Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-08-23
What will not the Liquor Seller Do?

l have known an aged widowed mother,
of high respectability, go to lquor-sellers,
and at the door of their own shops beg them
not to sell or give to her sinking son-her
Youngest born, the stay and hQnA of her
round and sell to that son. The briny tear
Of heart broken mother lay undried, as it
fell upon their unhallowed threshold; the
wailing note of her anguishing entreaty-
enough to stir and melt anything but the
heart Of ademon-had scarce died upon their
ears, when they put again to hislpsthe bru-
talizing draught. With malignant, grin
ming, demoniacal smile, he would curse her
that was the instrument Of his existence, bid
her anguishing heart grind on and then
turning again to his destroyers, receive at
their hand the infuriating protion.
[ have known the strong minded and
devoted father, whose very heart seemed 10
be bowing and bleeding to death, beg and
ehtreat them not to sell to his inebrate boy.
Yet, in the selfsame hour, they would look
with unfeelirg indifference upon that child,
whose very existence they had rendered a
curse, and place again in .his palsied hand
e'IO Ol61S IuCl4luS 4lpo LHS NSSIlOT TlHS UOWl.-
What sgill they not do?
saw beautiful Bride. Amiable, in
telligent, and 'known only to be loved, her
heart was full of joyous hope, as she gave
her hand in welded love to one who was
the choice of his community and the crown
of his fathers family. Pleasing anticipa-
tons filled their minds with enchanting yis-
ions, and their hopes, strong and free, seemed
only to spring smile, like morning without
Clouds But, alas !! for human joys, there
is no unmixed good in this world His
companions were jovial, merry, pleasure
loving, large-hearted fellows. The chase,
the turf, the social bowl. These were THEN
delights, till money was gone, and friend:
were few. Then came suspicious, heart
burniDgs, bitterness of spirit, and an intol
cradle sense of self-degradation. Like NAL
ignant 6ends and torturing devils, these
necessarily preyed upon his ploud spirit, til
he hated the world, and loathed himself, ant
sought to drown his bitter refectionsin beastl
drunkenness. The hquor-seller saw it all
He saw the sinking husband, the fading wife
and the neglected children, and knew tha
he himself was daily tanning the consumin,
fame. As the hound runs but the NOR
furiously when he scents the blood Of th
stricken deer, so his appetite seemed only I
be increased by the sight Of coming ruin
The spoils were there. And for their saI
he would get up races, sports, games, an
all sorts of lures, to decoy the unhappy hu
band to the point of his ruin. He SCENE
in hot haste to robe himself in guilt an
blood, and to force himself through the teal
Of the lost to the bar Of his final Judge {
tell me, if you can, aohat aCiN not the Iiquo
seller dog
Years passed away-years ofhidden grit
and friends stood again beside that on
happy bride. She was now pale and thin
Attendants spoke in whisper, aud passt
softly around the room Five little chldr,
were crying sadly, for they said Po
mother will die, and then what will we do
Poor little lambs what indeed will you {
when she is removed who quietly sacrifc
her life for your good Just then tall al
noble form leaned himself against the do
post. Papa, papa, 0 papa said lit
Willie, can't you make good mama well,
she is Sick!' He needed not, for he
been to the place where reason reels, affectiC
die, and nature runs up stream. Will
half-senseless and half-leering smile, he sa
Why Lizzie, what does this mean !? II
voice was still dear to her, whose love o.
grew deeper under neglect, and was it
stronger than death. Hitherto she had '