The Ohio star. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1830-1854, 1853-09-14
.Mercirul God, it carnot be true!,

'Merciful God, it not be true!'
What can't be true, motller?' said the daugh-
ter, as she sat down in some alarm by her mothers
side.
%, such terrible thought struck me. 1 dare.
not mention it. 1t would kill ME if it should prove
true!' .rsra T 80 ea
The daughter felt that she knew what her moth
er meart, and she said no more.
The clock struck one, two. three; where could
Summers bel what coulddetnin him. That mbth-
er slept not. She and her two oldest daughters
(ior the younger one had risen shortly after mid
MIGHTY spent the time in deep anxiety. For the.
lrss time, for nearly three years, had he spent a
night from home without their knowledge. In
vain they strove TO find some excuse for his con-
duct. Unable to seek for him themselves; and
since the presentation of the dread thoughts to
their minds that he may have fallen, unwilling to
ask neighbor to seek him, they spent the night in
an anxiety of mind, little less than insanity. They
sat in silence, and like Paul and the shipwrecked
crew, wished for the day. What did it reveal?
Early in the morning a crowd were gathered
around the door of Dxons coffee house, gazing up
on the PROSTATE form of Harry Summers. At
first so lifeess did he appear that it was feared he
was dead; but, as they endeavored to life him up
it was found that life was not extinct How came
he here? what had happened to him? were ques-
tions that could not then be answered. He was
epeechless so stupifed from some cause, that the
efforts of his friends were utterly futile in attempt
ing to arouse him. A physician examined him,
and gave directions that he should be Immediately
taken home. While they were making prepare
tons to take him homo, some one, in the crowd
| sneeringly remarked: -
Summers is beautiful Son of Temperance,
amt he?' %
| sWhy?' asked friend. J, 4.
why? Because he was drunker last night than
l ever saw HING '% ;.
Drunk! aint you mistaken?'
| Mistaken! didn't see him in at Dixonsl',
is that true Dixon?' asked his friend of the rum
seller, who just then came up.
! ALAS! too true.' said Dixon, with hypocrt-
cal whine. He came to my house about mid
night, very drunk-and tried to persuade him to
| go home.' +
| Alas it ,ras too true. Summers soas drunk
We will not, render, accompany him as heis borne
to his distracted family. have been necessarily.
called to too many such scenes, to wish to dwell
here upon the agony Of that family. Iwould por-
tray it if could do fully, and then Daguerreo-
type it upon the mind of him who tempted him,
and make it an ever present agony TO haunt him
forever. Dixon had triumphed; Summers had
fallen With false statements, Summers. hgd
been led to go where proper caution should have
warned him not to enter. He had placed himself
within the reuch of temptation; and then with
drugged lemonade, his reason had been dethronedr
and the old damon of depraved appetite had as
snmed its sway and led him captive at will.
When McAIlister and Summers left the rooans
the latter was unconscious of his own acts--or, il
conscious, was held by power he could not re-
s,st. He went into Dxon's; glass after glass Of
brandy, rart of it drugged brandy was swallowed,
till, insensibe and almost dead, Dixon had placed
him upon the pavemen, that all who passed that
way, in the morning, might see the ruin that he'
devil that he was, had made. .,--