St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1858-01-07

i"ui'ii"i, put can give you no eXpla.
nation"
"The circumstances are these: | had
contracted large debt and one which
| was not prepared to meet. Yestcr-
day, Redgree, my creditor, positively
declared his determination to have the
whole amount Immediately. Irclated
to him my situation, and he finally
consented to give me six months cred
it if | could obtain good security
otherwise he should proceed agains
me according to law. | travelled from
house to house in order to obtain tn,
good security but in vain. Every
body had debt of their own to paw
and were unwilling to put their names
to any note ofmine. Disheartened with
my poor success, | returned home full
ly expecting that the unfeelng hand
of the law would close my store and
send me upon the world at this late
hour poverty-stricken: but what was
my surprise this morning to find this
note awaiting my arrival at the store,
a receipt for the full amount"
"a friend in need is a friend indeed
Harry"
Yes, very true, but to be the re
cipient of an unknown and unheard OF
friends liberality is, is-humiliating."
Not at all, Mr.. Worral. rest assur.
ed time will act as an Interpreter of
this mystery. But how happens it,
my friend, that you are 50 much in
volved in debit"
There is the explanation, SIR and
Harry pointed to two men engaged at
a game of whist
at is not possible, my friend, that
you have thus foolishly bartered your
time and fortune. 1t is supposed by
the world that the poor come here to
get rich, not the rich poor
"At my fathers death, Mr.. Sockly,
fell heir to magnificent fortune. l
was young then and foolish, and some
how became possessed with the idea
that there is certain kind of inability
connected with plenty of money, and
fast horses, gaming-tables and drink
ing parties. Such being my foolish
idea | was easily led astray, and when
once a skiff' is started with the tide it
needs no rowing to seld it farther and
farther on the downward course. The
end of this dissipation is loss of prop
erty. loss of friends, loss ofcredit, loss
of a clear conscience, and had almost
| added loss of soul"
Talk not so, Harry, the star of
hope still waits to guide thee to the
haven of security. If you will but
learn lesson from the past, the future
is bright with promise; bright even
yet.
You are strange genius, Mr..
Sockley," said Harry, thoughtfully.
"One bad man generally helps another
on to ruin; but you are always expos
tulating with me, and l hesitate not
to say that | have received more SEN
siblc advice from you, than from all
the so-called Christians that every Sab
bath, Pharisee-like, make a great pa
rade of their piety.'
My interest in you must be my
excuse if one is needed; and now |
want you to promise me that you will
never play another game of cards, or
rather that you will never enter q
gambling saloon again"
cannot promise you that. Ihave
too much respect for oath to be willing
thus to tritie-for if were to promise,
tw enty-four hours would not pass be-
fore | should break it, and thar would
add one more sin to the already black
catalogue"
What is the reason, Harry, that
you could not keep promise of this
nature ?"
" The force of habit.
True, habit is an imperious tyrant
nevertheless | will not believe but one
may thwart him and yet succeed.
There have been reformations more
wonderful than yours will be. The
course of ones desires has been turned
into a different channel, and the sin to
which the very soul was once welded,
has become as loathsome as the ven.
omous reptile"
1t may have been So" said Harry
1t IS so-and you are going to
exemplify the triumph of principle
over the force of habit in your case.
Now promise me you will try to re-
form"
will-try."
That is all ask. Let us leave
this place. You must learn to spend
your evenings with your wife"
The two left the saloon together, and
walked toward the dwelling of the
young merchant, nor did Mr.. Sockley
leave him until the hall door closed
behind his manly form; then, unbut-
toning his tightly-fitting coat, he hast
lily walked away, and was soon lost
to sight.
Mr. Worral," said q domestic, as
he was entering the parlor, "Tom
came about an hour ago for you to so
to Mr.. Eberlie's."
is any thing the matter, Nina ~
"Yes, sir, Mr.. Eberlie is very sick"
"Where is Mrs. Worral, Mina?"
"She went with Tom, sir, and told
me to tell you as soon as you came in"
But very few minutes elapsed ere
Harry stood by the bedside of his
father-in-law. Three physicians were
in attendance, each trying to fan the
spark of life, and yet each well assur.
ed of its uselessness. The disease
was a cardiac affection, always dang
erous, particularly so in this case.
The paroxysms of dyspn9a We're truly
distressing and alarming; these were
followed by deep syncope, approach
ing the character of asphyxia. One
hour and half the sufferer lay gasp.
ing and fainting. Now the arterial
action was entirely suspended, now
he would suddenly revive-revivt
only to pass through the same tor
turing pains again; but at last it came
death came.
THE silver cord loose4 and the golden bowl broken,
Death has its culver full Of poison
ed darts that strike, and wound, and
tester, and destroy. One man fingers
, long and suffers much, and wastes