Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1853-05-18


such request, ard lure you on in the utter
ruin Of body and soul"
"Why, Miss Carson, am reall ylsasprised
to hear you speak with 50 much earnestness
in this matter, and more especially ia5swhat
must consider an unnecessary reflection"
"AIr. Irving, am young man who INDUCES
in ardent spirits even 70 moderate degree,
and that restricted to the fashionable eircle,
is, in my opinion, ia danger Of ruin and /
assure you / will never knowingly, directly
or indirectly countenancc the evil anaefur-
thermore, no one, especially yonng man,
whose habits are confirmed, can retain my
esteem and his wine.'
"But instances can be adduced in which
your rigid decipiline has defeated its own
end by driving to desperation"
ssGranted, that there are such isolated cases,
what do they prove-the evils of an illiberal
morality, or the reckless depravity of the hui
man heart 1t is on such occasions as the
present, that vice too often receives the APP
proving smile ofwealth, fashion and influence,
and virtue her deepest wounds"
"Miss Carson, / fear you place more stress
on. the influence of your sex than the subject
will justly warrant"
"Not at all, sir. Tell ne, if any of the
present company of young men shall be laid
in drunkard's grave, to whose influence
may it in reason be attrib1teda VIII you
tell me the influence Of her who fills his glass
tonight, will not add weight and speed to
his decent ~
Irving and Emma were standing apart from
the company. Their conversation being in
a low tone of voice, was not overheard among
the general confusion of tongues and dishes.
A couple of ladies passed over to them and
chided them for being unsociabie Irving
had sat down the wine untasted on the vim
dow-seat, which, oae of the ladies observing,
enquired why their glasses were not empty.
Irving laughingly remarked that he had dis
covered Miss Carson had conscientious scru-
pies, when one said, swait til I get another
glass, and Kate and will drink with YOU
The glass was brought, and the three drank
with great glee, twitting Emma on her "pu-
ritanism." The conversation changed, and
nothing further was said on the subject that
/ night. Enough had been said to awaken
Irving from his dream Of happiness and re-
veal to him barrier to the consumation Of
his hopes.
Could he yield Emma without struggle
with his enemy ruthlessly demolish that
bright structure of the future, on which he
loved to gaze--wantonly crush the blossoms
of hope strewn along his pathway, and which,
if kindly nourished would return harvest
of sweet joysa
His better feelings turned with proud con-
tempt from such picture, and met--the cold
sheer, the taunts and ridicule of his evil ge-
nius-Hawkins. How true is it that
''There is a time-wo know not when,
APPOINT we know not where,
That marks the destiny of men
And leads to glory or despair
Henry lrvinu's destiny was poised on such
a point His moral integrity bad become
partially deadened under the influence of Vi
cious associations, and now when the hour
had come 10 which be was to choose bis future,
he was wanting in that strength of soul that
would have enabled him to rise above those
influences that hung like an incubus about
him.
If he had then possessed what every young
man so much needs in the hour Of trial and
temptation--thc COUNSEL and sympathy of vir-
tuous friendship, how different would have
been his fate, but he did not. He sought
counsel md sympathy from Hawkins.
"Wby, Irving" said Hawkins. one evening
as they sat in their room talking the matter
over, sit isn't possible you'd make such a
id fool of yourself as to give up to the
whining of school girl A pretty how-dy'e
do, indeed when man must renounce bis
manhood, acknowledge his inability to govern
himself, and all for woman's caprice These
sanity philanthropsts must have an exalted
opinion ofour sclfrespect and rirtue, as they
term it, they generally offer to prop us up
with written contracts and pledges Are we
to have our social intercourse circumscribed,
cut and cornered to meet tho views Of every
stiff necked religionist!"
"What a most explanatory pattern of hu-
man meekness you would make. Irving, to
place your leading strings into the hands Of
Emma Carson, surrender all claims to inde-
pendence and say--"Emma dear, cheerful
ly submit to your superior wisdom and expo
rience; whatever you say is right What
in the devil is there about that girl to make
such fuss about There's plenty as good