The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1854-01-04

1 'S' va i'S: hilu tieic Hau DCeil ITO llc-
cessity for him either to beg or steal
lntempcrance did it all, my child.
81 can remember well when Squire
johnson drank spirits moderately, and
ifany one had tUld him he would ever
have become II drunkard he would
have been veryiangry. lie is nowtnot
only a drunkard, but thief. Lct.this
be warning 10 you. as long rs you
live, Charles, never to get I'M the habit
of drinking ardent SPIRITS; You will
remember this, my son. s
"lndeed, ! will, mother, answered
Charlie. 81 don't see what men want
to get drunk. for when it makes such
bad men Of thcm.'
BE always of that mind, my son;
and ifyou are ever tempted to drink,
think of Squire Johnson,'' returned
Mrs. Mcrwll.
1t was as Squire Johnson had told
Mr.. Janes-his family was indeed dcs
titudc. Their distress had been known
to but a few near ncighbors. For sew
cral years the mother had been the
main supporn of the family, assisted,
as far rs he was able to assist her. bv
her oldest son, u lad about fourteen
years Of age.
Now the mother, wornout with sor.
row and fatigue, lay upon her couch,
Unable to lift her head
The Squire came home from tho
grosshop one evening, when the chill
drcn had eaten nothing for whole day,
and one of his daughters said to him,
I'VE are very hungry pn; won't yon
get US something to eat 2
He made her no answer, but went
out, and arus Locked up IN IN.. lanes
cellar It-wns not the first time he had
visited it. Mr. james lived in a:splcn-
did mansion which had belonged to
Squire johnson, and-in which his
family once dwclt. &
The news of her husbands thctt
could not bc kept from Mrs. johnson.
He told her himself and left his home
never to rcturn--no trace Of him was
ever obtained by his family Mrs.
johnson died in few days after her
husbands disappearance. The children
were vel! cared for the eldest boy
went'to live with Mr. James.
!, Many years passed aud the boys
whoia Charles ,AIcrwin was TO- have
met at skating patty, hadA grown
to be men and were engaged in bust
ness III various parts OF the country
Some were men Of Influence some
were professional mcn-Somc mcrch.
ants-somc mechanics: but all did not
bear closely in mind the lesson which
Squire lohnson's exposure conveyed.
! One having seen delight in gay So
ciety, in spite of what he believed hon
( est intentions, firm resolves, and
determined promises to himself and
friends, Ind learned to- love the
wise cup, as he; loves It, Who, by its;
wild excitement, is lifted above the
| plain realities Of ltc--who dwells in
an atmosphere through which rosy
light is thrown around him that stint
ulates the imagination to clothe with
many brilliant hues the quick. coming
tancics of a crowding future-whle
first it dispels the ros, light, leaves in
its stead the twilight of sobcrncsss, and
then brings on a gloom-ot which, the
raylcss gloom Of deepest night is but u
faint symbol.
| Rcmorsc and repentance hang to
him who cmcrscs from this ngloom.
|.Sometinesttcy lang not securely; and
sometimes the victim, to escape their
pangs and his own shame, foo!ishIv
flies again into the forgetfulncss Of
an hour which the winc.cup may afford
him, to be only moro wrctchcd and
more desperate at each return Of that
gloom, from which again he only cs.
capes to sharper conviction and more
singing rcmorse.
| This disgracciul round one of those
boys had often taken who saw Squire
Johnson bow beneath load Of Gilt
and shame which he did not survive.
When Intoxicated he was disposed to
desperate and dangerous exploits. He
would be sober, and sorrowlul on ac-
count Of his disgrace, for months: then
his friends would miss him and when
found it would he in tho midst of
deepest disgrace. III. had often strange
and peculiar freaks when the spell was
on him.
He had been the confidential clerk
in an influential mercantile house of
the city of Boston, but had been
obliged To resign his situation.
lie had not been sober for many
weeks. 1t was Sabbath morning, and
ho promcnadcd one Of the principal
streets Of the nity, longing for means
to procure deeper dranghts of The
poison that had blasted his prospects
in life, and'smale him an object of
i pitying dread.
!, The church bells had some time
slhce called the people to their respcc,
/ tivn tlnr.S ,r