Litchfield enquirer., 1842-02-17

|Uf her buoyant heart seemed forever dried Eup, or crushed beneath load of misery fer whose alleviation, time, tlse last pror of the wretched, had brought none of it's healing balm.
 With this interview closed ny acquain- raEce with this interesting family. Years rolled away, and had ceased entirely tu think of their condition, except perhaps at long intervals, when some kindred incident called to mind the ruin "f those in whose welfare had accidentally acquired no in. interest. IR a word, they became to me as though they had never been.
 In the course of last summer l had oc- casion to visit the interior of Massachusetts. Arriving near night fall al q small town iu the county of -, my horse jaded, and myself in need of repose, drew up at q someu hat uninvi;ing hotel, the only one in
 he village, where ordered supper and demanded accommodations for the fight. Il noticed considerable concourse of peo- ple about the house and tn the public room,
 md from the conversation going on, learnt
 here was tu be a temperance lecture that evening at the town- house, standing a few rods distant from the hotel at which had stopped. inquired of my host who was to address the meeting, a townsman of his or a stranger
 "A stranger, rcckon,' was the reply. ' We have none of that sort of animal in
 his town; folks here mind their own bu- siness.'
 Do you know the name of the lecturer ? was my next inquiry.
 'Haven't asked,' was the laconic an swer, and the publican turned into his bur tO serve his customer to a g lass of brandy.
 By this time the room was nearly full. Some were drinking and others ridiculng he great temperance movement of which
 they had heard much aud seen something. | soon perceived, however, that the cause had made little or no progress here, and l was we'll satisfied on another point, that those present at least were determined il should not: yet 1 was pleased to notice when the hour arrived, that nearly all made their way to the wn-house; some per haps to create a disturbance, and others to while away an idle hour before taking the idSt SIaSS Gof me ni2nt.
 With the crowd ! passed over and took my seat in remote corner of the building. The house was soon filled to ovcrhowing The body of il was taken possession of bs n large concourse of ladies, while the outer seats and galleries were occupied mostl, by men and boys. Near the main en- trance in the broad aisle, within the build ] ing, stood some twenty or thirty rough looking men, with long boards, poorly clothed, aud manifesting t,at sort of breed ing usually picked up in grog shops and low drinking houses. Their vulgar mer- imen:, and their overstrained attempts at wi. were insufferably disgusting. But wha grieved me most was to see the male part of the audience often join in the half-sup- pressed laugh which their miserable levit would at times provoke, instead of dis their ill-timed and shameful of propriety. But this scene wa> uf short duration, for in the midst of theil joking and jeering the lecturer made hi, appearance in company with respectable hooking gentleman, who l afterwards un- dcrstood was a citizen of the town.
 Make way for the steam engine z cried one of the persons standing in the aisle, as the lecturer was passing through the crowd
 Now for a cataract of cold water 2 ex- claimed companion at his elbow.
 Landlord y shouted third, give US al nipper of gin cocktail with ton'ahawk in|
 This last attempt at wit produced gem rral laugh, which died away in low titte' .I9pg the sides of the galleries.
 In the meantime the lecturer mounted the little desk at the farther end 0: the hall Ha was large, elegantly formed middle aged man, with dark eyebrows, beneath which rolled full mellow pair of eyes, as clear as a living, undisturbed fountain of water. He surveyed the audience for d and then stepping upon raised brought himscIfto a speaking at titude within the niche of the desk before him. His commanding figure arrested ev- cry eye ; all tumuIi ceased, and each mem beT as if spell-bound, suddenly became as silent and motionless, as would have been SO many marble statues.
 T am here,' commenced the speaker in a clear, strong, yet musical tone of voice, slightly inc!ining his body over the desk. : am here to relate the history of a drunk ] ard-of drunkard who during long years of unmitigated inebria,ion, passed through all grades of human existence, from ease and afiuence, down to the lowest depths of poverty and wretchedness. In word your speaker is here to relate the history of his own degradation.'
 With this simple exordium, followed by a few other observations, the lecturer en- tered upon the recital of the incipiem steps