Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1852-03-17
sther practices that no honorable man would
be found guilty Of. he drink. DRINKS
YOUR DEyoTED FRTEND.

Sther practices that no honorable man would
be found guilty of, he drink, DRINKS!
Your DEVOTED FRIEND.
This strange note filed the susceptible
mind of Juliet with agonizing suspense and
fear she was fit subject for such a warn
Ing she knew little ofthe hypocrisy of the
deceitful world, she was of so con6ding a
disposition as to believe all that was told :
for to the pure at heart all things are pure
she believed it-yet she hoped il might not
be sO-yet how could she doubt it; she had
been faithfully warned by Devoted Fisnd'
% of it and how could she doubt it
She longed to meet tho Doctor and tell
him all he had promised to be with her on
the evening that She received the note the
hours rolled tardily on she watched the de-
clining day with eager anxiety ; the hands
of the Mansion clock moved lazily around
the dial plate, so anxious was she to soc him
and have her conflicting fears set at rest-
she hoped, yet she feared.
The time he was expected arrived ; she
hoped-it past, the minutes few-it past.
it past-he camo not-she fedred. Such a
thing had not occurred before-she feared
she feared!
She spent an unhappy night-her first.
Her pillow that had hitherto been one of
downy ease and peace, one of bright hopes
and brighter dreams, was now strewed with
the hearts first bitter oblation-the gift Of
briny tears-her hitherto peaceful pillow
was sown with singing thorns-she was un-
happy. Days past, and yet she was not
blest with the presence of her heart idol
he came nor, as before, regularly to hold
with her the happy vigils of hallowed love.
She was miserable.
D, why, why has this bitter cup been
mine9 Why. D! why has unhappiness,
with its singing burthen been weighed So
heavily upon me? O! that it was not true
.! that one so all exalted should be so
debased with this g%rievous sin !! O! can it
be true 2 Yes, yes it must, IL mast be
true for why has he not come as usual !!
All he is reveling around the wine cup
it, It, the cup Of sin, is gaining the adora-
ton that once was mine. That counten-
ance that has so often beamed with exalted
love is now glowing with the fires of the
bowl T! o, Father, in Heaven Thou that
pit.icst the fall of the helpless sparrow, dc
Thou shadow this burning desert in this my
sad, sad heart, with kind and cheering an
gels wings And not for me alone, no,
no not for me, Father, would | sigh the
breath of prayer to the passing breeze no,
no; not for thy servant, Father but for
him, for my beloved, would | implore thy
aid in this one moment of bitter misery
Do Thou, Father, return his feet to the
lost path guide his way from the dark vii.
derness in which he gropes restore him
again to the highway of honor--restore him
again to this mild beating heart as he once
was-pure, exalted and g%uileless. o Faith
or, for this [ would he heard in Heaven
save him-saUe him, for he drinks-O
Father, pity ; he drinks"
Juliet, in her ~unhappiness, told Mrs
Meredith the sad story of her sorrow. The
good and pious lady was grieved at this, anC
sighed that one so truly great should be de
based in common with foul beasts by the be
setting sin of drunkenness. She warned
Juliet to guard her better interests, am
Bpurn the wretch from her feet if he eve
dared to offer the vows of love at her shrin,
again. Whit ! a drunkard, Juliet !
was her significant exclamation.
By some means John learned the repor
Of the Doctors weakness he met Juliet il
the parlor and throwing himself in an atti
tude Of prayer, he exclaimed +:
'Oh! Juliet, girl, let me pray it be not 80
but if it be true, let us pray wildly and ear
nestly to God TO restore him to reason again
., God, save him what y exclaimed John
springing TO his feet, with horror painted o
every line Of his countenance,a and his extend
ed hands whirling wildly around his beat
w hat! drinks drinks -! AS Heaven livetl
Juliet, it will pound his body into the rotte
jaws Of the grave the black the deep-th
damp-tbe midnight grave; and it will Their
in that awful chamber, spread the c~orruptio
Of his body in one grand offe rsive, dissu,tin,
repulsive feast, to which thousands OF guests
guests yes, worm guests, Juliet, will be. inv
ted there to revei on what we love, and NAL
merry in their filth. day and night, which
all the same, you know, in the grave-in 1
grdUe, make merry there with the clicking
their gluttonous Cravings as they fret away
the dust our jewel. o! the grave-the hau
ted grave chamber how horrible, Juliet he
horrible +! And as if bent on a haSty inner
auce of the loathsome estate, he must driak
mus, drink. TO make a sp edy entrance the
He drinks II will wedge him fast in t
grave-he will feast DEATH ! know it; KIN,
It, Juliet. II, drinks! o! God. deliver h
from the black midnight OF the GRAvEP
CHAPTER v.