New Oregon plaindealer. (New Oregon, Iowa) 1859-1866, 1860-04-13

to follow him.
''Detain BIN not said Adam, as some
of his companions sought to hinder
kim.
Why should I 60 with your he
asked.
''1'o please an old man. I mean you
no harm, NJ lcolm. Come.
Passing out Of the dor, they moved
across the street. Near by was the
village churchyard, and thither Adam
bent his steps. Arriving at the gate he
passed in. As Malcolm hesitatei to en-
ter. the old man said, Come follow mel!
Malcolm went, and soon stool within
the churchyard! And his white-haired
guide was the sexton, who, for more
than sixty years had made those cold
beds for the children of mortality
The pale moon shed its beam upon the
place, and the chill air sighed mourn
fully among the weeping willows that
grew by the hedge. The grayestones
stool up like spectrcs above the failed
grass, and here and there arose white
monument, like some more powerful
spirit that watched the sanctity of the
place.
Malcolm Warren,' spoke the old man
in voice 50 deep that it seemed al
most to come from one of the neighbor-
ing graves, not long since you pointed
to me as an example Of ho long man
might live, who smilel upon the wine
cup. You pointed to rae as one who had
outlived all my companions. and yet as
one who had always quaffel the intoxi-
eating bowl. Perhaps you spoke truly;
but you did not speak the whole truth
for the whole truth you di l not know,
and now l have brought you here to
whisper the truth into your ear
Malcolm gazel up into the old mans
face, and as he saw how solemn was the
EXPIRE ssion that rested there, he forgot
the company he had left at the tavern,
and his thoughts became serious.
.Maicolm,' ressmed the sexton, 4 can
look back now into the past, AMI Sc,
score Of young men who commenced the
race Of life with me. We went to scnool
and together we sat in church.
We grew up to be men, and then sat
tcseth as Isaw you sitting this even
ing. We learned to love the excitement
Of the Intoxicating cup, and We thought
not then Of the dangers we were court
ing. Years passed on, and sa,7 those
twenty men sink into the arms of death
and I buried them all here. Malcolm
Warren, They all sleep in drunkards
graves! Ole after mother T saw them
fall, and at length [ was left all alone
Of the party, who were wont to assemble
around the bar-room fire A deep
groan escaped from the young mans
lips, and a shudder ran through his
frame.
All gomez he uttered.
'Yes-all!the old man replied
There were wives and children that
died, and they, too, lie here. / buried
broken hearts here! @, how we'll can l
remember the bright.eyed, laughter
loving girls who used to play with us
when we were boys! And how we'll
can / remember when I saw them
at the altar-and when they
turned away from that holy place they
were blushlng, happy brides. But
few short years and I began to gather
them into the fold of death. They sank
down with broken hearts, and crushed
hopes! Some Of them lived to be gray
headed, but their gray hairs came down
in sorrow to the grave! See that grave
there-the one with the dark grave stone.
lie who sleeps beneath that mound
was once the happiest man in the viii
lage. lie was q carpenter by trade,
and he built the house in which you
were born. He. used to laugh and sing
over the wine-cup. and he thought not
Of harm. 1ol.cc heard his young wife
beg OF him to remain at home with her,