The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1852-04-24

~W re young men, and so what with our
own unruled appetites, and parental sanction,
we always drank ourselves by ni.htfall into
stormy quarrels; or senselcss jjoIIity, or stupid
oblivion. five felta little ashamed of all
this the next day, no one regarded either the
fault or the shame. Our elders cracked their
Jokes upon us our mothers simply threaten
ed dlspleasure at any similar transsrcssions.
and our next meeting was our next carou-
sal. Nay, there was pride in our reckless
ness; for | fancy our backwools maidcns
thought it no harm in Young man that he
could outdrink dozen of his rovSterng com
panlons. or could exhibit the same daring at
swallowing the fiery draught, as in overcom
ing the dangers of the forest.
''Now, it was ;hc misfortune of Nat Jrph
son that with relish for strong drink fully
equal to mne.-and mine is as keen as can
well be ima"ned-hc possessed a head so
constituted that few glaSSes were sufficient
to scatter ITS senses to the four winds. When
free from the influence of liquor he was much
the coolest and most iuliciorlS of all. I'm every
knotty question OF woodcraft and farmc<crafi
his clear, correct advice was asked. and rare
~ contrailcted. His mechanical talent was
superior to that of any of us. trained as we
were by nature and necessity to he our own
carpenters He had constructed bridge O.
yer large stream. which. YOU will rcmcm-
ber, flows some miles to the north of us. the
Borcas. which we, in our honest backwoods'
wisdom, Thought model of architectural skill
Somehow, too he had picked up wonder
fully large amount Of general KNOWLEDGE. ex-
tending even to history and politics and but
few days after he was twcn:v-one he made a
stump speech at a party meeting at the court
town. which fairly a>tounlcd friends and op-
ponents hv It's strength, and depth of infar-
nation. had been more ab<temion> than
usual that lav. and had been separated from
Jcphson and ii was with feeling before un-
known. but experienced since then too often
"a strange grief and shame that saw the
Young nan who had distinguished himself So
honorah'v in the morning. ra,inr in mac, and
hopeless intoxl"ation by the middle of the
afternoon. The seat in nv stout wagon hal
been ocrupicd hv two, on our Journey to the
lint |
nn@. sat alone. and the inltinvS of the
wheels over the rough road shook the sense
less and dumb form that lav in the straw 1t
my
"llrartllv ashamed was .I,ph<on the next
morning of his ovcrn-ht'S weakness. and
numhcrlcSS were the gool resolutions he
made for the future. even vrnturrl to re-
monStrate with him, hut what said was of
very little use, since it formed no part of NV
own purpose 10 dispense with the luxury
which could enjoy with So much impuntv.
No, SAID Nat its no Use for Won to talk of
beng ioodrratc; I'm too fond nt' the the stuff
to leave off when once I've tasted it. and I'm
nightly afraid never can let il alone
And what's more. so long AS banker ,.irr i
and Keep on thinking want it. doubt not
all my promises. and all your advice. will he
as so much flax in the fire
'Wcll. Mats rcsolntion<urc enough. didn't
hold ont long, and things went ON in III. old
way; both Of us first in noisy bouts and
Spcn'ilng what time was unocrupicd in farm
work IN hunting excursions far M the noun
talns; our absences having gradually bccomc
so long, that it was thought nothing unusual
IT We wcr" not seen for an entire month. At
length. for half year. Nat seemed to have
lost his rambling and ,lrinkino incIiu,t;ons
altogether During the former part of this
time he had been engaged in buildiuc a snuo
house. within stones throw of his fathers
IN which, IN due time. and with much ncirh-
hor'v rejoicing, he installed his ucwIv-m,r-
RED wIfr-a very pretty gir. whom he had
found some miles down the valley. and who
had been quickly and completely won hv his
open, frank manners, and really engaging
disposition. Everybody now hoped that
that his STEADY fit would continue. and #
seemed as if their wishes would he orat;G.J
Nat worked at the land, which his father had
set oft for him, early and late. Every Sun
day'who so proud and happy as Nat ,Jephson's
pretty wife. following her husband up the
rude aisle of our Westinghouse Prudent
mothers. who had somewhat doubted Lizzie
Jenkins ability to tame 50 reckless disposi-
ton as Mats lavished commenlation upon
her unsparlnsly, and pointed out Nat him.
self, to their sons, as worthy model for their
imitation. 1t was not unremarked. that at
the last town meeting, .Jephson had remained
entirely sober all dav. and had made one or
two brief remarks that were unusually we'll
timed and acceptable. Certain of our know
ING old men had been even heard TO Sav. that
stranger things had happened, than that Nat
Jcphson should one day 90 to the Assembly.
And consequently it was without the least
hesitation, that ! prepared for long hunting
tramp with Nat, when, one fine morning in
November, he crossed over to my fathcrS.and
proposed that we should 20 up to the Adiron
dack after moose We set out in the afternoon
after taking hearty dinner at the new house.
l recollect tnat, Just as we were starting. his
wife, under pretext of giving him her last in
junction, accompanied by one more parting