Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-05-30
THE ~DRUNKARD'S DREAM.


THE DRUNKARD'S DREAM. thu
L had a dream, which was not all a dream. TIL
I happened a few days since, in one OF my tn,
rambles among the mountains of western !,
Virginia, to meet with the following incident vi
in real life, which serves APPLY to illustrate
the final end of the drunkard, and ought to
be a solemn warning TO all those who are at
all in danger of runs delusion. b,
The youngm~d Eeamed. was one who p
had fallen a victim to lntemperance In It's .
worst form. Few, indeed, were his sober n
moments. The habit was becoming stron- A
ger every day, and he was sinking deeper q
and deeper in debauchery and shame. His r
friends had abandoned the last hope of re- :
form, and only waited in mournful despair
for the tiend to bear away his helpless prey tt
to the drunkard's land Of shadows. One n
night however, he CHANGED to retire almost
sober. He slept soundly and dreamed. / >
Dreamed said he, { that was passing - r
church one beautiful morning in summer G
At the church stood a signpost pointing to (;
the right, which bore this inscription , For :,
the Sons of Temperance, total abstinence, :
Love, Purity and Fidelity I hated the
Sons of Temperance and cursed them, and
turned away from the post with contempt.
The other was a beautiful road, shaded by
thick clusters of flowers and vines, pendant
with the most delicious fruits. AS far as the
eye :ould stretch, was one extended plain,
slightly inclined, rejoicing in the richness OF
the robe Of summer. Almost without effort,
| journeyed on, meeting occasionally with
friends whom we'll knew, and who with me
were enjoying the Injuries which seemed so
unsparingly lavished by the hand of Nature.
At length l reached a splendid mansion on
the margin of the highway. There | heard
music and dancing-the sound of revelry-
the Joyful laugh and the song OF mlrth.-
Many familiar voices saluted my ears. l
entered was received with acclamations of
J, ioy by many friends. Wine flowed profuse-
", and cherfulness and glee filled every
} heart.
e At length the throng dispersed, and /,
e with many iovial companions, resumed my
delightful journey. But ere long | was again
alone. One by one my companions wander
dered off, some to the right and some to the
s left, or fingered to enjoy the delicate luxries
n Of the way side, or invigorate and rest them
d selves at the refreshing stream. Alone |
journeyed, little observing the flight of time.
s and almost unconscious of my ailingstrength.
II The sun sinking in the west, and the allure
IF ments, which in the morning had invited my
to attention and absorbed my soul, were fast
d fading in the distance behind, and only re-
lie manned to be seen dimly through memory's
le glass. The beautiful paved way, canopied
to with rosy and fruitful bowers, was now the
n dreary, gloomy passage, hedged in by thorn'
.s- and thistles. The buoyants pirit so vigorous
Id and cheerful in the morning, was the haun
ly ted victim of gloomy depression. The SUI
ng had gone down.
ne The dimness Of twilight was fast approach
ed ing the dense darkness 0, night, when sud
ak denly my morbid senses were aroused by tn
.er fierce howl of some ferocious beast. l foun
nd myself standing on the verge of a terribl
nit. Far down in the crescent Gloom. L be
held innumerable shapes Of all manner {
beasts, reptiles, devils some with eyes glal
ing like fire; others with teeth, talons an
fangs more horrible than | can describe
huge serpents armed with a thousand sting
coiled around the bodies Of writing victim
in whom they continually fastened the
deadly fangs. There were some of my mo
intimate friends striving desperately wi
bloody beasts, and creeping reptiles and i
manner Of unearthly monsters, which co
tended furiously for their prey, while VIZ
after wall in piteous tones rolled up from t
gloomy vault. The bottom seem paved wi
human bones, many of which were bleach,
as by the dews Of centuries. An almost
~ reslstlble influence crew m~e\onward iowa
' ~ the gaping chasm. With a struggle I-vft
~ drew from the brink. | tarned and behe
10y an innumerable host of frightful monste
pressing upon me, to urge me into the p
!" l made a desperate struggle and awoke
- 1t was many minutes ere | realized that
sel was but a dream. Indeed the whole see
! " is yet vivid in my mind, and heaven gra
that it may so remain to the last day of r
life, to restrain my hand from the fatal CT
| resolved then to be a Son of Temperan,
and | have kept my resolution.
Distiller, will you read this dream, a
from it take warning? Do not urge, that
thss is nothing but a dream and is therefore |
wy worthy of consideration. 1t is not al
ual, IoaJa L. r. - ~ -.in"%y .
WIN one here described. And you are teachi
men to walk in it too. Are you then gu
" less? Don't boast that you are a christi
We do not believe it. And to be plain,
world don't believe it either, and God knc
{, it is not so. He is your Judge, and '
ask you where is. thy brother p
Retailer, we can scarcely venture an
peal to you. We regard you as heartlt
unprincipled, a fit subject for a king of d
lis, instead of a vicegerent. You prune
!, trees and vines that bear the deceitful fir,
and flowers which adorn the highway to
in. You fit out the fashionable saloon
the road side, that charms with music
miIth the infatuated victim, and weds
+; more firmly to the feeting pleasures of
downward course. Don't plead that you
&c In a free man, of the tribe of JESSE, and h
L. a right to do as you please. Such q
will not answer at the Court Of Heaven,
tied though it might in the Legislature of Nc
time Carolina.
and Drinker, we have no reproacbes to h
when upon you. We would come to you with
y IN words of kindness, and try to win you f
other ruin. You are the traveller, the dreamer
Ga to the high way. You are much delighted
Every drop of wine is a sparkling gem. Y
Mt. way is slightly inclined from virtue,
enough to make it easy to travel. Ev
AGE. propensity is %gratifed. Pleasures thron
round you, and many friends. You SCI
zoe of danger. As far as you can see all is To-
81 bv ness. Oh that the same might continu
nsmit eternity! But the sun of life will soon
en- gin to decline your feeting pleasures
AGENT in the distance; dark shades and fea
3lifics shadows gather around you, and you +
to be learn, TOO LATE, that it is the way that |
But eth down to the chambers of death.
er the ohhIT
= oal, New York, May 81, The weekly s
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