Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-04-08
Lntemperance.


like the pestilence tha; walketh in dark
ness, and wasteth at noon day We see
ii in the resorts of the vlcous-ln the
streets aud by the wayside-in the
dwellings OF the opulent, and it has been
known to enter, irreverently and pro
lanely, even the Church OF God 1t
has slain its millions, and broken thou
sands of hearts. 1t has ruined the
brightest mnds--is the disgrace of our
country, and the blghting curse Of a
suffering world Go to the miserable
dwelling of some Incorporate father, and
contemplate the ruin which be has
wrought around him. ! do not ask you
10 coniine your attention to him alone I;
you may glance at his pitiable and dis
gushing condition; you may behold the
pro,tration Of his physical powers-lhe
degradation of naturally noble, and
perhaps cultivated mind, and would To
God this were all But look at his
children. Deprived OF comfortable food
and clothing. and the blessings of edu-
cation, by the criminal improvilence OF
him who ought to be their brneiactor,
they present to the eye Of The bebolder
a scene of wretchedne,s which cannot
be described. But consider the condition
Of the mother of his children. See her
no, YOU cannot see the sorrow that
rends her already broken heart-vou
may not observe the tears which blnnch
her checks /; you may not penetrate the
secrets of the grief stricken soul you
may not disturb the gloomy solitude
which SHE has sought; you may not hear
her groans. Alone, in wrechednesS,
she brmoans the untimely widowhood OF
her affections, and feeds her sorrow upoH
the dr4gs OF despair But enough OF
this. The nature and extent of the evil
are sufficiently we'll known. A love Of
excitement is, in our apprehension, the
cause OF intemperance. This, TO say the
least, pre-disposes thousands, first to the
occasional, then to the hablual, and f.
nally to the imm0derate use of intox icat
ing liquors. Aud this accounts for the
fact that persons of finely sensitive
minds, and warm, glowing imaginati0ns,
so frequently fall victims to this destroy
ing angel. Disappointed m bition,
wounded pride, fondness for conviVial
parties, and even not unamiable desire
for political or literary fame, may strong
ly incline persons OF a peculiar temper
ament 10 seek some unnatural stimulant,
to drown anxiety, or excite an artificial
flow of the animal spirits, and give a re-
newed, though short lived impulse to the
mind. Public speakers, drsirou, Of
avoiding those feelings of embarrassment
which most persons are liable to expert.
snce at certain times, have not unfre-
quently resorted TO the use of stimulat-
ing drinks, to raise their courage to the
sticking point; aud by so doing, have
contracted the habit of drinking to ex.
cess. Those who are exposed to heats
and colds, or suffering from severe exer-
ton, are apt to imagine that they actual
ly need something of the kind to produce
excitement; and it is extremely difficult
to convince them that all the strength
borrowed from stimulating liquors must
soon be repaid with interest. 1t is a
truth which has been again and again
demonstrated, that no abiding advantage
can be gained by such tax upon nature :;
still, the excitement being for the mo.
ment pleasurable, many resort to such
expedients, sometimes from the want of
reflection, and not unfrequently from the
want of ability to forego the pleasure Of
present, though momentary gratifca-
ton, for the sake of obtaining a lasting
good.
Then shun the cup, the death fraught cup,
That dooms the soul TO he'll;
And drink the draught, the cooling draught,
That comes from the crystal well.
MINNIE HAWTHORNE.