Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, W.T. [i.e. Wis.]) 1843-1844, 1843-08-12

| II is with no blush of shame tina, confess that
there was period Of my life, page Of my histo-
ry, blackened and besmeared with the foul stain of
dissipation. look back to it with adherence;
but my resolution to reform, and seventeen years
of strictly temperate habits, in themselves vir
tues enough TO counteract all the vice the ndul-
gence engendered. Why then should l blush for
having conquered the hydra-hsaded monster, In-
temperance!
That was no common topper, mere tavern sot,
but downright registering fellow, there are many
of ray good friends ready to bear Witness and they
will do it most willingly for it is rule established
by universal custom, that to tell the errors of poor
human nature is the duty of every man, woman
and child who may be so fortunate as to possess
the knowledge. But, thank heaven, my good re-
solves shook them all of, and became stad,
steady, sober man of business. Seventeen years /!
| How time passes; my new existence seems but as
a day--yet has il been pleasant one But what
have not seen in those seventeen years! lhave
witnessed tho villany of man in every giade of So
ciety. have seen beauty pale and die before the
simoom of base seduction. have seen honest
worth cast into prison, and high-hauled ioguery
stalk abroad free and unlrammeed. | have seen
the moal law of institutions upset, and rascality
prosper in its stead have seen men high in Office
set the example of nefarous peculations, and
a whole nation follow in their wake! | have
seen the foul tempest sweep over the land from
north TO south, from east to west! Were the people
all mad? Or was il because drank not, and
could things differently from what did seven
teen years ago! Perhaps so! ata9 et
| During that long period, what temptations have
not resisted! The hand of beauty has been
turned aside, when it was ,proffered with the wine
cup. The syren-smile of some fond one has been
dsregarded, when it rested on the sparkling glass.
The convvial board has been stunned, and the
companions of my youth left to themselves, when
the cry was '.more wne," ''more wine.n 1t was
offered to my parched lips in a southern CLINE,
when death, they said, that was rioting in my
veins, would ily before il. | gasped and pushed it
back--yet death came not. live on Wine -
why il is deaths attendant, not the nurse of Hy-
GENE. 1t was proifered me when the cholera rag
ed still refused, and lived on. Twas atehsed
Of selhshness; nay, on one OCCASION. brainiess
fool imagined had insulted him by refusing to
drink. lie swore, all drunkards do--talked of
revenge, and challenged me to fight. Twas the
very Thing | most desred--l was willing to fall
martyr to the cause of Temperance, aud for that
purpose accepted his challenge. But liquor back
ed out, and lived on resided eight years in
drinking and fighting latitude, using nothing but
water, and mourning DER frail mortality.
Seventeen years! Happy, happy years, lat
least they to me- 4 could sleep at night,
and arise in the morning refreshed 1t required
10 artificial smuants to allay that nervous excta-
ment liquid fire creates My room always looked
| The sober man! There stood my neat bookcase,
and my well selected volumes OF useful knowledge,
and my centre table, tastefuly arranged, and COW
cred with the choice gems OF the day. There too
was my collection of dramatic works (I am fond
of the drama,) some of them two hundred years
old! O, love these old authors, they seem to me
as the very pillars of the mimic world. There is
a copy of Dayenant, printed in his time, with a
lIkeness--what 4 fat nose he has! / do notbeeye
the base story which purpors to give an account of
the cause. II isa base libel on talented man
the gotl-son of the immortal bard There is my
own Selection of American dramatic authors
small it is true, but indicative of the genius and
talent of the land. We have some among us equal
/ to any in the world; give them encouragement, and
| in time will have youthful Shakspear of our
own. Over the mantel-pece is a likeness of Gen.
eral Washington, painted by Jarvis Of New York
--eccsntric Jarvis, companion of William Dun
lap, and Hugh Reinage; he is dead now, and
himselfand crones sleep together. On the oppo-
site side is Nagel's original portrait Of Edmund
Kean, in the character tof Richard III. Then
there is my bed, ah that cosey, sober-sded look
| ing bed; and the old bureau, old family relic,
there it stood, in the days Of my debauch, covered
with gin bottles-ugh! horrid recolections.--
There it stands yet; neat mirror graces its poll
ished top, and, instead of rum bottles, is graced
with one of eau de Cologne, sweet delicious per-
fume. ] look around upon these things, and a
smile lights upon my countenance, and throw
myself on the rocking chair, aud indulge in one Of
those pleasing reveries, which are rendered doubly
go by making US forget all present troubles. But 20
my subject:
| Ii was at a friends house, in the
lovely month of June. Ii was his wedding night.
The lights burned bright, but the glances from
many lovely eye. sparklcd still brighter. The
toast-the song--the repanee-the dance, we're
given in the fulness and joysusness Of youth--all
were happy Could remain cold and rigid amid
such CLEAN of starlight beauties scattering their
rays around with so lavish favor, No! grad
ually warmed into fellowship with Them, but when
the sparkling wiae cup was presented, hestaied,
gazed upon its ruby brightness, and wildly rushed
| from the room. L soon recovered from the mo-
mentary alarm the temptation caused, and again
catered the house. A nynph-one so lovely that
to gaze upon her was to think Of the angels in hea
ven-sat beside me; we talk'd; her voice was
like seraph's, 81 sweet, so musical, she was tun-
ed to harmony and love; | forgot every thing
wears seemed TO have rolled away. and in the
stream of Oblivion swallowed UP all recoIlectons
of the past My seveateen years Of temperance
appeared lke a speck on the bright escouieheOn Of
! the beautious thing before me; she handed me the
wine cnn. filed il 10 the brim aud drank. Hor-
ror, fell il coursing through my veins; il SEEM
ed to call up all the furies OF hell, that liquid he'll
from which had once miraculo0sly escaped;
/ looked around, The scene befnre 30 lovely and
/ bright was now dsrkened; again raised the wine
cup and drank to the health OF ALL was lost'-
Once more was TO become a thing RI gBilf and
shame-I felt all the pangs Of a confirmed iDebri-
aie-l was going tack, back 70 that honid gulf
/ from which had beeA " sstsd, as II b. suPeThu-
man power. shuddersd. Where vas my long
treasured resolution Goae--gone. was now a
Z being 10 be despissd, lost in my own estimation
ana ihs, of oihers. who would trust me nov?