The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1853-04-05
SaaoQp Reaoing.

Il LOST Ir.-Wth what cool indifference the
lawyer speaks of a case which he has argued IN
court, saying, Il lost it." The fortunes of fam
lily may have depended on the result-a prisoners
liberty or even life may have been at stake-but
what of that? The lawyer sums up the matter
ii lost it." He stops not to weep that man
who may have been innocent has gone to prison
to the gallows-he stops not to weep for strick-
en- family, or that family are unjusty deprived
of property and reduced to abject poverty. No,
he has lost his case, and for that he is sorry 1t
is no benefit to lawyer 10 lose a case. lie tells
his professional friend, II lost my case but what
of that? Better luck next time" "Next time"
never comes to the starving family, the bankrup-
ted merchant, the dead criminal; for the truth
is, that it was they who lost, not the lawyer.
lost il" sighs the mother, "the first and finest
flower Of my garden, my sweet babe" elaspmg
nearer to her breast those which are left 1T
was lovely child, quiet as lamb, meek and
gentle it was endeared to our very souls, but
lost it." And the mother refuses to be comfort
ed because it is not.
In one of those dens which are the curse of
our large cities is youth. 1t ispast midnight,
but no sleep has come to his eyes nor slumber
to his evelids. Pale and huggard, excited with
wine, he gazes with wild intentness on table
around which sit company. There are others
in the room, but he sees them not; the table
now claims his entire attention. All of his own
money and five thousand dollars belonging to his
employer lie on it. The cards are dealt-he
suddenly rushes from the room, exclaiming, Il
lost it." Aye, he lost it. Not only money, but
character, social position-aye, everything which
makes the man. But few years at least, and
he may be found in prison or the grave.
A poor boy is run over on the rail road and
shockingly mutilated. He is carried to neigh
boring house; the surgeon summoned; the de-
cides that it is desperate case; amputation is
commenced; the poor boy groans and shouts,
but no one comes to his relief; he is answered BY
the grating of the amputator's saw on the bones
of his own leg; he cries again, but feebler than
before the saw mill still CRATES away, the leg
drops, the boy swoons, revives for moment,
and then dies. The surgeon simply says to his
assistant, "This is, indeed, bad case, have lost
it."
Less than half century ago, an enthusiastic
army of 10000 men crossed the French bounda-
ries shouting to the returned exile commander,
olive the Emperor" In few days, that Empe-
ror and that army stood face to face with the al
lied armies of Europe. 1t was terrible moment.
Either Napoleon should march over that field rs
Emperor of the whole world or retire an outlaw
in danger of life. The deadly clash Of arms kept
the termination in doubt. Soon he was seen
flying from the field; the gameof world had been
PLAYED, and he had lost it.
hh this loosing it is sad, sometimes an aw-
full thing. Look at that old man tottering along;
his form is bent, his step unsteady, his speech
not clear Let us talk to hm-nay, he is old,
let us hear him talk lie tells a sad story
"Once | was as young and Joyous as you, my
friends, had wealth, loving, happy family, a
pleasant home. Misfortunes came; my wealth
vani>hed--I lost it. s.rove hard; labored in
ssautlv to retrieve my broken fortunes; but
when | lost my money | lost my influence and
my business facilities. few years, and the cur
sed wine cup, the gamblers den, were my only
friends My rcrutaton-that priceless oh !!
my Cod. | lost it, never to be regaincd; for
the broken vase may indeed be mended, but it
still leaves marks of its fracture which tells OBJ
servers the story of its breaking. That loving
|sfarnily were lost not to themselves, but to me-
They no longer claim me as theirs. My mind
my health, my energies, my very soul is lost, If
revocabIy lost d.! And soon I, too, vii. be lost,
not missed, from earth; and the only fruit of re-
pcn,aHce which dare leave behind is, though
am lost, learn Of me.--American Artizan.