Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-08-20
Who Slew all These?
AN AUTHENTIC NARRATIVE

ABOUT twenty years ago, Mr.. and Mrs.
-, decent and respectable people, re-
moved with a family of children from the
country to aneighboring town, where they
purchased a small house and lot, and liv-
ed comfortably. Their family, however,
increasing to five boys, they removed to the
shore-the town being situated on a river
and in addition to their former means
of obtaining a living, erected a sign, and
provided entertainment" for such as
chose to call on them. They were tempe
rate people, accounted honest, and sent
their children to the most respectable
school in the place. In a short time it
was perceived that they too frequently par
took Of the entertainment" as it is call
ed, which they provided for their custom
ers. The habit of daily measuring the
poison to others, induced them to taste for
themselves their house was not as respec-
table as formerly restraints were removed
and although they were not druhkards, they
gave evidence that they used too freely the
deadly drug which they fearlessly handled.
If the temperance reformation had been at
that time commenced, they might have been
warned of their danger; and Rved from
ruin but nothing arrested their progress
in the path of the destroyer.
Their children, who used to be clad with
garments which denoted a mothers indus
try, soon began to bear marks Of neglect,
and were by degrees withdrawn from the
school-their parents, because Of hare
times, not being able to support then
there. They consequently lounged about
became acquainted with thqGustomers al
the bar, and learned their evil habits, es
pecially that Of drinking.
The parents had commenced the sale 0
intoxicating drinks to become rich but a
the end Of a few years it had reduced then
to poverty. They had lost Their respecta
bility, their honesty, and their property
which was m~ortgaged for run their chi
! dren had become vagabonds, and thei
+ house a receptacle of vice. OF all thei
five sons, not one escaped the infection
they and their miserable parents wallowe
I in the mire together.
In consequence Of the dreadful exec
r to which she had abandoned herself, IL
+; imagination of Mrs.-became Disorders
d aud conjured up horrible visions. In h
fits of the delirium ~frenens, she fancit
herself bound with a belt OF brass, to While
y was attached a chain held by the great en-
my of souls, who had indeed unclaimed b
with this most dire and ~effectual Of all |
spells. She would cross the room with t
u rapidity of lightning, screaming that
ID has winding up the chain, and she must
she could not stop. She was afraid
| pass her W threshold, and fancied S
s. heard unearthly voices, and saw spin
black and hideous all around her. "Th'
cd they sit" she would say, j, NJ
ad mentioning the Of all her childre
p "there they sit, grinning at me, and tell
VI; me | sent them to hell they are on
od beams and in the corners, and whereye
mt 60"
do The writer of this has often witness
her desperate struggles has seen her,wl
u a CLEAN Of reason came over her mi
90 weep in bitterness over her ruin and N
cry; has heard confession of deeds of
lainy committed under her roof and
lie heard also her solemn vows to refrain fl
that which wrought all this misery and S
but after all this, has seen her "seek it
again"
i. All the arguments which religion
offer were set before her, aud she Of
Is felt, OF appeared to feel, their force, aud
ire solved but the deadly wave seemedt to b
on retired to gather new force, aud again sw,
ac- over her aud Frustrated her lower t
Of " the beasts that perish" There can
no more e%ffectual barrier against the Y,
: of Of conscience, the powerful inAuenc
ure natural affection, and the ~strivings of
,art blessed Spirit Of God, than the use of
nit toxicating drinks.
ro- Her husband had made himself liter
on a beast his appearance was scarcely
With man bloated, discolored, totteriug, u
his ing curses, and sometimes threatening
life. Her constitution after a while
ot- way, aud she sank in death, snoring
the few last days of her existence in a
dor of stupor, covered with rags and fit
! as Her husband had SO benumbed every
.mu- ing of humanity by his excess, tha-
the seemed very little affected by her de
and and to one who reminded him of their
q in mer responsibility, and spoke of the Wr
ed state to which they were reduced
first ging him powerfully, over the dead
n all of his self-murdered wife, now to desis
,oint replied stupidity, that there is an Gle,
,lder hour.
Who'll -Four or five years have elapsed, an
the is still in the same state of beastly d