Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-09-05

~ SSAiSh AC uoAA"A1 "ANA DS $500 7
Her virtues blossom daily, and pour out !
A fragrance upon all who in her path I
Have a blest fellowship" WILLIS.
ooh that men should put an enemy
In their mouths to steal away their brains
GARD OF AVON.
We will now follow William Fairfield on
that morning after he promised an utter
abandonment Of the intoxicating draught, to
the time when the sad accident happened, to
which we have referred. AS he left his lone
ly dwelling after the entreaties of his wife to
dash down the wine cup, he hurried along
the streA yet a casual observer might have
detected that a war of c~ontending feeling was
shaking his once proud frame-that a fearful
combat between the Angel of good and the
Demon of evil, was then going on in his
mind. The sweet carnations of the autumn
nal songsters echoed on the morning breeze
as it gently blew amid the whitening branch
es of Summers fading glory, yet he heard
them not: his own thoughts monopolized
his mental faculties. AS he was thus pass
ing almost unconsciously along, he uttered
the following ~soliloquy-'Leola is too good.
If she would treat me harshly-censure me
as | deserve for my vicious conduct, and
blame me for our miserable condition, which
my own madness has incurred, it would be
some excuse for my i'll treatment, and would
in a measure alleviate my heart of its burden
which is daily and hourly crushing my very
existence. | feelmy guilt and condemnation,
see the degradation and shame which | have
brought upon her whom / welded in luxu-
ry, surrounded by every comfort and en-
joyment of life. [ can already behold the
whitening sarcasm of an unfeeling world
heaped upon our gentle Alice as the daugh-
ter of a despised drunkard. Yet notwith-
standing all my GOODNESS and brutality to-
wards her, she is to me a ministering angel;
| have abused and insulted her, disregarded
her supplications, and spurned with devilish
contempt her heavenly kindness in return
for this unmerited contumely, with tears of
sorrow coursing down her now wan and
wasted cheeks, she has been doubly kind
and forgiving. OIL that | could recall the
time which has been spentin drunkenness and
reyelry. OIL that | could live over again
my life l would consecrate to my God, the
soul now attainted with trangression-the
heart now defiled and contaminated by eve
ry imaginable sin. Ny fortune is %squander-
ed! not an iota remains of the patrimony in
herited from fond parents, or that accumula-
ted by my own industry in manhood's day.
[ was once courted and admired in the busi-
ness of professional life now | am an object
IF ridicule, despised and scoffed. Yes, Lee
ola, had | hearkened unto thee-had obeyed
the injunctions ofmy own conscience, | might
now have been honorable and respected, now
5 been shining brightly in the zenith of public
! favor; but alas! having in an unguarded
{ moment INDUCED in the social glass, think
: ing it misrepresented and harmless in its eff
fe{ts, the p~r~otidp and propensity has In
creased and strengthened with years, and |
feel now almost too weak to resist the temp
; tation; l feel that my life is past correction
my very doom is incorrigible and certain!
n Oh is it possible? Is there no hope, no sal
walton, no rescue from the awful hell to
n which | am rapidly fastening ?"
Thus totally absorbed in the workings of
his own mind, William Fairfield had walked
y onward for some distance. He was aroused
II from his musings by a well known voice call
ing out "Ha Bill, what makes you look so
y sad, old fellow Cheer up! why you look
like there was no whiskey in town. Come,
let us go and take a drink, and forget our
e past misfortunes,D said the fallen Charles
Summers, as he joined him on the pavement.
A. s. Charlie, | promised my wife before | left
r. her this morning, would drink no more"
i "What! give up your liberties that way ?
d WHY man, what are you thinking of? Sell
your privileges, jubt to please the whims of a
&c woman /"
but, Charlie, you know notmy condition
N think how | have debased mysel-how
-. have debased my household, my reputation,
u my soul, my ALL"
re "Look here, Fairfield, you are not going
S to preach your own funeral, are you? Let
IL me give you some advice you are a free
n, man, exercise your freedom don't he getting
# SO sad and miserable. l would not put uI
ce with these home lectures at all-my wife
81 knows better than to undertake them with
Ut me-"
a "Be that as it may, Leola does not try to
II force me to quit the use of the wine cup, but
10 by advice and counsel, she for months, ay,
ed wears has striven to reform me. | have dis
n, regarded her admonitions, and obstinatel,
pursued the course that leads not only to
~drunkard's grave, but to a drunkard's hell.
y, "Why, Bill, it is all nonsense what ha
gotten you in such serious mood this morn
a ing-why, if | didn't know who you were
I'd believe you were some Methodist preach
he er or other, for people say they are the bes
sct folks in the world, talking as they always ar
about sanctifcation, true godliness and al
these sort of things. 1t is all justa notion,
in replied Charles Summers as they arrived i
an front of a drinking saloon. Come, let U
Ter go in and take a morning drink-only one
it will do you good, it will drive away you
It's bad feelings
RIM Excuse me, I cannot,'' said William Fail
wv, field and walked away.
Its Half indignant, Charles Summers, who a
I'M been for months his associate at the Bacch;
nd nal orgies and gaming table, muttered t
the himself as he was left alone $50 he's g
tie above me-he will be apt to remain in tow
he to-day, and if he does" said he, with an on
uld inous shake of the head, Il think he can |
re- influenced to join us to night, as he will |
bile almost sure to forget his religious notions b
Jed, then"
nor The day passed on. Evening calm ar
lovely reigned on earth. The gentle vibr
If tions of the Eolian harp echoed a gentle IL
is laby, through the grove and glen, and Il
In frightening shadows, like the Fairies
oWs Dreamland, were beginning to play upon eat
red. hill and vale. The eve was soon on the wal
II and the sky lark scared on hightosing a fan
to well song to the departing sun-a retinue
he hazy clouds that lay Graded in the We
fear seemed to attend the King of day to t
he'd chamber of night.
nave William Fairfield, though often importu
wife ed to indulgein the intoxicating beverage, ha
if to the great wonder and establishment of eve
one, stood alooffrom every temptation. Z
lcles entreaties of his wife, strange to say, had be
ang uppermost in his mind, and he stroye as mu
ined as possible to avoid every appearance of e
lngs -strove to shun the society of those who
less, presence but a few days before would ha
oand been his chief delight and consequently |
GUS companions were quite anxious to ascerta
ter n tho o,.c Of HE ohr,,n& n ~ r+,,~ &c.. +ln