Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1860-01-27
MI sc Il l. l. A n Y.
STORY OF RICHARD MILLER.

opening Of my story, with his wife and
child aud by economy and the closest at
tention TO business. he managed to lay up
six hundred dollars. This SUN he would
undoubtedly 80 increased a. To place him
sell and family beyond the reach Of want in
few years, had it not been for tha, in.idu-
Gus monster, consumption. Tbs fell de-
s,royer came to him, as usual in such cases,
in a had cold, and for long time hc aat'
tered himself into the belief that il wa. on
ly a bad cold. but Ikea ,killful sapper aud
miner, I, soon undermined his constitution
aud he began to have some fain, gIimmcr'
ing Of his real condition.
There was no use in staying Any longer in
the west, "a ho sold out hi. stock aud fix.
ture.. and returned to Philadelphia. where
he took up hs permanen. abode. Having
become entirely too weak TO work. be spent
h' days in that inactive bu, pe,ulant state
% common 10 con,umptivc,.
One day he took 1t into his bead to con,
suit an cminsn, phy,ician-onc Of the pro.
fc,.ors OF medical college-in order to as
crrtain bis true condition. IIs called on
him. stated hi. case aud underwent, the u..
ual examination.
Young man." said tho professor, your
lungs are badly affected, aud ! am only deal
ins frankly with you when lay, that in
my opinion. you arc no, long Tor this
world"
Millor's heart sank within him rs he
heard hrs doom. lie had the most implci,
confidence m tho professor; and, as hO
slough, OF his wife aud child, no fcli very
much as II for the future, the world would
DO a blank 10 bin.
"Did YOU ever drink whi,kcy?" inquir.
cl the professor, as no paced the room.
"NcV,r, cIccp, on one or perhaps two
occasions, uid Miller.
You can keep yourself alive two year.
probably thrce-bJ tho moderate uss Of
wankey. l. i'a dangerous prescription
but IN giving it to you have reason to be-
lie,s that you will no, lot it obtain the
mastery over you. &c, the best whiskey
you can buy. aud drink pint day Of it.
Poor Miller. ready TO grasp at the meresI
shadow Of relief, wen, to a liquor store and
purchased a dsmyohn OF Bourbon whiskey.
aud commenced taking doses Of /, at inter.
walls throughout the day.
\ year rolled away, and Miller wa. much
improved. III. cough was easier, and tie
stimulus appeared to imrar, a kind Of ar.
tidcial strength to his body but regret to
say, his appetite which mover before era'sd
alcoholic drinks. had abnormal condition.
to appcase which, it now required not less
than quart per diem. lie fel, that he
Wa. not doing much toward reiarding hI,
march down TO the grave but the heavy
dose, of alcoholic stimulant, invested the
past, present and future with u feeling Of
obliyiousncss that wa. quite relief to bis
melancholy broodlns over his misery when
be was properly himself.
When IN thi, state Miller loved solitude,
and he frequently walked as far away from
home as hi. strength would permit him
generally in the neishborhood Of the brick
yard, in the southwest part Of the city.
Ono day having extended his walk be.
yond his usual limits, and being oV0rtaken
by u thundtr.storm when he reached the
brickyarls, he took shelter under the shed
Of one Of them. Having drank an unusual
quantity Of whiskey during ths day, he fell
asleep upon the whcel.bArrow On which he
was resting, while the storm was still ras.
Ing nor did he awake until dawn Of next
day mild and beautiful June morning.
At first he was mys,fed but soon recalled
to hi. recollection the storm aud the brick.
yard. and feeling somewha, drowsy, he
composed himself for another nap. IL is
uncertain how long he ,lep,-prOhably not
over half an hour--but during that time he
had u remarkable vision lie dreamed on,
the principle. Of u machine for making
briek-a machine that would in great
measure superccdo all hand labor. Every
wheel, cog and casting, passed through his
brain, aud in his dream he even saw the
machine in practical operation. When he
awOke it was quito light, aud he ha,tened
toward. bis home. Ills mind was entirely
taken up with the machine, hi. dream hav-
ing evidently made an impression upon him
as indellibe as any idea ever conceived in
his mos. wakeful hours. Long before he
reached his home lie had resolved TO carry
out the spirIt OF his dream. Altor break.
ias, he made the necessary preparations to
work out model. Tho obstacles that in-
tervensd were legion, but ho overcame them
all. Tools that he could no, borrow he
bought, aud il was now that he went to
work most patiently and perseverlngly,
paying very little attention to the whiskey,
as bis whole soul appeared wrapped up in
one grand object.
ILL.,. wife, from the beginning Of the
work, thought that his mind wa, giving
way and the poor, patient. enduring wo-
man, took in sewing while he sawed, plan
cd and chissled at bis model. lle grew
moro.o and seldom spoke. Sometimes he
would gaze abs,rac.edly upon model for a
long time. and then, as II reassursl, he
would 60 to work again with renewed ener-
gyy; aud 50 he continued for many long
aud weary weeks until the model was final