Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-10-26
0riginal 5tutg.
Written for The Spirit Of the Age.
The Demon of Woodstock
A TALE FOR THE TIMES.
Br rnE ASSOCIATE EDITOR.

cial group and tells OF the early days OF the :
Reform, when its doctrines were new, and !
when thousands looked upon it with sus- !.
pioion She speaks earnestly and they lis !
ten; N
"When we started the pilgrimage of life :
together, golden sunbeams g leaned in our
paihway--stars of promise were set in our
social hrmamcnt-the gales of prosperity :
waited US onward 10 wealth, to usefulness
and honor-everything was combined to
render our mutual life pleasing and hap
py. Ny husband was kind and affectionate
LIN him my heart, my hope, my all was
centered Intelligent and happy children
clung around me and around their father
for admoniton--for lovc--for counsel
The family altar and the hearthstone was
the centre of our mutual bliss, and when
the tolls Of the day were Ger, we gathered
there and luxuriated upon the full fruition
Of domestic peace and quiet.
Our home was a palace Of love; the
rosebush AMI jessamine, the ivy and wood
bine that planted there our first spring
time, had fl)urished in vigor. | had taught
them to twine together in curious loops
watered them ami trained them-our chill
dren hal gamboled the merry pranks of
chill lhood beneath their shade, aud year
after year had gathered the rich petals that
breeze after breeze had shaken from their
tender holl-here they had learned to lisp
the cndoaring terms of tdtber and mother.
The A)wering vines that clambered above
our cottage window was far dearer TO us
than the gold-fringed curtains that sweep
the rich carpets Of the kingly palace halls.
IL was our home, our own dear, native
home-a happy home "where no crude
surfeit reigned."
"The village Of Woodstock was COM
mended for morality. Churches adorned
its streets AMI the work of the Lord aboun-
ded within its borders. Its sabbaths were
kept with holy regard for their sanctity,
and its inhabitants were happy. The des-
troyer came. Jonas Ragan built grocc-
ry and allured men to drink. Day out and
day in he was there holding the tempting
bait, and the strong and the weak were
ensnared. Strong men were in shackles.
The village was enslaved. A curse rested
over Woodstock and the mighty were fall
len. Humanity wept. North, East, South,
West the plague spread with rapidity.-
From the fascinating door of Jonas the
death tide flowed on and onward, gathering
in depth aud power, until far beyond the
knowledge Of our inhabitants the debris Of
shattered humanity groaned in the ago
ny Of eternal ruin. From the shelves and
cellar Of that modern hell the scourgC
spread at noon and night. Wave rushed
after wave, stream joined stream, until th'
land aud the village were blghted. Wood
stock seemed drunken to hopeless mad
ness. Woe and want stalked triumphant
lythrough the streets, aud blood.dyed Grim
and cold death reeled in their wake. Vic
and violence reigued undismayed, and tn
Goreon Of Crime reeled, and drooled, an
slavered in his dcbauchory of blood. il
mas was growing rich in this sale of sou
and the people were groaniug in bondag
unbr1ken Dosplir sat in every house, sh'
ding the base Of the home altar, and dc
s!royiug the household gods. The Sal
bath was the feast Of sin, and reveling an
beastality held undisputed sway. The vi
lago itself seemed to weep for its faded glor,
its living heart had been poisoned, an
along every artery Of health and strengt
the hot currents of woe sped and scare
with blighting power.
my husband prayed with me for Il
removal of the living, breathing CURSE
While others were bowing down to Il
blood stained shrine, he was free, and ga
God the glory! He, my own James, W
free from the strong shackles Of the dcsro
er, aud we wept over the desolations
Woodstock.
One evening we were passing by tt
hated den. The rabble were there. I
shout and the hoary curse were mingled
soul lsickening chorus The intellect a
beauty Of the village was being offered
sacrifice at that unholy shrine. Swol
faces CLEANED through the dusty glass
we approached Rum m-parched eyes lee
AZ us in horrid mockery. There were
kinsmen mingling in the heaven dar
crowd. There was prostltuted genius, t
once commanded the homage of men, W
ing and cursing among its broken idsls
Oh what a heart quailing group-yo
scorchcd in its bloom and trembling "
premature age goaliko manhood SLAYER
amid the crushed ruins Of mind and me
grandeur; the virtuous christian turn
away from Heaven and its excellence,
plunge aud revel in the cesspool ofvice
infamy immortal intellect driven pi
meal into chattering idiocy and ruin
citizen and husband eursing his lost 10y
he wanders from his sacred home.hea,
through the delirious mazes of fea
pilgrimage, to rot in dshonored gra
poverty aud want looking SO piteous
lifted the serpent wreathed bowl to its Il
bling lips; aud corrupted, fostering
with its bloated visage leering and droo
like Gend iucarnate, in licentious beas
ity. All Jonas Ragan, in Woodstock,
shivered the home idols, cast down the
altars in sacred places, and transforme
Eden into He'll !
eWo hurried to get beyond the h
scene. My husband was hailed by the
bic come, Mordant, and drink | {
TO his arm and trembled, and wept,
prayed. They invited him in to drink
declined and I urged him to let us h
away. Cousin Clancy took him by tn