Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1855-07-25

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menced, and ere long Malcon forgot al
about bis home. He satin the bar.room, anc
his sharp wit made food for much meriment
,"Who says there's danger in the bowl,
cried young man, as he raised the glass tt
his lips.
"Its the raven croak, said another. of hi
companions. "Here's confusion to the idea
"Goodr exclaimed Malcom Warren
posing his glass. "Poison in the bowl, non
sense! Look at old Uncle Adam, now. He'
used it all his lifetime and here he is, the old
est man in town. Come, here's to Uncle
Adam %
The person to whom Malcon had thus al
luded was an old, wbite-haired man, wht
stood at the bar with glass Of rum in hi
hand. His name was Adam Stanford, ant
almost ninety years had rolled over his fores
head. His form was bent, and his limb
trembled, and still he lived and his mind wa
vet clear. He heard the remark which tip
carpenter made, and having set down his u
touched liquor, he turned and gazed upon tie
youthful speaker. He knew Malcom Wf'
rem well.
Malcom," he said. "Come alone, 70
alone would speak with you. Come"
There was something very deep and me n:
ing in the old mans voice, and as he turfd
towards the door, Malcom arose to foil Nv.
"Detain him not" said Adam, as someof
bis companions sought to hinder him.
"Why should 90 with yous" he asHd.
"To please an old man. mean TODD
you no harm, Malcome come"
Passing out of the door they moved ac pss
the street. Near by was the village chu ch-
yard and ,hither he bent his steps. Arrifng
at the gate he passed. When Malcom tsi-
tated to enter, the old man said:
Come follow me-"
Malcom went and soon they stood wi hin
the village churchyard9 And this vtite
haired guide was the sexton, who for pore
than sixty years had made those beds fo the
children of Immortality. The pale toen
shed its beams upon The place, and the eehil'
ling air sighed mournfuly among the yeep.
ing willows that grew by the hedge. The
gravestones stood up like spectres amot the
faded grass, and here and there ar pc Il
white monument, like some more pof ferfu
spirit that-watched the sancitity Of the lace.
"Malcom Warren" spoke the old N. u, in
a voice so deep that it seemed almost to some
from one of the neighboring graves, not
long since you pointed to me as an example
how long man might live who smiled hpon
the wine.cup. You pointed to me as on who
had outlived all my companions, and let as
one who had always quaffed at the ntxica.
ting bowl. Perhaps you spoke truB but
you did not speak the whole truth. Rr the
whole truth you did not know, and have
brought you here to whisper that tru b into
your ear" -.
Malcolm Warren gazed up into To old
mans face, and as he saw how solep was
the expression that rested there, he fofot the
bad company he had left behind at the hvern,
and his thoughts became serious.
Malcom," resumed the sexton, | can
look back now into the past, and see tscore
Of young men who commenced the shde Of
life with me. We went to school andwe sat
in church together. We loved to larn the
excitement Of the Intoxicating cup, Ind we
thought not then of the dangers were
couriiug. Years passed on and | s$ those
twenty tnen sink into the arms of ddth, and
| buried them all here. Malcom Earren,
they all sleep in drunkards' gravel! One
after another saw them fall, aud 1 length
[ was left alone of the party who wF Re wont
to assemble around the bar room fl b."
A deep groan escaped from p young
mans lips and shudder ran thrhgh his
frame.
"All gone :" he asked.
eyes all 2" the old man uttered "But
this is not half, Malcolm. Their fives and
children have died, and they too, Pie here
o how we'll can remember the brsht eyed,
laughing. loving girls, who use| to play
with US when we were boys! ind how
well can remember when | DIV them
standing at the altar; and when t4y turned
away from the place they werd blushing
brides. But few short years, a1 | began
to gather them into the folds of deaf. They
sank down with broken hearts an crushed
hopes! Some of them lived tdbe gray
headed, but their gray hairs cam down in
sorrow to the grave! See that Rave; the
one with the dark gray stone, He who
sleeps beneath that mound was bnce the
happiest youth in the village. H was a
carpenter by trade, and he built he house
in which you were born. He usedto laugh
and sing over the wine cup, and thought
not then of harm. once heard IS young
wife beg him to remain at home with her,
but he refused her the boon. Sh9told him
that she was cold and hungry, an( that her
children needed clothing but he hbded her
not. A few short years afterwtds that
wife's heart broke and she died. land her
children. The husband and the father I
found one cold night lying by the bad side
and he was dead! These are theS graves,
for buried them all together. lou can
see the wife's grave next beyond she gray
stone'of the husbands and those Eo little
graves are where lies the frozen 10y and
girl"
The old man drew his sleeves afoss his
eyes 20 wipe away the tears, andPbile he
did so Malcom bowed his head, and groaned
mournfully.
"Malcom Warren" he said, "4ere was
once full regiment Of stout soldier follow
ed Napoleon Bonaparte into Russias There
were many other regiments went ilso, but
of this one in particular have n ad. OF
that whole company Of men only sne soil.
tary individual lived to return to tbehome Of
bis birth. All the rest died on the way They
were starved and frozen and they dropped