The organ of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, O. [Ohio]) 1852-1853, 1852-04-09


Up, up this deeayed staircase, and carefully,
lest i may give way beneath your tread. StooP
low as you enter the broken doorway, or you
may crack your bat and head into the bargain,
Save this upper apartment, the house is entirely
deserted. Its crumbllng appearance induced
the other INDECENT inmates to move ont
Wretched must be they who woald or could in
habit an abode like this. You have heard they
are extremely poor, and suffering Tor even 1000.
| Entering the darksome room, you cast rapid
| glance around, and start wildly back. The a.
mosphere is noisome, and the barren squalor
within more than you expected. But your m
| formers are mistaken. No one suffers here.
All is quiet and peaceful, and the wretehed rest.
/ Upon the filthy planks, partially rotten away,
| lie three dead bodes--dead for many days.
! Hunger and sickness attacked them. and they
could neither move nor cry for assistanee.--
Through the long days aud interminable nights,
they lay and saw each other die. Groan an
swered groan, and moaus Of bodily torture i'm
pregnated the midnight air; which hurried away
from the horrid place, IS if frightened BY the
appalling spectacle. A storm gathered black
and fearful; the old house shook, aud 10 the
midst Of It's fury, the three souls were swept
on the rushing gale into the fathomless gulf Of
eternity.
As your footstsp wakes the dreasry echoes Of
this mournful place, score Of huge rata are dis
turbed from their daily Ieasting, and hurry
from the banquet Of the dead. The tetid odor
iron the bodies, and their mangled and decOm-
posed state strike full upon your senses, and,
with sense Of faintusss that momentauly in
ereases, you stumble down the narrow stairs
into the purer atmosphere, and think Of what
you have witnessed as horrid dream. While
walking briskly, and striving to banish the
baleful images adhering to your memory, you
perhaps encounter dozen Of eXtraVAgantly at.
tired ladies, chatting and laughing as gaily al
If the world contained not q single sorrow
You cannot resist the reflection, had they be.
held what you have, they would be in no mood
for mirth. Care seems never to have shaded
With his passing wing their bright faces; yel
what better are they than the poor unfortunstel
you so wildly rememberi With quarter oI
the valuG Of their rich handkerchief three vic
Tins could have been snatehed from the greaI
Destroyer. Do these bedizened butterflies waste
thought upon the pOori We fear not. Balls
and parties, and concerts crowd their brains, tC
| the exclusion Of augbt like charity. Charity il
| for old women and sentimental maidens disBp.
pointed in love. When they become either
they may peradventurs drop quarter IN the
old mans hat, who site during the summer upon
the Trust Company BBnk pavement.
Look into that desolats cellar upon that at.
tennated woman, clad in rags, with five hall
fsmisned children about her crying for food
She has nonej she gave them the last mOrsel Of
bread yesterday. Poor thingl she has not eaten
particle Of any thing for two Whole days de-.
nying herself Sustenance, that the beings she has
brought into the world may not suffer. Un-
seen, she has fed herself upon her Sealding tears,
and prayed--Oh, how earnestly but all in
vain. Relief comes not. No gladsome morn
ing breaks upon her long nights Of sorrows A
month since, abe had gathered together provi.
sion enough for week and a small supply Of
money. How slsvishly she toiled, often until
the grey dawn, TO earn III Her inebriate hus-
band came one day, staggering into the subter.
rauean apartment, the first time for fortnight,
and, with a demon spirit, destroyed her little
stock Of food. She ran to conceal her pecuniary
store. He perceived the motion, and strove to
wrest the old stocking, that contained her hard
earnings, flom her. She begged aud supplica-
ted aud wept, aud her children tsO. lie tore
tds treasure from her, aud struck her bleeding
to the earth. What tender sppeal, what sacred
entTeaty, eau reach Or soften a drunkard' 4
hearth
In the mid.t Of misery and her children, she
reclines, wild with woe. What shall | dos
bursts from her racked and Utmost soul in that
startling tone SO peculiar to utter despair, True
enough! deserted by her kind, aud, seemingly,
by bar God what shall she, what can she dos