The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1853-08-05

: number ofits victims. He had been an ear
ly prey TO Incorporate habits, from which h
reirained for some years, but was now takel
{ the more easily by the destroyer. His ag
s and infirmites could not withstand this lat
a return to the vice, delirium tremens sool
. ensued, and he had died in the most dreadful
4 torments. ale begged bis friends to xii
him at blow, for the devils that tvrmented
him were more uncomfortable than hell itse.
F, o Charles, Charles! what are we to say t
r these things! How happens it that thi
, alone, Of all our diseases, produces such
sense ofbeing tormented by devils1 Is i
, real or is it altogether imaginary! Do tel
me, in your next, what you think!"
Then her pen seemed to float at random
as if to divert her own corroding thoughts
more than from any intention of transmitting
the uncopied document. "Charles, Charles
what are we to do! Dear me! dear me, hus-
band! why don't you come,--come to yout
agonizing Amelia! The storm howls, howIs!
o, God! when will he come! The clock
strikes eleven. Eleven! 90! eleven ofths
dismal night! and IL and my little ones
away in this bowling wlderness alone, so
mOny miles from all help and all relief!
can't be quiet! No! No! No! scream,-I
can't help screaming! o, my husband! where
are you, dearest, that you come not to help
your terrified wife, who loves, who adores
you! My God, take care of him,-take care
of me,--take care of my little ones! Do! do!
do! yes, to heaven take us all--all, if one
must go! 90! there, I'm screaming again!
| can't help it! O,-O,-O! mad, ,--mad, mad!
| must to bed" These broken senten ces
were almonst illegible from the tears with
which they were bedewed, and doubtless
followed by convusions.
The explanation of this sad delay was as
terrific to Mr.. Douglass as to poor Durham.
1t seems that these two gentlemen had un-
| fortunately met nearly opposite that hell Of
the town the groggery. 1t was cold and
showing iercely They sat short time
talking from each others sleighs, when that
! emissary of the devil, the landlord, came
running out, with his face covered with Sc
ductive smiles, and his tongue dropping sweet
words like honey-dew, and saying to Mr..
Douglass that he had been striving many
days to see him, upon pressing matter Of
business, and ifthat gentleman and Mr.. Dun
ham would come in and warm themselves
single moment, he would see the horses well
cared for, and it would be much to their own
comfort. "With his much fair speech he
caused them to yield: with the fiattery of his
lips he forced them; and they went straight
way as an OK to the slaughter, or as fool to
the correction Of the stocks; still a dart struck
! through their liver; as bird hasteth to the
snare, and knew not that it was for their
life." The winds swept over the plain, the
lake roared in the distance. with waves as
sluggish from anchor ice as boiling caldron
of quicksilver, and the whole scene of wintry
codand desolation without conspring to
give point and power to the serpent's charm
within, and to the deadly coil in which he
was enolding their hearts.
| Their horses all sweating with fatigue in
wallowing through the snow, they finally
reined up under the shed, and followed their
tempter 10 his hell. Durham hestated, and
hesitated; said his wife was alone, and pc
culiarly needed his presence; but still he fol-
lowed. The landlord offered them some
thing to drink and expatiated on the necesi-
ty OF it on so cold day, and after so much
exposure. They at first declined, seeming to
feel their danger, and to be conscious that
they stood on the brink of precipice. But,
after warming themselves while, and being
further piled with fair words by their host,
Douglass said he was all in a tremor and
chilled to this very vitals; believing mug of
hot gingered cider would do him good, and he
ordered it. He poured glass for his friend,
and also for himself, and they drank it
! together.
| But no sooner had the poton entered their
veins than they lost sight Of every motive
to sobriety, and alcoholic fancies swarmed
around them, like devils in the plumage of
paradise. Glass after glass of brandy was
called in; Durham began to sing; and Doug
lass to fight; and the inn was hell indeed,
. and they its devils Douglass staid till
twelve of the night, when his two sons,
George and Samuel, with posse OF men from
the farm came to hunt for him, suspec-
ting the fact, and by main force drew a strait
jacket over him, and took him home, bowling
to the wintry winds like a fend from the
realm of darkness. That incarnation of evil,
the publican, finding Durham peaceuble,
and, wthal, flush of money, bustled him into
another room when the young Dougasses
came, so that they left without the knowledge
of his presence. Nor did their father, in the
long-continued series of drunken fits which
ensued mention the fact. The consequence
was, that Durham laid two weeks drunk in
the groggery. At the expiration of this time,
he fell into profound sleep, from which he
did not awake for twelve hours; and when he
did finally awake, the insanity of intoxcation
had passed, and the first thought he had was
of his wife and children. He had no idea of
the time of his separation, more than if he
had laid all these days in fit. He sprang
convulsively to his feet, and fastened to the
shed; but found his horses so nearly starved
by the avaricious landlord, that he could not
: trust to their taking him home through the
snow. His next thought was to run to Mr..
Hollistons, which he did, and acquainted
him with the state of his affairs, trusting he
might prove comfort to his wife, both as