The Ohio union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1849-1854, 1853-11-09
.ei1A1nIn aiD
From Dickens f'Hourehold wOrds.p
FATE OF A DRUNKARD a.,


awoke from his heavy sleep, and found
himself alone. He rose and looked around
hlmi The old flock mattress ON The floor
was undlslurbed; every thing was just as he
remembered 10 have seen 1t last, aud there
was no sign Of any one, save himself, lla1
wing occupied the room during the night,
He had inquired OIL The other dodgers aud
VI tlre nelgilborsi but his daughter had not
been seen or heard Of. lie rambled
through the streets, and scrulInized each
wrelcned lace, among The crowd that
Ihronged them, with anxious eyes. Bul
his search was lruliless, and he returned 10
The garret when night came on, desOlaIe
aud uieary.
For many days he occupied himself in
The same manner, but nu Traces Oi his
daughter could he fad, and no word Of
her reached his ears. At last he gave up
The pursuit as hopeless, and long thought
VI HE probability OF her leaving him, and
endeavoring to gain her bread IN quiet else
where. She had left him at last 10 sIarye
alone. lie ground his teeth and cursed
her. n. 70.
He begged his bread from door 10 door.
Every halt-penny he could wiring from The
cIedulity Vi those to whom he addressed
himself was spent in the old way. A
year passed over his head; the roof of a
Jail was the only one that had sheltered
him for many months. lie slept under
arches and IN brick felds-anyw where
where there was warmth or shelter from
thecold and rain. But in the last stage Of
poverty, disease, and household want, he
was a drunkard still.
At last, one bitter night, he sunk down
on a door step faint and ill. The prsma.
lure decay OF vice. and profigacy had
worn him 10 the bone. his cheeks were
hallowed aud livid; his eyes were sunken,
and their sight wal dim. His legs trem-
bled beneath his weight, and a cold SILVER
ran through every limb
And now the long forgotten scenes Of
a misspent life crowded thick and fast up
on him. lie thought of lie time when he
had a home, a happy cheerful home, and
of those who peopled it, and locked about
him then, until The forms of his elder chill
drtn seemed 10 rise up from the grave, and
stand about him-so plain, so clear and
distinct they were, that he could Touch and
feel them. Looks that he had long for.
gotten were fixed upon him once more,
voices long since hushed in death, sound
ed on his ears like the music Of village
bells. But il was only for al instant.
The rain brat heavily upon him; aud cold
and hunger were gnawing at his heart
again.
lie rose and dragged his feeble limbs a
few PAGES further-the few passers by, at
that late hour hurried quickly on, and his
tremulous voice was lost in the violence
Of the storm. The heavy chill again
struck through his frame, and bis blood
seemed 10 stagnaie beneath it. lie coiTed
himself up in a projecting doorway and
tried 10 sleep,
But sleep had fed from bis dull and gla.
zed eyes. His mind wandered strangely,
but he was awake and conscious. The
well known shout Of drunken mirth sound.
ed in his ear--the glass was at his lips
the board was covered with rich food
they were before him, he could see them
all-he had but 10 reach his hand and take
Ihem-and though the illusion was reality
itself, he knew that he was sitting alone in
The deserted street watching the rain drops
as they battered on the stones; aud thai
there were none 10 care for or help him.
Suddenly he started up in the exiremi.
ty of terror. lie had heard his W voice
shouting in the night air-he knew no,
what or why. IIark! A groan! Another
Ills lenses were leaving him-half.formed
and incoherent words burst from his lips;
and his hands sought 10 tear and ~laceratc
his flesh. lie was going mad, and he
shriektd for help till his voice failed
him.
lie raised his head, and looked up The
long dismal street. lie reccOllec,ed The out
casts like himself, condemned 10 wander
day and night, inthose dreadful streets, had
sometime gone distracted with their loneli
ness. lie remembered 10 have heard ma
Gy years before, that a homeless wrelcI
had once been found in a solitary corner
sharpening a rusty knife TO plunge into hi
own heart, prefering death 10 hat endless
weary wandering " and fro. In an in
slant his resolve was taken; his limbs re
ceived new life; he ran quickly from III,
spot, and paused not for breath until b
reached The river side.
He crept softly down the stone stair
steps that led frem the commencement q
the Waterloo bridge down TO the water
level. He crouched into a corner, an
held his breath as the patrol passed. M
yer did a prisoners heart lhrob with tn
hope Of liberty and lie half SO eagerly a
did that Of the wretchcd man 1.-THE proi
poets Of death. The watch passed clos
10 him, but he remained unobserved. an
after waiting ill the sound of footsteps die
away in the distance, he cautiously d
scended and stood beneath the gloomy arc
that forms the landing place from the ri
err.
. The tide was in and the water nowt
at his feet. The rain had ceased. II
wind was lulled and all was for the m
meui still and quiet; SO quiet that the ri
; pling of the water against the barges III
were moored. was distinctly audible to d
ear. The stream stole langridly and slu
gishly on.-Sirange and fantastic forr