Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-09-19
PORTS CORNER.
Written for the Spirit Of the Age.
THE RUMSELLER'S VICTIM

TRUE TALE.
BY BEATRICE.
Enter tho court with me, my friend,
A trial now Is going on
Por murder, so the papers say
The cause Of il they say was RUM.
INIT isti the attorneys speaking now,
And on the prisoner casts his eye,
And rays, ia loud, sonOrous tones,
Ills crime is Of The deepest dye
A daughters murder!
Ills was tho hand that sent the knife with
Unerring speed 10 her hearts core,
And with one long, loud wailing shrek
Sank bleeding, lifeless on the floor,
The noiQhbors all came rushing in,
The prisoner seated on the bed,
The bloody knife grasped in his hand
Ills daughter on the floor lay dead
The witnesses I'll forward bring,
To prove to you what / have said
A wicked, cruel man he's been
A vicious life he's lately led.
The witnesses are duly sworn
And to these facte have now deposed
And with these wcighty arguments
The governments already closed.
Next comes the prisoners council,
A man Of sterling sensej
Looks kindly on the prisoner,
And speaks with eloquence
"Twas runs accursed domgs,
The man was not to blame,
Aud 1 shall clearly prove TO you
The prisoner was insane"
The witnesses were duly sworn,
Tho facts were not sustaiued- IS
For Of the mans insanity
Strong doubts were entertained.
Now comes the governments council
With q long tedious plea
"We'yo cleared the prisoner at the bar
Ofhis insanity,
Now, gentlemen Of the jury,
I'll leave the case with YOU
A fair, impartial verdict,
IL all we ask of you"
Up steps the prisoners council
Ills argument begun
any friends / do affirm to you
His brain was crazed with rum!
And IL q man responsible
Whatever he may do
Under n circumstance like this?
I'm sure you'll answer no
And, gentlemen Of the jury,
The case now rests with YOU
Give an impartial verdict
BE 10 your conscience true"
The Judge has charged the jury,
And they have left the room;
Returning in n short time
Pronounce the drunkards doom.
The portly Judge now asks him
If hc has aught 10 say
Why sentence should not be pronounced
On him, without delay?
The drunkRrd slowly rnised his head,
His eyes glowed with prophetic hre,
And bowling low uuto the judge he spoke:
" Our Father, God, do me inspire,
To right this foul and cruel wrong
once was innocent and free
From the foul curse that rests on mo-
Ny daughters murder!
Let 90, We tends my heart,stripgs break
oh, God Oh, Godl And can it DO
That / this awful deed have done?
Let GO, / say, it was not me,
Great God above, TWAS RUM! TWAS RUM!
I'm calm 1gain-all still within
Save eonsOience's tick-I plainly hear
Aud in my fancy's eye ! see
NY daughters form-hcr bloody bier
NV council urged i was insane'j
WAS insane with fiery rum!
Think you, II / had sober been,
That | this awful deed would done?
just Heaven forbid
And would you keep your sons from sin!
Down with the liquor dealers power!
Don't tempt them with their hellish drink
Lest they may yield in evil hour.
And are you men and will you sit
And sec men slaughtered day by dayn
Uotrn with Repeal! dozen DowN with rum
Aud curse the man that viii say nay
The Maine Law IL your only hope!
Seize. seize upon il, friends, l say,
And execute it faithfully
Quick, without any more delay.
But who's the murderer? say +
Him that did strike the fatal blow
Or him that ncrvGd the paisied arm,
And stepped a fathers heart in VOC!
Az, do not think 10 escape my wrath,
See, see him sneak towards the door;
You gave me Of the poisoned cup,
And babe me drink it more and more;
You put The hell-6re to my lips,
That scaredmy heart and scorched my ,
oh God he smiles on me and says
Your raying, sir, is al in vain.
lie whispers License! do you hear
A word twas coined in lowest hell!
Llccnscd-to fiji our land with woe!
Liconsed-to murder or to steal!
oh who's the murderer say l
You gave me Of that cursed rum
You bnls me drink. ] drank | drank!
We fends "a hell 1 come | come
His plea was DER. The judge arose
While silence reigned o'cr all the room
Justice, of course, must be appeased,
SO he pronounced the drunkards doom
JusTIcE I said / mistaken word!
No Justice for the drunkard here;
The seller runs Mt large you see
While he is stretched upon his bier ;
And more than that, n License has,
TO fin hell's depths with drunknrd's SC
While lie with easy conscience thinks
At last 10 reach the heavenly goal!