Spirit of the age., 1861-06-26

LOT Iear tney ii have to swallow darTeI -
All the company laughed at Hary's expense.
Come now, Harry, continued Lawson,
were going to sing Auld Lang Syne;' so
please take a cup of kindness yet to help
On, Harry, Harry, why not ask God to
| help you now? He could save you. even in
THIS very den of wild beasts. But alas, Har-
| ~ IS not acquainted with God 1t is true he
has heard of BIN in church, and he has
neara MS great name taken lightly every
/ day but he has never asked him for his assis,
tance and blessing, SO nc has no one to de-
pend on IN this dark hour Of temptation but
his poor weak self. Harry fell. He took a
glass, another, another, and still another !;
then his aong-slumbering appetite, as if to
/ sFeis5s ltselI Tor past neglect, seemed almost
lnsatiable. He knew not where to stop
At last Harry,s gay and witty companions
were oolighed to convey him up stairs to
oGd ana they all thought it was capital
joke.
The sun arose bright the next morning,
but its brilliant beams fell upon the face Of
one to whom its light was hateful. Shame
femorse, despair, were written on Harrv's
| expressive countenance, as he gloomily sat
ponderlng his unhappy condition. II am
lost, lost. Oh, | cannot be drunkard ~
And then bringing down his hand heavily
on the table, in all the energy Of despair
No, a0iU not be a d2uakord.'
Harry went home. His mother and sister
Mary wondered what made him look so sad
after having had "such a CAV time" But
his manner was very tender towards them
and they thought they never loved him so
well before. The sumptuous dinner was
spread, but Harry could not eat ; and he
turned pale at the sight of the decanters
Come, Mary" said Harry after tea. "lct
Us take walk" They were soon on the
summit of hill, which commanded view
of distant mountains of win niing river and
OF the town. Harry did not say much, but
ne seemed to look at everything with tears
IN his eyes. When at last tue sun went
down IN all the glory of gold and purple,
Harry said, :" thought would see that sun
once more" Mary wondered at the words
once more; but she simply said. You'll
see It set great many times, brother.''-
Life IS always uncertain,H said Harry
Mary returned home with depressed spirits
lof the shadow of coming woe had already
fallen upon her heart
.Good-nlght, dear mother said Harry in
soitest accents, smoothing her hair. Good
night he repeated. why, Harry, goodnight
sald Mrs. Carrlstord, 1hope you are not sick :
Tor she noticed a peculiar cadence in her sons
voice. Harry kissed his mother. and So
No, lam quite we'll Then he baIe hIs
sister good night in the same way. As he
lett the room, his eye seemed to linger on
the dearfaces ofmother and sister, on each fam.
liar obiect, and he was gone.
seats. Mr.. Carisford was still sleeping-late
hours were his habit. But where is Harry !?
Run up stairs, Mary said the mother, and
see if he is we'll. I thought he looked pale
yesterday Mary went. In minute a
shrek, wild and piercing, filled the house
The mother rushed up stairs and such a
sightl What mothers heart could endure
it, Harry was dead, and Mary had tainted
beside him. A letter directed to Mrs. Car
risford lay on the table. After few hours
ofunutterable anguish, the mother was able,
amid her tears and groans, to read Harry S
letter, which ran as follows:
t1dY DEAR, DARLING MOTHER AND SISTER
| When you read this letter, shall be gone.
Life is sometimes greater evil than death,
then why should | bear its intolerable load !
! No, | will not when the means Of relief are
within my reach. Was il not better to take
| poison than live to be drunkard? Gould
| you and my sweet Mary bear to have another
in the family? No, one is surely enough.
/ will save you from this calamity. You
shall not see me come staggering home more
like beast than a man. Oh how l have
wanted to be great and good. How have
longed after something higher and noble
than any thing within my reach. But it i:
all in vain. l am not strong enough to wres
tie with the cruel temptations which NEE
me every day. Vino knows what there may
be in store for me in that other world which
shall soon enter ? Viii any thing worS
than drunken meet me there | know
not ; but | will venture. Precious mothe
and sister, believe that loved you to m,
very last breath. And my father All,
have no message to him. Standing as d
on the brink of the grave, viii speak til
truth. lie has murdered me. But hav
baflled him, for IqoiH not jill drunSard
gfaee. Mother, sister, God bless you. Fare
Ma. Il.21--~-----a-.es
30 the DOOR znaise+.i4 - r 6;s Make
uncalied into the presence u ms -hSH = :,
Parents, beware how you tempt your chil
dren. Beware settin them badexampl
lest their souls blood be found on your skirt
SkG8A.