American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1855-04-26
FOIE YOUNG WEN.
He DniSKs


late its a pity How his mother hopes
that he viii not when be grows older,and
bis sisters persuade themselves that it 10
only few wild oats that he is sewing
And yet old men shake their heads and
feel sad and gloomy when they speak Of
it; for whoever stopped and did not at some
time give way to temptation.
II is dangerous TO triAe with pleasure.
Each step that she leads us away from the
path Of rectitude, leaves US less desire to
return. Each time that she induces US to
deviate, we mustgo little further to OBJ
tain the same enjoyment. Even with in
creased experience we resolve 10 walk in
the path Of duty, we follow il with more
dificultyif we have once allowed our
selves TO wander.
Pleasure stands at a gate ever open, and
she invites US to enter her gardens. She
tells usthat we need not fear, for we can
return when we choose. She calls to the
pilgrim on the dusty highway of life, and
way-worn and weary as be is. she invites
him to enter. She-points him to men that
are again upon the road, men who once
whiled away some time in her dominions,
but have now resumed their journey. He
does not know the self-reproach and the
weakness they felt on leaving her bowers,
nor the increased difficulty with which
they tread the path of daily life. He
wishes, and then turns, and then looks in.
He will enter for little while But he is
soon bewildered in enjoyment. His sens
es reyel in the fragrance. He is on en-
chanted ground. He is sure that he can
return. And that he will return, after he
has been little further; yet with every
step he feels less desire to do so. Ofwhat
profit is it 10 him now, that the gate stands
open? AS he wanders along, the air be-
comes more exhilerating. and the fruits
more highly favored. The breezes be-
come warmer, the fragrance is more pun
gent, and the flowers more aromatic. His
senses are intoxicated, and his desires be-
come infamed. The flowers that bios
somed along bis morning path, the little
modest flowers that opened their meek
eyes, sparkling with dew, and smiled on
him as he set out on his journey are for
gotten. The duties that he owes to him.
self, to lis fellow-men, to his God, all are
forgotten; he goes restlessly forward to
enjoy hotter breezes, more stimulating
fruits and more narcotic odors. What a.
walls to him now, that the gate remains ev-
er open.
But already these pleasures have begun
to fail. Some strange influence is benumb-
ing his senses. He finds apples with ash
es at the core. Hot winds are blistering
his flesh, but he feels no wound. Excess
of pleasure is becoming pain. He has
reached the marshes where the garden ol
Pleasure borders on the vale, and shadow
Of death, and he wo'd fain take refuge in
oblivion. He sits down under the shade ol
the Aconite, and binds his throbbing
temples with wreaths of its dull foliage
The night of despair is fast closing in up
on him. Darkness like blanket, shuts
out the light of Heaven, and the tremb-
ling madness fires his brain. Shiny SER
pents are in attendance upon him. They
| glide around noiselessly, end lull him in
drowsy folds. Worms are necessarily
| IVY lstlnB III tne SEAM, oi hlS OiOthinS. ~
visible tends are gathering around him
ike ravens. They wait ;mpatiently. He
hears the rustling of their skinny pinion'
and he feels the air moved little by them
Their eyes of FIRE are shining on him from
their viewless bodies, and the air is thicl
with muttering. Out from the darkness
comes the voice oftbe worm claiming hin
as her brother, and the voice of corruption
calling him my SON. and with chill ht
curses God and dies. 'At the last it bitetl
like serpent and stingeth like an adder.
Young man, just commencing life, buoy
ant with hope, poS'T DRINK. You ar
freighted with precious cargo. Th'
hopes of your old parents, Of your sisters
: of your wife, Of your children. are all laiC
upon you. In you the aged live over a
gain their younger days; through you on
" can the weaker ones attain position i
society, and from the level on which 20
place them must your children go into tn
great struggle of life Country Gentleman