The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-11-10
One Nights Spree.
BY THE REV. JOHN TODD, d. d.

BY THE REV. JOHN TODD, d. d.
The waters of the river ran rapidly. and
the young men who took the boat, rowed
down the stream very quick; there were
four of them in number on their way, to
q sort of low tavern, some SIX or seven
miles off The house was a sort of gath
erlng-place where young men often went
to have what they called "a spree" 1t
stood a little way off from the river,
among the trees, with a heavy forest lying
back Oft, so that they might be as retired,
or as noisy, or even as intoxicated as they
pleased. and nobody was there TO see 1t
was for the interest of " old Ben" as they
called the landlord. to shut his eyes and
ears to what was going on.
These four young men were companions
and friends. and gave great promise of be-
coming useful and respectable men-and
three o' them would have done 50, had it
not been for Joe Torris. the fourth. He
was beyond being mischievouS-he was
positively corrupt, and. if one decayed ap-
Pile can faint the whole barrel of apples,
much more can one bad young man his
fellows. Torris proposed that they should
all steal away just at dusk. row down the
river. s. have 4 good time at "old
Ben's," and get back again before their
employers should ever dream that they
were away. SO away they pulled. But
before they were back the great factory in
which they worked, and the boarding
house in which they lodged, were burned
to ashes Their clothes and what money
they had. Were. Of course, zone, hut this
WAS nothing in comparison with what
others suffered. But they had their "good
time, ard knew nothing ot'any fire, They
had their oyster supper and their good
drinks. and they sang SONGS and told So
rics, and smoked GOOD cigars, and swore
much: till about midnight, when they con-
cluded 10 90 home. 1t WAS very dark and
cloudy. Hardly able 10 find their boat,
or get safely in it. they at length all took
thcir seats and BEGAN 10 row. Head her
round. and keep her straight up stream,
cried Joe. TO be Surc-row away. and
I'll Steer her rs true rs Il needle. The
stream r;,n fast, and they had 10 pull hard,
hut She WIS headed right. and seemed TO be
making good progress. After rowing about
three hours. and when their arms had be-
come very tired, they began TO wonder
why they were not at their l,ndlng.-
Surely we must I've near says one.
:. The current Is very strong, pull away.
saws another. I'VE Were all fools 70
come SAYS 4 third. There is no fool
but YOURSELF says Joe. in rrpiy- 30 the
poor fellows rowed and rowed, and looked
and wondered, till daylight WAS fully
opened on them. Then. 10 their dismay
their shame, and their fear. they icun,
they had not east oil the rope nat hcld
the boat. and alter ali their toll, Haey wy,
I'D to "Od BnS " huniny pitce.' How
they swurc. and blamed each other
and promised 10 fight and 10 shoot on,
another. How they tried 10 blame caci
other. and 10 prove that this or that on,
WAS ..thc fool who had drunk 80 mucl
that "i!c didn't know what he WAS alou, =
| Eu, no'v they cast oil the rope and rowet
! hard. and in due time reached their start
ing-place only to find all 4 heap OF ruins
and 4 multitude OF hou>ele>> and homelc>:
women and chillren. all burned out, anI
stripped of I'll that they had .. AID yc
the sad'lcst part of the whole was. that tn
fire originated in Joe TorriS room. where
in his hurry to get away, and in his Gun
min. TO leave III ght TO show that he Wa
III his room. he had 50 left the candle thu
it fell over and on his bed. set the sheet
on fire. and hence all the ruin, What
costly "sprcc,' And when the voun:
men came TO land, there WAS not one (,
welcome or grcct them otherwise thai
with rcproachcs, The voun" men silcntl,
Iseparaiel. and went. know not where
The factories and the houses. after II
ing in ruins many wears. are a-Iin rebuilt
But the property then consumed, and tn
misery then inflicted, are among the thing
TO be brought into judgment at the las
great dav. 1t WIS thought that if the
had been sober enough TO east off the rope
they might have got home in season +
have prevented the fire from the candle
but, however that may he, it was sa
nights work from BEGINNING 10 end, an
the folly of their rowing tied up, is al
most forgotten 10y the great mischief the
cau>ed-S s. Times.