Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-06-04
The Doings of Alcohol.

On whatsoever hcarth.stone my foot shall
be planted, the gladstone fire shall 90 our.
to be lighted no more forever and the roof
tree shall fall and the voices of children hc
hnshed, and all that men cluster arcunl
them, to make their earthly home so much
like heaven, shall vanish like wreath Of
smoke, and desolatioa brood over the ruins.
1 will pointthe som : knife against the faith
er's throat, and bis gray hair shall dip with
gore. Where war ard vengeance are. I
will ronse their fury to tenfod rage, and
blot from the soldiers breast fbe lsst ves-
tige of humanity. The incendiary's 5 torch
shall be my banner the erackliug flames
OF burning innocence, the music of my
march
Pestilence shall follow me as a shadow:
and | will open unto him the gates of
million dwellings, which else had been Sc
cure. | will spread famine and disea.e
even in the lands of plenty and health, and
Will seal up the eyes of all nv victims 50
that they shall not see nor know that their
next plunge is into perdition. will sweep
whole continents of their inhabitants, ami
give woes and SORROWS and wounds witt
out cause" to the whole race of man. Yet,
whosoever in wounded by me, shall seek
me as bid treasures to be wounded vel a.
gam. will bind upon their brows the
iron crown of suffering, burning with hell
fire, that shall scorch and scar and eat into
brain and soul, yet shall they fall down aud
worship me, and, for my sake part with
houses and lands, and wife and children,
and hope and heaven.
Let Jehovah send forth spirits, pure as
the snowy-fake, to dwell in earthly bodice;
| will seek them out, and kinile in their
hearts aud unqutnchable fire that shall con-
sumo them and the chrIubim shall watch
long f'r their Father In Heaven. The stu
deut at his books, the mechanic at his tolls,
the laborer at the plow, will destroy, and
none shall stay me. | will coil myself in
the brain of the seacaptain, aud seal up his
eyes, and so dis'ort them that he shall
know neither chart nor compass and his
vessel and all on beard shall be engulfed,
aud the bones of the mariners Hhien the
bottom of the ocean | will be the omni-
press mt curse of humanity, and under my
guidance the race shall walk forever as in
the shadow of au eclipse. Eyes they have,
but shall see not; ears they have, but shall
hear net, the ends aud the purport of the
crooked paths through which | will lead
them.
will take the sons of the kings and the
mighty men, AMI the captains, anu the great
Rarndf ddess sisi i pal, iltll,vtii sseattn;- -rrpt
tati"n, life itself, and fill their last hour
with torment. Around their dying couch
es will send serpent forms, unfolding coil
after coil from cut the darkness, brandish-
ing their forked tongues To sting them, and
liyk their bleed rs fierce flame licks up its
fuel. Thoughts shall become things, liv-
ing things, 10 mock and curse them And
some in their agony shall leapinto this burn
ing lake, in hope to escape still greater tor
ture; and some will hold upon the brink
and rejoice when | sec every nerve Shrek
ing with agony, as | open TO their startled
gaze the horrors of that pit In which |
plunge them forever!
Vel thi, is lot all. know that you will
laugh, (if 6ends can laugh) when tell you
that | will so manage that mankind shall
all along think me their friend Though
it is my Raission to Torture aud de stroy the
whole race of Adam, yet SO will | mix with
their business, their pleasure and their dali
ly habits; so ffatter and delude their stupid
senses, that they shall pronounce me a
"good creature, nay ''crcature of God -
At the wedding feasts will be the course
of JOY, and at the funeral gathering. the
solace of their SORROW The rank grass
shall grow over those slain by my hand, and
the mourners shall forget it, and fall in
their turn The father shall commend me
to his son, and reeling to his grave, shall
leave him as an Inheritance, fondness for
me; and the son shall follow iC the foot
steps of his father, down to perdition. The
physician shall invoke my aid in sickness
and in all circles will plant myself Sc
curely, and make myself companion anc
familiar, and men shall never be so merry
as in the presence of their deadliest foe.
Poetry shall lend me her ose-gaIland
and music her charm and the spirit 0
! melody shall speak from myriad harps t.
sound my praises, and which the worl,
with the idle dream that am the inspire
of mirth and the soul Of happiness and al
good fellow ship; aud if there be one Of al
that glorious race, from whom yon planet
from their golden urns pour down their 81
; lent, everlasting cararact Of light who ex
l GELS his fellows, will lure him with song
and visions of beauty, and strew bis pat
with rose leaves, till at last he shall wal
! needless into my coils. And, once N,
slave, though thousand should weay
; their heart-strings around hiw, and wee
tears of blood, be shall, in all hi> pride an
} beauty, sink deeper, aud in tribulati"n an
anguish uuuttcrable dig bis own path wa
e down 10 hell