The Columbian fountain., 1846-04-27

Sadly did be turn from his friend, TO seek
his home, for well he knew the hold the
awful habits of drinking had obtained upon
him, and he feared with Justice, the dan
gers of procrastination in one SO welded to
his idols.
Well, Albert" said John on the follow
ing morning to fellow clerk; 81 have an
idea of oining the United Brothers of Tenn
perance, what do you think of it ?"
"7hiM Of ii, said the young gentleman
spoken to, who was one of a numerous
class who drink to excess secretly, yet con-
trivc to blindfold the community, and ap-.
pear as very paragons Of morality; "htink Of
! il, why, think, you are losing your senses.
Oh yes, now | have it, you have fallen in
with Henry Wilson, that fellow is regu-
lar frantic, he wants to prescribe what peo-
pie shall eat and drink, and how they shall
dress, and what they shall sell; and verify
believe, he would like to prevent them from
saying what they like. No, John, you can
drink when you like, without making
beast of yourself; and certainly would not
give away my liberty Of doing as like, BY
Joining the Brothers of Temperance, or any
other such humbug. Besides, they have
such loto people in that order; there is
L. the blacksmith, who is President OF
Association No. -, and s., who does
not know letter in the alphabet, belongs
to No. -, the very one of which Henry
Wilson is Recording Secretary, he mus
have very vulgar taste to associate witt
such people. No, John, do not degrade
YOURSELF but drink when you like, and lie
it alone when you like, you know wher
you take enough"
"Well," said John, Gas you think il
will degrade me, will give up the idea"
And he did give it up, for when his true
friend next nterrogated him on the subject
he had the modification to receive a pre-
emptory refusal, with request that the
subject would never again be alluded to-
Years had rolled on, and the Hon. Hen
+, ry Wilson, who had risen to honor and USE
fulness, and stood at the head of the now
mighty Order he had cherished when in its
inlancy-was walking in the streets of the
Metropolis, where his duties as Represen-
tative, of his adopted city on the floor of
Congress, had called him, when his atten-
tion was attracted by crowd gathering a
round the ileless body of man who had
died from the effects of intemperance, and
exposure in the public streets, He ap-
preached the spot, and looked earnestly
upon the face of the corpse; shudder pass
ed through his frame, and it required more
than oue hand TO sustain him, as he recog
nized, in that poor, miserable, and wreched
being, the features Of the ono beautiful,
intelligent, and accomplished John Morton
By his desire the corpse was respectfully
buried, and he assisted the two sisters of
his friend whom he found earning preca-
rious livlihood by washing and needle work;
from them he learned that their brother had
gone on until every portion OF their little
fortune was expended, and their poor bro
ken hearted mother had found relief from
her earthly suherings in that haven OF i'm
mortality "where the wicked cease from
troubling, and the weary are at rest, f." and
that. true to their duty, they had watched
over him, the hope Of their youthful days,
until the demon Of intemperance had de-
stroyed him.
Reader, are you now considering the
pr6pricty Of Joining one of those institutions
which are glory to the age in which we
live IT, you are, act quickly, enter the ark
ol safety while yet there is time.
Though the incidents above recited are
what are called fictitious, yet before ten
years have passed, how many who now
procrastinate will share the fate of John
Morton. Perhaps you, yoursel(may be the
Al \ 1 4