Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-05-23

ed and after dinner he sArted off full of
happy anticipations. Arrirsd at the place,
his attention was occupied fF time IN the
erection of the building top soon, hoWey-
er, he discovered kea % the premises
which his ready genius quickly told him
contained Is favorite .beveFage. Without
a moments hesitation he asRed for drink
1t was given him he assed for another,
and then another, and bef1se the afternoon
was half gone, Dennie was dead drunk
and the workmen had laid him on board
under tree.
About four o'clock his sather called to
accompany him home &c. eelsg him a. !
2bout, he eetperip inqairaa they ].
| pointed him to the place where he lay
With a heart full of sorrow he carried him
home to his mother and sisters. Together
his parents watched by his bed during the
tedious night that followed, not knowing but
the dreadful stupor would result in his death;
but fully resolved if he lived, not to leave
untried any effort that might promise 10
save him.
1t was not until the evening of the Sc
cond day that he was restored to perfect
consciousness. His parents thought it best
TO not speak to him Of the duuse of his i'll
ness for some days, hoping his own refec-
tons would do much more good but IN
this they were disappointcd--he did not ex-
hibit the first symptom of remorse or con-
sciousness that he had done wrong.
About week after the event just related,
his father invited him one pleasant morning
to take walk. Their road lay along the
shore of the lake, and was lined with state
ly trees on either side. For time they
walked on in silence.
; Dennie said he, do you know what it
was made you sick the other day?
Why I suppose | drank too much rum
he heartessly replied.
Well, my son, do you know that L
think you are in danger Of becoming drum
kard 2
, Why, father, [ know you tell me SO,
but I am not afraid of it. You drink rum
, every day, and you are not drunkard and
when get old enough to know how much
it will do for me to drink, then | can keep
from getting drunk. too
n TLey both seated themselves on rock
. near the shore, and most faithfully did his
father speak of the evils of intemperanee;
;. then taking small gold watch from his
pocket which Denne. had long desired to
call his own, he said, Dennie, if you will
never drink any more rum, | will give you
this gold watch Will you do it
Rising from his seat and looking his
# father full in the face, lie replied, If it is
wrong for me to drink rum, I scorn to be
hired not to drink 1t But i VII ,ell. you,
O sir, what I apiU do. If it is Wong for me
e to drink, it is wrong for you, and if you will
stop drinking will
Had flash of lightning burst from the
h cloudess sky above them, his father would
not have been more startled. How could
he preach Or perform the laborous duties Of
k, pastor without his daily glass of bitters p
u How could he get up in cold winter night
and 60 and pray by the bedside of some
dying parishioner, without glass of some
IT, thing to prevent his taking cold? How
ve could he attend to the various ecclesiastica
he meetings Of the church without something
ne to help him bear the fatigues of the journey
The sacrifice was indeed great, but the vel
nc fare Of his son demanded it. And sum
a. moning all his resolution, with faltering
voice, he replied I aOiH do 1t, my Son,-
I And thus, they pledged themselves to tota
no. abstinence.
ed The lake, the trees, and the pure blu
az sky, were the only witnesses, save only tha
~ holy Being who is everywhere. AS the
pct retraced their steps, his father taking tb
: little watch from his pocket, gave it to Den
,ad ME, and said, My son, you have long wish
ed that | should give you this watch. 1t
yours as long as you keep your promise
Should that ever be broken, shall expec
you to return it to me till then, let it be
token to you of this promise we have no
made
On Years have passed, and the same littl
orn m Dennie' is now distinguished clergyma
owe in one of our most populous Western cite
10 -Four bright little boys call him father. II
oro same little gold watch decorates his par't
nm. mn wall, and often Goes he point to it and te
1cb Of his danger and his escape from the whiI
an pool Of Intemperance.