Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1865-07-14
Missella
The Influence Of Early Training
or
The Drunkard's Son.

The youth of whom | am about TO
write was born among the beautiful hills
Of the Green mountain state IN neat
little cottage not far distant from my
fathers aud within few steps of the
village church. His mother, one Of the
noblest and best of mothers, was called TO
Join the blessed above when he was only
four years old. He had father, but
such one as makes the heart sad to
think of, for while he withheld the neces-
sary instruction he was daily teaching
him by precept and example, profanity
and drunkenness and many other sins
which almost always follow. Is it strange
then that the son learned to dislike the
sound of the church.bell aad was seldom,
if ever, found in the house of God
But chose rather to spend his Sabbaths
watching the little fish that swan in the
brook that ran past his fathers house.
And is it strange that neglccting the
house Of God and having no religious
destruction at home, be forgot God and
learned to doubt even his existanee and
soon began openly to declar himself an
inidel and complete even with his father
in swearing? His neighbors were his
sincere friends. They would often shield
him from his inhuman father who, when
ia fit of druudardness, would drag him
from his bed in the right aud tareaten his
lite though he dearly loved aud petted
him, in his sober moments, much more
than was for his good. Whatever he
did his ncighbols looked upon with eyes
Of charity. They would often say "poor
boy, no wonder he is what he is when he
has such a father
Time passed on and cur bright, smart
little boy is young man. Not the
worst young man, his ncishbors said
He did not steal, nor get drunk, and be-
ing naturally smart, he might have done
we'll in the world, but he would never
content himself to one thing long enough TO
be benefited very much. lie had attend
cd the village school part Of every
term until he was nearly fifteen years Of
age, and so obtained an imperfect kuosl-
edge of the common English branches.
He thea tried one kind of business after
another with little success. At last, part
~ from necessity and partly from de-
sire for something new, be joined the
army. His destiny was New Orleans.
But before he reached there sickness
came upon him. Many weary months
did he spend in that southern hospital,
deprived of almost every comfort.
lie was many times promised a dis
charge, and as many times disappointed.
At last, there being no hope of his re.
covery, the long desired discharge was
given and he started fox the place he call
ed home, but he was never to reach it.
He came as far as New York but could
come no farther. lie was taken to a
hospital there, where he received the best
Of care. There he must die-IIe no
longer professed to be an infdel but even
in those dying hours he could not forget
the training he received when child.
In his delirious moments nest horrid
oaths would issue from his lips and then
when consciousness returned he would 50
deeply regret it. He finally fell into a
sleep from which he never awoke. Poor
Willie was brought to his native village
and placed beside his mother. Many
were the tears shed at his funeral when
the good minister said: 1--WE know not
what zoe might have been, had We been
thus deprived of a mothers love-" But
we comfort our hearts knowing that God
will judge him impartialiy. MAT.