Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-01-20
From the Presbyterian.
THE BEGINNING AND TIE END.

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From the Presbyterian.
THE BEGINNING AND TIE END.
H was the child of pious parents,
prospering in the world, with an abun-
dance of good things for all about them.
tie was brought up in the lap of indul-
gence, humored in every whim, and be-
fore he had left the leading strings, gave
evidence that already he was a spoiled
child.
At six years old he was trouble to
the household; wayward, disrespectful
to his parent, passionate and overbear-
ing to his young companions, and exact
ing towards all. At fifteen he was be-
yond the reach of paternal restraints.
His will was law to the family. His
teachers finding him unmanageble, he
had gone the rounds of the schools. He
was out regularly every night, sometimes
to late hours, frequently at the theatre,
and always in bad company. He had
gained the reputation Of being a wild.
ill-behaved lad. His parents now dis
covered that he was unpromising but
having failed to restrain and correct him
at the proper period, he was beyond their
control.
H reached his eighteenth year.
He had, in the meantime, been sent away
to College. Idle habits and depraved
tastes unified him for study. He was
disciplined before many months had
passed, and his father was written to
about him. Before his second term had
closed he was dismissed, and had re-
turned to his home, a grief to his family.
Three years more passed, and when the
wayWard youth emerged from his mi
nority, he was a sad spectacle to look
upon. His eyes bloodshed his face
flushed and bloated; his air that of an
inebriate his temper irascible in the
last degree. For days in succession, he
was absen; from his home, no one knew
where; and when he returned, it was
with unmistakable signs of debauchery.
A fathers earnest remonstrances, and
mothers supplications and tears were
alike unheeded.
At twenty-three, the work of destruc-
ton had been completed. H had
been often in the hands of the police
his name had been frequently reported
for various misdemeanors in the morn
ing papers; he reeled in the street in
open day, and was picked up at night in
the cutters, and carried home beastly
drunk. Fearful attacks of delirium tire.
mems seemed to possess him with legions
of devils, and made his very presence
terror. Before his twenty fifth year was
completed Il was dead. His wretch
ed career fastened him to a premature
grave. He was seized with delirium
tremens, and lay for days in house of
profigacy before his parents knew it.
When, at length, they repaired to him,
they were but in time to find him in the
last phrensies of his terrible malady. As
if chased by q band of demons, be shrunk
from the approach of those whose hearts
yearned over him; and with eyes glar-
ing like orbs of fire, and fierce curses on
his lips, in the midst of perdition-like
horrors, the vital thread was snapped,
and his wretched soul hurried out of life.
The agony, the woe that overwhelmed
the stricken parents, as they looked upon
the besotted remains of their once darling
boy, what pen can describe? During
years that passed after he was laid in the
grave, they were broken hearted. The
mother wore the marks of premature old
age the fathers head was early bleach
ed by the sorrows of his deart.
Who was guilty of the ruin of this un-
happy youth! Naturally strong pas
sions and bad company were means to
wards the end !; but the chief authors of
his wretched career were those whose
hearts were crushed because of him.
They could deny him nothing; they hu-
mored his caprices they had not the
resolution to resist him, nor to correct
him; passion was allowed to run riot
and when the tragic, heart-rending end
came, it was but the fair and natural
sequence from such a beginning. The
child was father to the man !: to the neg
lect OF proper parental restraint and cul.
ture in childhood, must be attributed a
subsequent career of wretchedness and
sin. The foolish indulgence of falsely
kind father and mother was his ruin.
Parents would you avert from your
children a like terrible, sorrowful end
apply in time the corrective take care
of the beginning.