Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-03-19
ORIGINAL PAPERS,
For the Spirit Of the Age.
THE DEADLY UPAs TREE"
A FANCY SKETCH

FANCY SKETCH.
Dedicated 10 the Young Realers Of the Age
by AN INVALID.
'I promised you last night, Harry said
my Uncle Oscar to me, one bright morn.
ing in May, to show you this morning a
tree in our own midst and in this goodly |
City Of ours, far more pestiferous and fatal
than the deadly Upas,' description of
which you read last night, as growing in
the islands of the far off East, and which
possesses properties Of so poisonous char
acter, that no being can approach sufh-
ciently near it rs to nhale the infected at
mosphere by which it is surrounded and
escape with its life. | was not jesting,
aud if you will take your hat and accom-
Tauy me, will first show you some of the
leaves and fruit which have fallen from this
tree, and will then point out the location
of the deadly Upas' itself but must
warn you to shun it as you would the lair
Of the blood thirsty Lion
/ eagerly complied with his suggestions,
and was soon jogging along by the side of
the venerable old man, whose grey locks
and trembling steps too plainly attestcd
that the stout staff upon which he leant
was no useless appendage. We had pro
ceeded but few PAGES when we were met
by a creature, which bore some resemblance
to human being but whose filthy, tat
tered and haggard appearance indicated an
humble position in the scale Of humanity /;
and whose tottering gait and scnseless glib
berish betrayed, even to my inexperienced
eyes, a willing votary at the shrine of
Bacchus. There said my Uncle Oscar,
is one Of the objects of our search-a leaf
from the deadly Upas.' Alas, poor Jack
son once the merry-hearted and promis-
ing lad, the ambitious and talented youth,
the highmiuded and honorable man now
the prostituted sot, the vagrant outcast.-
How degraded How fallen Alas that
he should have vontured so near to the
deadly Upas.'
Scarcely had we turned the corner Of
the street, before our progress was again
arrested by an assemblage of persons who
had collected to witness the dying strug
giles of murdered man, and who were now
holding post mortem examination over
his dead body. The investigation wa:
soon made and verdict rendered to The
= effect, that, hc GENE to nc death from
certain stabs inflicted upon him in rem
contre with an individual whom he had as
sailed in the street while both were unde
the influence Of ardent spirits. The on
was laid in his last resting place in the be
som Of mother Earth, while the other wa
led away to expiate his crimes, in all prot
ability, upon the gibbct. Both these mer
Harry, said my Uncle Oscar, 'occupie
prominent positions in our community, th
heads of happy and prosperous families
who little dream Of the calamity which
about to burst upon them. They were nj
habitual drunkards, and but seldom owe
stepped the bounds which the world ha
marked out as prudent. 1t was in one
these social or gentlemanly sprees' thu
they transcended the prescribed limits, an
ventured too near this deadly Upas.' b
hold the consequences
But let us hasten on. Do you see thi
wretched aud diIapidated howell, bearin
the unmistakable marks of extreme pove
ty and rapid decay and fast crumbling int
ruins, just opposite that princely mansio
surrounded by all the appliances that wealt
can furnish? Well, the miserable inmate
of that poverty stricken hut, were fe
years ago the proud possessors of tn;
magnificent palace. They, too, ventured tt
near this deadly Upas.'
We resumed our ramble and after threa
ing labyrinth of streets, we at leng
paused at that part Of the City known
the Public Square. There, said n
Uncle Oscar, pointing to a large and il
posing cdiGce Of stone, with lofty column
is our City Hall There do the Agen
and Ministers Of law dispense their rigl
eous and impartial decisions, and award
transgressors the punishment due to Grim
Let US enter for a moment, and we ma
perhaps, even in it's sacred portals, 6
some Of the objects of our pursuit.
death-like silence lervaded the Temp
Of Justice Not a whisper was to
heard save the solemn tones of the Jude
as he pronounced sentence upon you
man, who sat pale and trembling in t
Bar, against whom the Jury had just rt
dored verdict of Forgery. From t
charge, we learnt that the prisoner v
the son Of one Of cur most prominent G
zcns, whose name | had often heard col
led with wealth and distinction. Bel
an only son, no means were spared to c
tiyatc his mind, aud prepare him to att
proud niche in the Temple of Fame
But it was all useless, for under the in
encc of evil company, he rapidly trod
downward road that leads to ruin. ]
duced to want and beggary, abandoned
his friends and associates, with every
timent Of virtue cuervated by his demo
iziug habits; in a moment of tempta
he committed the crime of which he
been convicted. This is but one of
many evidences continued the lear
Judge, (which are constantly being
sented, of the inciieicncy and iniguit
our present License System. In pc
of over twelve years, during which
occupied a seat upon this bench, at
nine-teuths Of the cases which have
brought before me, have had their OF
in the vice of lntemperance. God ho
the day when this shall be obviated by
enactment Of some judicious system of
hibitiou or legal restriction
Thus you see even here said my
Gle Oscar, these poisonous fruits n
CIR, as We are assured by the judge, W
statement is corroborated by the col