Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-05-19
MISCELLANEOUS.
Steps TO Ruin.
by MRS. JANE C. CAMPBELL.

'''N hhiA W hOhNil -
sympathy; there is none that so harrows up
the feelings as the drunkard's home! Look
at him who began life with the love OF friends,
the admiration Of society, the prospect of ex-
tenslye usefulness; look at him who in af-
ter years, when lie has learned to love tue
draught, which 1--WE shudder while we say
~ reduces him to the level Of the brute.-
Where is now his usefLlnessl where the nd
mlraiion where the love, that we're once hist
Love none but the love Of a wife or d child,
can cling TO him in his degradation. Look
at the woman, who, when she repeated for
better, for worse would have shrunk with
terror had the ~faintest shadow Of the worse
fallen upon her young heart. Is that she who
on her bridal day was adorned with such neat
ness and tastel All me, what a sad change!
And the children, for whom he had thanked
God at their birth the litle ones whom he
had handled on his knee, and taught to lisp
the endearlng name Of father-see them trem-
bling before him, and endeavOring 10 escape
his violence. Look at the empty basket, and
the full bottle; the natural wants of the body
denied. 10 satisfy the unnatural cravings OF a
depraved appetite.
o God, have pity upon the drunkard's
home!
We, too, have a tale 10 tell, which it pains
us TO acknowledge, contains more truth than
fiction.
James Boynton was the frst-born of his
parents, and a happy mother was Mrs. Boyn-
ton, when her friends gathered around her TO
look at the pretty babe. Carefully was hs
tended, and all his infantile winning ways
were treasured as so many proofs Of his pow
ers of endearment.
In wisdom has the Almighty hidden the
deep secrets of f%uturity from mortal KEN
When the mother first folds her infant 10 her
heart, could she look through the long vista
of years, and see the suffering, the sin, the
shame, which may be- the portion of her child.
would she not ask God in his mercy to take
the infant to himselfl Would she not unre-
piningly, nay, thankfully, bear all the agony
Of seeing her little one, with slaughtered
limbs, and folded hands, and shrouded form,
carried from her bosom to its baby-grave T.
And yet, not one of all the thousands who
are stepped in wickedness and crime, but a
mothers heart has gladdened when the soft
eye first looked into hers, and the soft cheek
first nestled on her own. And still more aw-
full thought! not one Of all these Pariahs of
but has an immortal soul to save, for
the Son of God left his glory, and ag-
oniZed upon the cross!
James grew up TO be a warm-hearted boy,
and among his companions he was a %univer-
sal ~fayorite. jim Boynton is too good-na-
iured to refuse doing any thing we ask, said
Ned Granger one day to a school-mate, who
feared that James would not join a party of
rather doubtful character, which was forming
for what was called a frolic.
And this was the truth. Here lay the Sc
cret of Boynton's weakness-he was too good
natured; for this very desirable and truly
amIable quality, unless united with firmness
of character, is often productive of evil. But
we pass over his boyish life, and look al him
in early manhood. He has a fine figure, with
a handsome, intelligent countenance, and his
manners have received their tone and polish
from a free intercourse in refined circles. He
passed his college examination with credit to
himself; but from sheer indecision Of charac-
ter, hesltated in choosing a profession. At
this time, an uncle who resided at the South,
was about retiring from mercantile life, and
he proposed that James should enter with
him as a junior partner, while he should re-
main for a year or Two TO give his nephew
the benefit of his experience. The business
was a lucrative one, and the proposal was &C.
cepted.
James left his home at the North, and went
to try his fortunes amid new scenes and new
temptations. His uncle received him warm
ly, for the old man had no children Of his
own. and James was his god-child. His I'M
cle's position in society, and his own frank
and gentlemanly demeanor, won him ready
access TO the hospitality Of Southern friends,
and it was not long before he fell in love with
a pretty orphan girl, whom he frequently met
at the house of a common acquaintance
That the girl was porlonless, was no demer.
it in his %uncle's eyes. Not all his treasures,
and they were large, had choked the avenues
to the old mans heart, and the young PEG.
pie were happy by his approval Of their I'M
ion.
After a visit to his friends in the North
James returned with his bride; and in a mo.
dern house furnished with every luxury, the
happy pair began their welded life. Anc
now who so ble5t as Boynton7 Three year,
pass away, and two children make their HON,
still brighter. Does no one see the cloud no
bigger than a mans hand, upon the verge o
the moral horizonl
Boynton's dislike to say no. when asked
to join a few male friends at dinner, or on
party Of pleasure; his very good nature
IN HduC I'm oo hColldDlc a companion
were the means of leading him in the step
to ruin.
Come, Boynton, another glass
Excuse me, my dear fellow, | haye reall,
taken too much already
Nonsense! it's the parting glass-yor
must take it,
And Boynton, wanting in frmness of cha
racter, yielded to the voice of the telnpter.-
Need we say, that with indulgence, the Low
for the poison was strengthened
For awhile the unfortunate man sirove I
keep up appearances. He was never see
during the day in a state of intoxicaiion; an
from a doze on the sofa in the evening, or a
heavy l~etharglc sleep at night, he could awak
to converse with his friends, or attend at hi
counIing-room, without his secret habit bein
at all suspected.
But who that willingly dallies with tenn
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