The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1841-10-21


Here | - distinguished myself uaai. II
siAiecn, | grsduzsed with lie soooad mo-
noEs n lie institution. and returned home
gashed win he brilliant prospect of sue
eess tiai lay btfpre me. econ alter
commenced lhe study II law, and when
only in my iwenlirih yea, Ohialncd IL
eenee 10 pFaeiire.
Acting upon The advice IL friends, de-
lernined % Try my fortunes in The west.
| accordingly arranged my affairs for de-
pariure early in the fall Of Is53. ] viii
MOI dctain y0n with an accouni &c my 50
paraiion from al held most dear; suffice
i 10 saw. tlisi ! received the blessings Of
nv parents. and il return promised faith
fully and honestly 10 avoid ali had CON-
pany, rs well As lheir vices. Had | kept
my promise | should have been saved this
shame. and heen free from The load Of
guilt that hangs around me continually,
like iendish Vulinre, threatening 10 drag
me % justice for crimes as yet unreveal-
ed. Butte return. leli my early hons.
where all had been sunshine, and where
my pathway had been ssrewed with low
ers. 10 ny my fortune among strangers,
and 10 try my strength in bu6eling The
storms and tempesis 81 The world. With
light heart | looked forward 10 the future;
and taking the usual route soon reached
Wheeling, where took passage on boat
for Louisville. On the boat a game Of
cards was proposed for amussmsnf, and
although | had promised faithfully To a.
void such things, still. argued 10 myself,
there was 10 harm in playing a game for
amusement.
Accordingly joined lie party, and we
kept up the amusement most Of The way
down. Alter we left Cincinnati, il was
proposed 70 bet biz game, merely. as
Il was said, ca make il interesting. MY
first impression was TO leave the table,
but ] was told il was only bit-ihat |
could not lose more Than one or two dol
lars. This argument prevailed, for lack
ed moral courage 10 do what was right.
! feared nv companions would say was
siingy Of lille money. Influenced by
these feelings, | played; and, as tho laics
would have il. | won. Before we reach
ed Louisville, we had twice doubled the
stake. and ! found my luck enabled me
10 pay my passage out Of my winnings.
II was the first time ever had bet money,
and my success ruined me. Again |
played, and was again successful; and, in
short. ! continued to play for amusement.
until had acquired thirst for gaming.
| settled in thriving village in Tennessee,
and commenced the practice Of my profes.
sion under gathering auspices, and my first
appearance in criminal court was highly
complimented, and soon became known
throughout The circuit. Things went on
thus for more than year, and believed
myself fairly on The road to fame and for
tune. occasionally played cards; but |
consoled myself with the idea that only
played with gentlemen for amusement.
One night accompanied some young
men to gaming shop, and. for the FIRST
time in my life, | saw a Faro Bank.
My companions commenced betting. and
] was induced TO join them. Although ]
did not understand the game. again I play
cd with SUCCESS aud when we left the
house, was more than Two hundred dollars
winner.-None Of my companions had
been fortunate, and il was insisted that |
was the lucky man, and that must treat.
We accordingly repaired to my room,
where ] ordered wine, and before we
broke up we we're all deeply intoxicated.
With me IL was the FIRST time, and the
next day | resolved that would never
play cards again. | adhered TO this de-
termination Cor nearly three months, when
| again yielded 10 the entreaties of my
dissipated associates.
Inow played with varied success, and
in all cases found an excuse for rcsorting
to the wine bottle. III lost, I drank TO
drown sorrow; il I won, treated my good
fortune. Thus | progressed upon my
downward course, until drinking and
gambling became my chiefemployments.
All my friends who were worth prcserv-
ing abandoned me, until my only associ-
ates were druHkards and gamblers. When
almost reduced to want, (for had left off
business received letter informing me
of the death Of my father-that father who
watched over my early years--who loved
me so tendcrly. And did | act as an
afectiona;e child! No. Vice had DESTROY
ed the human feelings Of my heart, and
left only the animal passions and appoti:es,
as the letter contained cheek for $500, |
a part Of my poor fathers hard earnings,
drowned my grief tina, night in Baccha- |
nalian revcl, and in few days | was again
Penuiless. will not dwell upon the !
every day scenes of my life, which were
such as may at all times be witnessed at
any Of the two hundred dram shops of
your city, where wretched men squander
the little pi,tance that justly belongs to
their suffering wives ant children.
But, to pass on. For nearly three
years have been a drunken, wandering
outcast. Six months ago received
letter from my dear mother, enclosing
SlO0, and informing me that she was fast
naamt~ III. IL 4