Demoine courier., 1856-09-04
From Graham's Magazine.
A STRUGGLE WITH THE EVIL
# ONE.

7' ONE.
IT is really humrIiating 10 plate
human nature. Such a mixture Of folly
and vsni,y is there in ,s highes, aims.
that The heart must Away, turn away
sickened from the eon,em pla,ion of itself.
With Whist dentening weigh. did this
reflection res, on me. as I sat late one
Saturday nigh. over he dying embsrs Of
my fire! | was thinking over the events
OF the day. In The morning | had awak-
ened brigh, and hopeful. booking for.
ward TO a well-spent day, and now. a,
the end Of il. | "a, gloomy and dispiri,ed
in the contemplation of one worse than
wasted. Such is my life, Thought, or
such at leastit will be, unless make a
GREAT change. And why not! Won't
be happier! And as I missed over bro.
ken resolutions. and misspent time, l de-
termined hencefor,h TO live merely in
accordance with mans high destiny.
"Ha! hal" I almos, thought | heard
the devil in ny hear. laughing at this,
my oit-made and of, repeated. resolution.
started a. the memory OF my past good
intentions, and remembered tina, the
road to pandemonium is paved with
such.
Truly" ,koughs |. 81. is no. IN man
that walketh TO direc. his steps!"
Where ~i;hal." my soul exclaimed.
.'shall a young man cleanse his waysl"
"By taking heed ,hereun,o, according
to Gods word" whispered the sill,
small voice within me. And as these
thoughts rushed through my mind, cloth.
ed in the words Of a once welLloved
book, | remembered that / had cas-, j,
away and denied lie high inspiration.
"Yea." thought, for the FRS. time
IN many long. weary, dark mon.hs, "lhe
book must be true, for God knows we
cant do wi.hou, il. A, all even,s. | will
# #-AFat .EHaAF-# AaHF H |## ~
follow its dictates, in asking aid Of One,
that il mightier than |, to these, my
Intentions" And then the ,hought of
past resolutions broken. and past duties
neglected. no longer threw dismay over
my soul, bu, showed them to me a.
friendly beacons. In my heart was
v hispersd- II Etogz h .r7e
t.Trust no future. however pleasant,
Let the dead past, bury is dead;
Actl act! IN the living present. 81
Heart within, and God o'erhead."
And the dull weight Of care, like Apol-
yon, from the sword Of Christian. took
TO itself wings and few away. And
then as my soul rose up in resolution and
humility, ! ~,hough.. land who shall
blame the ,hough,!) Of one who. Of all
human beings, had exsrted tho strong
est and the best influence over me-
Sweet Mar, Mercer! One short year
before, our ,ro,h had been ~plighied. and
onv common hopes were bright and hap
py. Evil looks. evil companions, evil
thoughts had led me as.ray. I had sur
rendered the high hopes OF my faith. and
seemed given over TO a reprobats mind
Though il wrung her heart. she had %,
too high a value upon the book from
which she drew her very lie. 70 yoke
herself ~unequally with an unbelievsr.-
And 90 she had discarded me. More
and more reckless then had l become
A year had rolled away. spen, ia dissi-
patton and excess. hao bees mighty
to follow strong drink, and powerful in
wrcag doing. bu. in all good had 90,
used an iniant's strength.
The day before. a, Mrs. CIark's
party. l had been slightly intoxicated.-
Mary wei there. land oh! how pale and
suffering she looked,) and she observed
it. Her pale sweet. heavenly face. her
"meek, brown eye."prsachec me . more
sloquen, sermon than ever mans lips Ut.
tered. saw she loved me still. for.
when she ,hooghs / did 10. sec her. her
eyes rss'ed upon me with such a sad.
sorrowfol, yearning look. that il fell upon
my soul like the dsws Of Heaven. Il
made the dead. barren ashes OF my hear,
bloom afresh, aud | determined {bu, ah.
how proudly TO make myself worthy
Of her love. p H3
That night I dreamed a sweet dream
abcu. joys tina. were past. Once again.
as in days Of fore, my Mays head 70.
clined on my breast, and her deep, Ozark,
beautiful eyes looked up 10 mine with
proud love. "Ah! Horace" she breath
ed. 81 have had such fearful dream.-
I dreamed tina, you had given up the
hope re-, before you in the Gospel, and
had become 4 reckless. hardened inidel.
And oh! though my love was ii. strong
a. ever. my respect had lsd."
All! Mary. twas . fearful dream.-
May the reality never coms. And when
woLe + ds,armined that Il shonjd hs