Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-07-08
General iHtsrrIlanu.
THE PAUPER LIEUTENANT.

curly hair but lack of decision characterized
e his countenance--want Of frmuess was APP
parent in his manner. He was reading a
newspaper.
That is not one of your paupers - said
to the gentleman in charge
81 am sorry to say that he is, sir, he re-
piled.
$50 young so promising in appearance
really cannot understand it,. was my reply.
"Nor could any one not acquainted with his
history" was the reply "but let us resume
our walk By-and-by come this way he
will enter into conversation with you he is
not backward about it. don't know what
to make Of the man really"
"But how old is he r
"Twenty-nine years he looks even youn-
ger fear he has lost all proper ambition,
and, it may be- will end his life in the work
house"
He wandered along from one to the other.
The establishment was perfect; most Of the
paupers we're old and inhrm many of them
looked shamed- faced on being noticed. Poor
old men | suppose they had no children to
care for them,
In one of the Offices was the model Of a
ship. 1t was a splendid thing. From keel
TO masthead there was no fault in her. The
guns were beautifully carved Officers stood
on her quarterback, sailors in her rigging
Every coil Of rope, every shroud was exquisit
in finish and proportion. The boats were
secured, the sails all set Truly, she was a
regal object Behind this vessel was paint
ing representing the distant port.
My natural question was, "Who did that y
The poor fellow is dead, was the reply.
He was genius and a scholar. The mob
lest looking man, sir that you ever laid eyes
on You have seen that fine stone mansion
on Sedgwick street, Well. sir. he built that
house ten years ago, and paid thirty thousand
dollars for it, and yet, five years after, he was
in the poor-house
"What did it, sir; r.
"Rum."
That was the brief reply. Expressive,
was it not
"les. sir, rum. The last time he went
out his eyes were very much inhamed) the
doctor Of the institution handed him dollar,
saying, Bob, if you drink any more, you
will lose your eyes.
Bob looked at the dollar then turned to
the doctor with a most expressive glance, as
he said Then farewell the eyes .'
Horrible. wasn't it: In a months time
they were digging his grave. 1t was in the
corner of the church-yard. Nobody followed
the miserable body 1t laid in pine coffin,
and we only said. as we heard of it-'Poor
old Bob! That's all the epitaph a drunkard
gets, sir
Fifteen minutes after, was hunting up the
parsonage who had interested me so much.
! found him in the garden, hoeing potatoes.
/ We talked together on agriculture His
] Fpr 81 .l...1 ell J.
had an intimate acquaintance with books
with men. with nature
! We walked along. be showing me the prod
ucts of the soil Presently we came to an
arbor overhung with grapes, and sat down
together.
Pardon me- said ]. "if lake the liberty
Of asking YOU what brought you here at so
youthful an age:' His eyes dropped; he
raised them again, as he answered.
Rum r'
That brief word In my mind it is ass5-
ciated with all the horrors Of hell.
Presently he continued
81 have disgraccd an honorable name sir;
am bringing my family to shame and yet
have not the nerve to be better man
! was indignant at this confession. He
saw IL, and continued
do not blame me, sir you have not had
my trial have fallen from high place.
Eighteen months ago, | was lieutenant in
the navy. sir"
"ls it possible" was startled. shocked.
"Ies, sir, possible; reality, sir His
Zip quivered little he added have a
brother in the pulpit sir fine preacher,
man loved and respected How do you sup
pose he feels have a rich brother in New
York. They have both tried to save me-
Il was ruined in my youth. There is a
large oil store on the corner Of VI. and l..
streets. You have doubtless seen it. Be-
fore his DEATH my father carried on that
business. | went there regularly after it was
closed for the day, stealing from my home,
often from my bed, for the purpose of ca
rousing with three young fellows of my own
age. We told stories, we drank wine togeth-
or till midnight, then, with false key | had
made, would steal into my house and sleep
off my carouse. began that, sir, when
was but ten years Of age. Do you wonder |
was drunkard Of these boys, alone am
living. One of these boys shot himself an.
other was drowned drunk, and the third was
hung for murder only two months ago, The
fourth, you see, is not much better off, he
added with a sickly smile,
my habits began to be known at last to
my parents. 1t came near killing them. Be
fore l was eighteen hdd been brought home
drunk nearly score times. Sir, fought
with my habit, but it mastered me. The fend /
had me by the throat.
"Strange to say, once when was in liquor .
performed daring feat. | caught runa-
way horse. and by sheer strength succeeded /
in arresting his mad course Would that .
some power could have held me So was 4
much applauded for my heroism. But better /
than all the praise heard were the sweet
smiles upon the white face of she girl had |
saved from horrible death She was driv-
ing alone in the city, as had been her wont /
for months. l claimed the privilege of driv-
ing her home, as she was most thoroughly |
frightened You smile, sir but the exer-
ton, her graceful thanks, my own impulses
of gratitude had sobered me. sprang into
the vehicle, and in short time we stopped
at her fathers door. She invited me in. l |
thought | would at least describe the acc-
dent, and make some apology for my unex-
pected appearance.
81 told the story of the narrow escape to
an old man, whose brow and hair were whien-
ed with the frost Of eighty winters 1t was