Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1853-10-02
The last Letter Of a DrnnkmG's Vie.

y MRS R.D. GAGE.
-.H
, Oh, my dear Amy. tlat should live to tri you
such a tale as nay pen must tell you this morning
| shat my eyes; 4 Gasp nay cold and almost para
USED hands over them toexclule this fearful vision
but il viii not away. No. II is thcre a horrid souI
thrilling. eartbreaking reality. Amy. my sister,
my mere than sister, can / SO crush thee So dash
FROM thy lip the cup Of Joy which thou art now
even now, lifting sparkling 30 the brin with hope
and love. Yes l, even /, must de it. Hard and
thankless as Is the task VIII De Dnare kindly done
by my hand than iinohCrs faF love viii soften eve
~ word and sorrow and deep pity we'd every wrong.
Amy WilIianr Is dead: thy loved ana lowing bro
ther; my loved and loving husband IS daaL Ereii
now while / write these fearful words. Che long
white sheet in Ven corncr. hides away from ny
sight the manly sori tie fa;rbroad brow aElauph
ing lip Of William. oh God, that this were all
that could tell YOU; aha, fever had wasted him,
that consumption had gaawed away his yitals that
the murderer had struck him in the dark Bet als.
no, none Of these forms of death came 10 rob the
monster Of his appalIing form.
( Bot must still my throbbing heart and wipe
the cold sweat Of agony from mr. brow, ahdtell yoa
all. not to wound but 10 warn, lest those who are
4 now growing up to manhood in the same. paths he
trud may reach the final goal of life even as hc-
4 You know dear Amy. when we were married fv'
years ago. yesterday, (Ch tlat fatal Yesterday
William stood lorth among the crowd as the en-
g
his long tour OF collegiate study let loose as h'
czpressedi it in the great pasture Of fife, he was The
gayest Of tie gay. lie told Us that evening, viii
proud look, that during his eight years study b,
had not drank one drop of ardent spirits or wine
lie had made the resolve to -toHeh not taste not
handle NOS, tin tie eorPletion Of lis studies; tH
he was olde0ouch to control himself ill his habits
were formed; and 30 yuu remember it. Amy oh! d
you reneiui,er IT. ere bad been ten minutes brE,
lis father brought INN the ri'r cup. and pledge,
him . sparkIH- glass .to bis new vie. All. how
: trcmbicd and silrry frora that Hters drs kis,
- how myh2art u.izgayc ne, how i itthrobled vlra
d saw Wiiiam. NY asiar9d Wiliiam yie.dag 10
fathers temptation following i.stI.. rs r1aHipl,
and srssThg wi,bouy sa,aniue ttoHai{ ti,. con
tents Of thatcup. .-..- ~
y -.Solseuse.. n,eresse. Eniily, sail es:r father
= when faintl, whispered -ia''t n.iTlisaa, ymrhae
rqr=5rcfci SO long. doi, talat n.-. idr 'ratt
Z cr renew Your eEepaHi. a:l resolve ne,fr 70 drip
eyen wine 'Nour;cusc i.iaiis a lil4, viaa wqa
hurt him. believe in t'mpar.a, as mach as sn
one, tsIt this rarklias 6ata0}e. WORT hurt a la,l,
Come you nlas. net teach any OF your sqpsagf
notions. s.. te.r.- .r-
I. knew then Lat t2 sparkling Cat,.y Ia" Ia
- worked evil to my ha<t'aad's father Or b. won
never hays spo6antns to pe. lie iLe kiad. Il
ccuerous. polite ard dguiEcE to j,,lk 70 NJ then
l,ring squea,aisll. ! Knew wtu ti.,L itaga was
. devil in the cup even ei Sparkling Catawba' ''-
Again and again William was pressed 10 drink
< This was the FIRST step We came Westr came
q CITY where ali nen - Il were. induiqS,l in win
E My husband irit Ejn4H tcong to resist temptatIo
e lis table could not be set without wine. He
, c7HId be- rrlusc 10 Others what was always "n1re
. tOHiE,." Thus ANY Il was, tnat b. fell
tbozs bannts of wlekchiess where the loT an
r. LNl-tly how, themselves into he dust oi sensa!tn
4 NAT IeJ rv ibc wicked and dsgrayoI INTO SIN a
homo bri l Ia euli hcoside. 1T Tbs altare. hpH
! ,.isI, his. vs. aad Children aroumi im, his lit
o,,s strctefit- tIeir arms 20 cr4hrace him an,Eh
,fe. p,s3.liii- yen o,insiy aglinst hi weaknes
! did he go dovato ruia, lel by fathers hand sr
! hv a Elthers example Year after year he Ct,
: worse, till Gnaillips thst / should see him ,lrn
he learned 10 tarry at the Office the hotel the eli
), room. intotho weary watches Of the night; anl4lr
t he grew cold ami hard, aaj-sh.il s1y it 10 .the
. Amy-bruta His bloatel cheek, his red ri1aH
3 eyes, his distorted face told every Passer-by q
\ tale. Business forsook him. friends torsook M