for crimes
"a yet unreveaed. But, to return, | left my early
home, where oil had been sunshine and where my
pathway had been strewed with flowers, to try my
fortune among Strangers and to try my strength
in hufFeling the storms and tempest Of the world.
With light heart looked forward to the future;
ard taking the usual route ! sson reached Wheel.
ing, where took passage on boat for Louisville
On the boat game of cards was proposed for a.
ynusement and although had promised faithfully
10 avoid such things, STILL argued TO ysclf, there
was noharm in playing game for amusement.
Accordingly, joined the party, and we kept up
the amusement most of the way down. After we
left Cincinnati, it was proposed to bet bit game,
merely, as it was said, 10 make il interesting. My
| frs, impression TO leave the table, but was
''No
| more than one or two dollars This argument pre>
vailed, for lacked moral courage 10 do what was
| right feared my complnions would say was
s,ingy ola little money. Influenced by these feel
ngs, played ard, the fates would have it,
won. Before We reached Louisville,wc had twice
doub,lI the stake, and found my luck enabled me
to pay my passage out of my winnings. 1t was the
| first time ever had b,t money. and my success
ruined me. Again play ed, and was again sue
ces ful; and. in short, C niinu,d to play far a.
muscmcn', until | had acqu Cd thirst f'r gambling.
i Sc ted in hivns viIloge in Tennessee and
commenced the practice Of my profession under
fla tering auspices, and my first appearance in a
criminal court was highly complmen,ed, and snon
became known throughout the circuit. Things
wen, On thus for mole than year. ard believe :
myself fairly Oh the road TO fame IND fortune.
occasi, naily pIsy,t cards consol,d mys f wi h
the idea ,ha, only played with gentlemen for
amusement.
One night accompanied some young men to a
gaming shop, aud, for The fl st time in my life,
saw a Faro Bank. My companions commenced
|
| did not understand the game. Again I playel
with success, and when We left the house, wa:
more than two hundred dollars winner. None o
my companions had been fortunate, and it wa'
r insisted that was The lucky man, and that mus
treat We accordingly repaired 10 my room, wher
I ordered wine ard hefure we broke up wer
, all deeply inroxica'ed. With me il was the frs
time, and the next day resolved that would ne,e
play cards again. | adhered To the dvlermina ioI
for nearly three months, when again yielded t
The entreaes OF my dissp4,ed associates.
II | now played with varied success, and in a
. cases found excuse for resoIting 10 the win
d bottle. If lost, drank 10 drown sorrow; if
=, won treaed my good fortune. Thus progre,se
e upon my downwad course, until drinking All
d gambling became my chief employ ments. A m
h friends who were worth preservi abandoned M
e until my only associates were druukarls and gan
,e hlers when almost ,duc,d TO want, (fnr hid lr
W oil busin's..) received letter ininmng OF I'll
n death of my ia her-lhlt fher who watched ov'
&c my early years--who loved me so ienderly. An
,e did act as an sfftctonae child No. Vice h'
le destroyed the human feelings Of my heart, and lie
,e only the animal passions and appeites, Il
= letter contained check FOR $500, a part of N
in poor fathers hard earnings drowned my grief th
is night in Bachanaan revol, and in few days
was again pennies. ! will NJ, dwell upon Il
III every day scenes of my life, which such
or .nay at all times be witnessed at any OF the ,v
&c hundred dram shops Of your city, where wretch,
Of men squaner the little piltsnce that justly belon
or TO their suffering wives and children.
cr Bot, to pass on. For nearly three years ha
for been drunken wandering ou,cast Six mont
ago received letter from my dear mother, encI
sing 500, and informing that she fast sin
'se ing with disease, and enresting with all mothe
il, feeling IN come home and see her before she di,
'as for time felt the appeal, aud resolved to comp
ew with her request; aud accordingly took passage
at steamboat for that purpose. For two days
m Trained from liquor; bat my thirst became inst
css ponahle,-Ar lengh my appetite overpowered
cir be tier feelings, and approached the bar and
ga msnLeJ the liquid FIRE. was soon intoxical
,or. when madIy sought the gambling t4ble; aud
I've fore the boat reached Louisville, was stripped
for every cent. Thus, all hops OF seeing my dy
lest mother cut off remained at Louisville sevt
he'd weeks in which time learned that my mother
pnd died. aud that her last breath spent in pra
He'd for her wrelched child.
fore From Louisville shipped on board the straT
and BIalI deck hand, aud came tn tni- Place wi
| a A I Nnl