Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1842-11-24

master, professor Wilson, that is worth a
thousand sermons or lectures agains, the sin
of drunkenness
"Look atthat gray headed man OF three score
and upwards, sitting by the waysite He was
once an elder OF the kirk and pious man he
was, 1t ever pieiy adorned the tempes-s,he
iyart hailets, wearing thin and bare'--or Scot
ilsh peasant. What eve beheld the MANY hun
dred steps that, one by one, with mperceptibIe
gradaton, led him down, down, down, to the
lowest depth Of shame, suffering, and ruin
For years before it was bruited about tina,
Gabriel Mason was addicted TO drink. his wife
used to sit weeping in the spence when the
sons and daughters were out at tier work in
the fields; and the infatuated man, fierce in
the excitement of raw spirits, kept causclcssly
raging and storming through every nook of
that once so peaceful tenement, which, for
many happy years, had never been disturbed
oy tle loud voice OF anger or reproac!i His
eyes were seldom turned on his unhappy wife
except with sullen scowl or Gerv wrath
but, when they did took on her with kindness.
there was also rueful seli-upbraidnc i'm their
expression, on account OF his cruelty; and. at
the sight of such transiiory tenderness. her
heart would overflow with forgiving affection.
and her eyes with uncomfortable tears. Bur
neither domestic sin nor domestic sorrow will
conceal from the eyes and ears of men: and
at last Gabriel Nlason's name was by-word
III the mouth of the scutlcr. One Sabbath he
entered the Kirk III state of miserable aban
Comment; and from that day he was no LONGER
an elder. TO regain his character. seemed To
him, IN his desperation, beyond the power of
man, and against the decree of God. So he
delivered himself up, like slave, t. that one
in, N Ia
household had gore TO destruction. His wife
was matron, almost in the prime of life, when
she died; but as she kept wearing away to the
other world, her face told that she felt her
years had been too many in this Her eldest
son, unable, in pride and shame, 10 lit up his
ey cs at Kirk or market, went away to the CITY,
ana enlisted into regiment about TO embark
on foreign service. Ills two sisters went TO
lake farewell OF him, but never returned one
1t is said, having died of a fever in the intirma
| ry, Just as 1t she had been pauper; and the
other for the thought of sin, and sorrow. and
shame, and suffering, is r,l;nous to the soul
gave herself up, in her beauty, an easy prey
to destroyer. and doubtless has run her
course OF agony, and is now at peace The
rest oil the family dropped down, one bv one.
out oil sight, into inferior situations i'm far off
piaccs but there was curse, it was thought
hanging over the family, and of none of them
uiu favorable report evsr come TO their ma
i've parish; while he, the infatuated sinner
whose vice seemed TO have worked all their
wo, remained in the chains of his tvrannical
passion, nor seemed ever, for more than the
short term of day, to cease hugging them TO
his heart; seniblance O! all that is most ven
cradle in the character of Scotland,s peasantrv,
image OF d perfect patriarch, walking out 10
mediate at eventide! Whata noble forehead
Features how high, dgnifed, composed
There, sitting in the shade Of that old wayside
tree. he seems some religious missionary tray
elling to anG fro over the face of the earth.
seeking out sin and sorrow, that he NAV tame
them under the word of G cd, and change their
very being into piety and peace Call him
not hoary hypocrite; for he cannot help
that noble that venerable, that apostolic ASPECT.
that digniIied figure, as if ben. gently bv time
loath to touch it with too heavy a hand; tha,
holy sprlnkiing over his furrowed temples of
the sIlyer-soit and The snow-white hair-ihese
are the gifts of gracious Nature all, and Ma
ture will not reclaim them but in the tomb
That is Gabriel Mason. the drunkard, And
IN all hour you may, if your eyes can bear the
sight, see and hear him staggering I'D and
down The village, cursiug, swearing, preach
ing, Praying-stoncd by backguard Bows and
girls, who bound all the dogs and ours at his
heels, till, taking refuge III the smithv. or the
penthouse, he becomes the sport of grown
clowns, and, alter much IDIOT laughter, ruelul-
~ mingled with signs, aud groans, aud tears,
he is suffered 10 mount a table, and urged. per-
haps by reckless folly, to give out a text from
the Bible, which is nearly engraven on his
memory-so much and SO many other things
eilaced forever--and there, Ike wild time
! rant. he stammcrs fnrtl, ,,uintepton.i Ii,.rI,o