Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-08-31
Gempfrunfr RpnAinq.
From the Temperance Monthly.


Cherry street, observed very ragped.
addressed specimen of humanity approach
ing me BY cross street, and beckoning to
me to stop. What can this man want with
me? was the first inquiry that presented
itself to my mind. BE was evidently drunk.
and SO altogether repulsiye was his appear
ance, that | concluded TO walk on but
some irresistible force seemed to chain me
to the spot, and I calmly awaited his ap-
proach 8
/" Good morning, Doctor--how do youl
do. my old school-fellow-glad to see yon
have pet here for your Inspection las
swollen foot.) aCome, don't Ita5seI yess knoa aoa
me ?-sFm drunk and ragged but know
you havn't forgotten Tom Forester And
at these last words, his face wore an ex-I
preston of mingled melancholy and shame
which | can never forget He had spoken
right. Truly knew him-knew him as
an old class-mate, aud knew every chapter
in the history of his downward course to
ruin and shame.
took him to my office, examined his
foot, which was very badly confused, gave
him prescription, and, after obtaining a.
pledge from him that he would drink no
more, let him depart, taking care to follow
him unobserved to grocery. afterwards
learned he begged for pint Of whskey,
telling the grocery keeper the infamous lie
that the Doctor had advised him to bathe
bis foot with it, at the same time telling
the man he had Go money. However, as
might have been expected, lie went away
without that balm of GIead with which he
vainly hoped to heal all bis wounds in the
Bacchanalian revelries of drunkenness.
4 Reader, would you know the history of
this miserable man? If so, go with me to
little village in one of our Western States.
There he was my school-fellow there
had learned to look up to him as one of su-
perior attainments. With him are associa-
ted some of the most pleasurablc recolItc-
tions of my school-boy days; for | was
then boy, and he young man, the boas-
ted pride of all who knew him. Fathers
pointed him out to their sons as model
for emulous action, mothers recommended
him to the favorable consideration of their
fair daughters, and young men ,courted the
acquaintance of the dashing, yet yirtuous
. and moral Tom Forester. In fine, he
seemed the very embodiment of all that
was good and true, while in personal ap-
pearance, he was almost without an equal
in the village and school; and what made
Two years passed on from the time
!. had formed his acquaintance, when ;
change occurred which created quite sen
! sation in the private circles of our roman
5 tic little village. Tom went off to North
e ern college with high hopes of success
As he left the parlor of old Mr.. Raymond
starting tear-drop was in his calm blu,
/. eye. He snatched the parting kiss from
J the hand of the old mans daughter-th
t gentle and lovely Annie. That mornin!
S she had promised to share his destiny, AM
S be his bride when he returned from college
t. Autumn and winter, spring and summer
!, flew swiftly by, and Tom returned, one {
! ! the brightest graduates of his Alma Nate
= Many were the complimentary parties gi,
& en- to him; and, as he "tripped upon tn
d light fantastic toe" or strayed in the vi
,e lage green with the beautiful Annie by b
50 side, lone was happier than he, and nor
of looked forward to future Joy with sweet
n, anticipations than the beautiful Annie Ra,
10 mond.
% Two months after his return he was ma
" ried; and, as the blushing Annie stood
e. the altar, the bridal wreath which entwine
her brow, became loose and fell to the f1oo
er A slight stir in the audience indicated th
ce this was noticed; but all passed off ples
70 antly. -. ...
=, ad Reader, could our simple story end he
all would be well; but pass over few yes
lat Of sunshine and storm with the young &C
his pie, and again visit that once happy c.
tage home. You no more see the brig
smile play upon the dimpled cheek Of
ew once fair mistress. She now hangs sad
no, no with the tear-drop glistening in her e
ntS over two helpless and starving children
ap- Intemperance has entered this Eden
to happiness, and, like the scorching bre:
di- of Ktna's lungs, has withered every gre
by bough of happiness that once waved gen
ere around her confiding heart. Tom ForI
m mno' ter had become drunken vagabond.
~ 'on, for whom she had left all the nameless
ave dearments that clustered around her CHI
hoods home, had strewn her connul
ad- path with thorns, instead of the bri
flowers of enjoyment.
De, Time passed on, and wandered aS
eao to seek some profession; but once again
lets ,sS. turned to R. Tom no longer ha
Pa home. The wife who had so wildly 10
him in youths sunny hours, had pas
the away, and slept where the cypress ws
a. its dropping branches. The children,
e. left without mothers solicitous care,
Alpine lambs, have found home in h
York er and greener pastures.
ar Reader, need We say morel
fairs
rob ''Thus had the ruby. sparkling wine
oun- Banished love from its holiest shrine:
s for 1t placed in its stead wreath of woe,
Eu- In the faded hopes of long ago.
IN of
4 the 'The crowning bliss Of woman's life,
that Is breathed in the gentle name of wife;
it. at And the deepest pang that her heart can X
paw Is the blighted love of long ago."
r-tra- Nashville, Tenn.
to by ~.
year TEE FOUNDATION OF CHARAcrER.-Integr
wish the foundation of all that Is high in ehar
They among mankind; other qualities may add
-