Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1865-11-10
One Nights Spree.
BIZ THE REV. JOHN TODD, d. b.


their way to sort of low tarven, some
six or seven miles off. The house was.
a sort Of gaihering-place where young,
men often went TO have what they called
:" spree" It stood little way off
from the river, among the trees. with q
heavy forest lying back of il, so that they
might be as retired, or as noisy, or even
as intoxicated as they pleased, and no
body was there to see. It was for the
interest Of "old Bep," as they called the
landlord, to shut his eyes and ears to-,
what was going on.
These four young men were compan--
ions and friends, and gave great promise
of becoming useful and respectable men
and three of them would have done,
so, had it not been for ice Torris, the
fourth. He was beyond being mischiev-
ous-he was positively corrupt, and il
one decayed apple can taint a whole
barrel Of apples, much more can one bad
young man his fellows. Torris propos-
ed thatthey should steal away just at
dusk, row down the river, shave good
time," at sold Bens's," and get back
again before their employers should ever
dream that they were away. So away
they pulled. But before they were
the great factory in which they worked,
and the bording- house in which they
lodged, were burned TO ashes. Their
clothes and what money they bad, were
Of course gone, but this was nothing in
with what others suffered.
But they had their "good time" and
knew nothing of any fire. They had
heir oyster supper and their good drinks,
md they sang songs and told stories, and
smoked good cigars, and swore much, ,ilJ
about midnight, when they concluded to
20 home. II was very dark and cloudy.
Hardly able to fud their boat, or get
afely in it, they at length all took their
eats and began TO row. Head her
ound, and keep her straight up stream"
ried Joe. To be sure--row away,
I'D III steer her as true as a needle"
The stream ran fast, and they had to pull
ard, but she was headed right, and
eemed to be making good progress.
After rowing about three hours, and
hen their arms had become very tired,
ley began to wonder why they were
OF at their landing. "Surely we must
e near says one. The current is
cry strong, pull away" says another.
We were all fools to come here" says
lird. "There is no fool but yourself"
lys Joe, in reply. So the poor fellows
'wed and rowej. and looked and wond-
ed, till daylight was fully opened on
em. Then, to their dismay, their
'ame, and their fear, they found they
I'd not cast off the rope that held the
'ar, and after all their toll, they were
ID to "Old Ben's" landing place
ow they swore, and blamed each other,
I'd promised TO fight and to shoot one
other How they tried to blame
ch other, and to prove that this or that
e was "the fool " who had drank so
uch that he didn't know what be was
ut!" But now they cast off the
pc, and rowed hard, and in due time
ached their starting-place only to find
a heap cf ruins, and a multitude of
useless and homeless women and
Ildren, all burned out, and stripped of
1t they had And yet the saddest
IT of the whole was, that the fire
ginated 10 Joe Torris's room, where,
his hurry to get away, and in his cum
e to leave light to show that be was
his room, he had so left the candle
i it fell over and on his bed, set the
ets on fire, and hence all the ruin!
nat costly "spree !" And when the
ing men came to land, there was not
TO welcome or greet them otherwise
n with reproaches The young men
ntly separated, and went, know not
ere. ss
The factories and the houses, after
lg in ruins many years, are again re~
/. But the property then consumed
the misery then inflicted, are among
things to be brought into judgment at
last great day. 1t was thought that
icy had been sober enough to cast off
rope, they might haYe got home in
on to have prevented the fire from
candle; but however that may be, it
a sad nights work from beginning to
and the folly of their rowing tied
is almost forgotten by the great mis-
{ they caused.-S. S. Times
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