Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1853-08-18
MistelIanp.
The Absent: Their Temptations.

When they left home their habits were good,
their hopes were high, and their energies
were active and vigorous. For time, too,
they struggled manfully and successfully, were
prosperous, and promised in few years to
realize handsome fortunes. But they were
from home; no watchful mothers eve was up
on them, no father was present, to restrain or
admonish by his gentle connsels, and tempta-
tons of various kinds presented themselves
Nay, they rarely heard directly from the At
lantic States; the letters they came at first
with due regularity by every mall were omit
ed or did not reach them; they fancied they
were neglected, if not forgotten, and they rush
wildly on in career of excitement and dissi-
patton. Had their friends at home kept up
constant correspondence-had they reminded
only once month, that they continued to be
objects of interest and affection, that intelli-
gence was looked for from them constantly
and anxiously, the memories and associations
of home would have exercised a salutary re-
straint-would have induced many an hour of
refectiOn-would have checked their progress
Of recklessness and inebriety-would, in all
probability, have saved them from premature
death.
Some years since young man of this city
was sent by his father, in a confidential ca
pacity, on his first voyage to Canton. He had
just burst into manhood, entered eagerly upon
the arena of the world, and took his departure
in cheerful and buoyant spirit. A few hours,
however, before the vessel sailed, his father
who confded in and dotted upon him, and for
whom he entertained the most profound re-
spect and affection, called him aside spoke to
him kindly and feelingly, and placing letter
in his hands, begged him to read it attentively
and consider upon its truths calmly and
thoughtfully, Immediately before his landing on
the distant soil 10 ,chich he ,cas destined! He
promised so to do, deposited the letter in
spot of the utmost security, and at the time
designated perused it. 1t was long, kind, con-
ffdential and truthful The .fathrr had himself
been again and again TO China, understood all
the fascinations and temptations that were pre-
sented to a stranger, and had seen many young
men fall before him, and he was unwilling to
subject him to SO fiery an ordeal, without stat
ing the facts to him vividly and graphically,
and appealing, to his reason, his conscience,
and his good sense, to exercise to the utmost
the virtues of temperance, selfdenial and self
control The effect upon the mind Of the
young man was of the most decided character.
In the letter he had SO carefully cherished, he
saw, as it were, the heart of his father, and
he heard his voice echoing over thousands of
miles of the trackless ocean. A tear, a man
ly tear, he quietly but solemnly resolved to
abide by the counsel there given.
Only the next day, and before he had landed
six hours in the new field of life, he was earn
estly invite to participate in scene of dissipa-
ton, exactly such as his father had described
"a scene, too, which dozens of others of the
same age and similar circumstances, were
about to enjoy. But he declined, promptly,
courteously, yet firmly and equivocally. One
or two Of his companions laughed at his scru-
pies, and endeavored to persuade him that he
was unnecessarily cautious. But to all such
he had only one reply-his fdth@'s letter! 1t
served as monitor and shield, and while it
protected him from the dangers, the vices and
excesses which ne soon discovered were de-
strOying many others, it constituted lesson
of thoughtful kindness and generous confidence,
that he remembered with gratitude for the rest
of his days.
And yet, how often is this duty, this sol
emn duty of writing to the young, the ardent
and impulsive, when away from home, either
partially or wholly neglected how often
are the consequences, as in the case above ad-
verted to, of the most painful character! We
have great faith in the power of letter,
when aptly written, judicioussy toned, and
generously intended There is an indiscri-
bable magic in an epistle of this kind. We
have known mothers to linger for hours over
some hasty scrawl, of truant boy in a far
land, while we have seen children grasp as at
something far more precious than gold-the
tattered fragments of some fnger-worn letter
that was written years and years before, and
that nevertheless embodied some priceless SEN
timent of love.
In this country, with SO many movements
in progress, with States SO widely separated
by distance, with parents dwelling by the bor-
ders of the Atlantic, and children struggling
for fortunes amid the golden sands Of the Pa
cific, an occasional letter is absolutely indis-
pensible. Without something of the kind,
home, kindred and their hallowed associations.
will, to certain extent, be forgotten, danger
GUS habits will be formed, and fearful conse-
quences will be the result 1t often happens,
too, that those who wander away in moment
of dissatisfaction and pride, feel that they have
done wrong, and yet are ashamed to confess
it, They would rather starve than make the
acknowledgement. Nay, many have perished
under such circumstances. To the sick, the
suffering, the dispirited or the unfortunate
what could be more soothing, more eneourag-
ing than voices from home! A letter, kind
letter, may unseal the fountains of tenderness
that have long been frozen up, revive thou
sand gentle "reminiscences, change the heart,
renerve the nature, and thus reanimate and
restore, it Is, moreover, so easy thing to