Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1859-06-17
A TEMPERANCE STORY.

TWILIGHT was fast stealing Ger tn
earth, shutting out from view one Of tn
most beautiful days that ever smiled upoi
, the face of nature. A dark form wa
slowly vending its way along the dust,
turnpike. Suddenly beautiful ligh
bursts on his view. It is an old fashioned
mansion illumined by thousand lamps
with which fine grove ofoaks was lighted
The weary traveller stopped, and, leaning
against the verandah, listened to swee
strains of music that foated through The
old ancestral hall. "Ah" murmured he
"once l delighted in those scenes. They
will not know me now-seven years have
changed the bright, merry youth too
curse the baneful cup that has led me to
this. OF my God, l will repent. cried
he, sinking down upon the marble steps
Let us look into the brilliantly lighted
rooms. 1t is the wedding night of the
only daughter. She is a beautiful creature.
See she stands holding in her hand the
wine goblet that her young husband has
smilingly offered her. She raises it
to her lips, but does not taste. She
starts as if it were viper, "See "
she exclaimed, pointing with uplifted
finger to the wine-cup, ga fair haired youth
standing by his father, asking his consent
to go to the distant gold regions. The
father will not yield, and the youth NUT
ters to himself "I'll go without his con-
sent" And at night, with small bundle
in his hand, he steals softly down the
stairs, and out in the beautiful moonlight.
"Farewell''for ever" he murmurs, and a
tear starts into his eye as he looks back
on the old mansion for the last time. He
reaches the land of gold, and begins his
work in good earnest. But the tempter
comes and whispers in his ear. He goes
to the gambling table and stakes his money
and loses. Now the tempter whispers
another story: "Drown your sorrow in
the wine-cup." He tries, but during all
his gay hours with his companions, con-
science is at work Though he appears
gay, and sings the boisterous song of the
inebriate, he is miserable. AT last, worp
came that he had died in foreign land,
and been buried by the hand of strangers.
Father, would you have me drink this wine
how? this poison that has hurried one of
our once happy family to drunkard's s
grave? would you, o would you?" "No,
o my God, no" And the old man sank
upon a chair, and covered his face with
his hands. "My husband" and the
young bride turned to him to whom her
fond heart clung. "Howard, would you
have me drink this wine, when he, the
friend and playmate of your youth, died
drunkard2" and the young wife's eyes
filled with tears. "No, O! no"-and the
young husband dashed down,the wine cup
he had in his hands-down went the wine
cups that many young men had ready to
drink the health of the young BRIDE
There was pause, and it remained un-
broken till there was voice at the door,
that said "Sister, o, darling sister, 1 have
come back )" and in moment more the
traveller knelt at the feet of his sister,
Some good angel had led him to the door
and he heard his beautiful sister pleading
with his friends. "The Prodigal had re-
turned" Many were they that signed
the temperance pledge that night; and q
fervent prayer was offered up by the white
haired minister.
Four years had flown. On tho same
old-timo verandah, with the same flowers
mingling their perfumes, sits Howard
Leslie and his wife, Emma. Howard haf
his little boy, Willie, on his knee. The
gate opened, and a man of about thirty
years comes up the walk. You would
scarcely recognize the weary traveller
that We saw four years ago; ye'
it is the same, though not exactly; fol
then he was drunkard, now an able
minister Of the gospel A smile greet,
him, for he has been absent a week
"Onder's Uncle WILL" and little Will,
jumps off his fathers knee and runs tc
meet William Lane. Old Col. Lane, wher
he saw his children happy, said
Snow, Lord, let Thy servant depart in
peace" He and his good wife lie side by
side in the church-yard and large tomb.
stone covers the remains Of both
Howard Leslie is promising young
merchant, and cold water is his only drink
his wife, Emma, still his good angel
and William, good brother William, is
loved by all, especially little Willie. All
how happy will Emma Leslie be when in
Heaven She will see tha ransomed soul,