Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1842-09-21

eyebrows, beneath which rolled full
mellow pair Of eyes. as clear as living,
undisturbed fountain of water. He sur
veyed the audience for a moment, then |
stepped upon the raised platform. brought |
himself to speaking attitrde within the |
niche of the desk before him. His COM
lnanding figure arrested every eye; all tu-
mutt ceased, and each member, as ifspell-
bound, suddenly became as silent and mo-
tionless as would have been so many mar
BILE statues.
am here, commenced the speaker in a
clear, strong, yet musical tone of bis voice,
slightly inclning his body over the desk;
am here to relate the history ofa drunk
ard who, during long years of unmiligated
inebriation, passed through all grades OF hu-
man existence, from ease and affiuence,
down to the lowest depths OF proverly and
wretchedness In a word, your speaker
is here to relate the history Of MS own de-
graduation.
With this simple exordium, followed
by few other observations, the lecturer
entered upon the recital of the incipient
steps of his career of ultimate inebriation,
detailing in all the sim plicity of truth, the
effects produces on himself, on his stand
ing, and finally on his wife and family
Before the expiration ofthe first halt hour,
everything but the speaker and his SUBJ
| ject had been forgotten, and as he went
on, his own sober earnestness began to
show itself on the feelings ofthe audience.
While recounting his first deviations from
the path of sobriety-the stated draus, and
the gradual formation of that habit, which,
in the end, overwhelmed him and all con-
cerned with him in one common vortex of
ruin-those poor fellows, standing in the
aisle, to whom have before referred, one
after another began to near the speaker, till,
without concert or kno wing why, they
formed one compact group in front, and
almost within reach of the lecturer Such
a scene had never before witnessed, and
Il | trembed, / confess, lest he who mad
raisedilhe storm should be unable TO con-
! troll and direct it 10 the end for which it
had been excited. was mistaken
f Every new effort was crowned with new
success. AT length he spoke of the
wrongs which intemperance had hea?ed
on the heads and hearts of woman. He
related with thrilling minuteness the mis-
cries which his own wife had endured
! painted in language as dark and gloomy
/ as the subject itself; the damp, lonely how
, ell in which for years he had resided in the
midst of poverty and wretchedness and
! then, as if suddenly impelled by an ire
sislibe flood of inspiration, gave utterance
Il ko fhr, nd l06,
: panegyrics on women l ever heard. AS
be enumerated their virtues-their patient
| endurance of wrong-their angelic meek
E ness in the hour of affection their bold
' ness 10 the midst of danger-their constan.
!, CIV, and more than all, their never-dying
: hope; his flight was feafully grand, like
: mountain piled on mountain, while every
:. hearer sat ia breathless silence to catch
e the towering climax of this brilliant dis.
! pIav of eloquence and panegyric. For
: my own part, was wholly unprepared
q for this effort on the part OF the speaker
n l trembled at the giddy height to which
he had mounted, and sat with my hands
I, grasping the railing, expecting every mo.
ment to see him buried under the weight
: of his own gorgeous encomium but al
q this moment Of intense enxiety, the speak.
j. er suddenly paused on the summit q hrs
effort, and casting up his eyes, exclaimed,
!? in tone even painful from its clearnesS
and energy -Mercifuf God what an IN
:. exhaustible fountain of kindness and be-
o nevolence hast thou created in the heart o.
woman!
|. The effect was electrical. A Sigh
9 stir Throughout the house indicated the re-
h lief Of the audience, and I doubt whether
:. in moment after, there was tearles:
e eye in that heterogeneous assembly Fol-
IS my own part, | wept like child. 81
IL brilliant was the picture he had drawn, 81
d giddy the height to which he had carried
e himself, and sc easy, and yet SO majestic
r his descent, that at the instant of relief
o started to my feet, and in a moment aftel
e found myself standing in a side aisle with
IS in few feet of the orator.
The first sentence uttered after thi
K change of position arrested my attention
1. The sound of the speakers voice seemed
3 familiar. | cast scrutinizing glance a
" his countenance-another. and another
+ my heart was in my throat-the lecture
T. was WILLIAM CARLETON.
J. AT the moment Of recognition. | forgo
lie myself-forgot every thing. Here wa
v the very man whom years before | hat
$. seen in the lowest depths of degradation
IT burthen upon society, disgrace to BIZ
g species, and an object of pity to all VIII,
ir had known him in his better days. Her,
d he stood before me, redeemed. an apostl,
{ of temperance. drawing tears from al
10 eyes, and captivating all hearts.
n On recovering once more the curren
ir of the discourse, found the speaker ma
e, king an appeal to the Incorporate to com
ID forward and put their names to the Re
Ut formed Drunkard's Constitution, a cop
he of which he threw upon the table befor'