The mountain Democrat., 1865-01-07

Easiest after the first few steps of
course replied the Young man.
~ SGis Just so in the jouHaieSs p{ ffe,
Charles, said Mrs. Elder, with impressive
earnestness. The longer your feet abide
in the wrong way, the harder it will be
to return. The first few steps may be
easily retraced; but if you get once in.
volved in the mazes Of the evil life you
will find it hard-nay, almost impossible
10 Cxtricate yourself See what Difficult.
ties you have already encountered
Il have encountered no difficulties, ,
Mrs. Elder said the young man.
You forget she answered. When
the virtuous turn from us coldly, and re.
fuse to let US associate with them is not
that great hindrance. Does it not push
! US beyond the attractive power Of good,
and make the attractive power or evil
stronger? You must have felt this al
ready, Charles, for know that more than
one circle of the virtuous has closed
against YOU
The young mans face crimsoned.
| do not wish to offend or hurt you,
Charles continued Mrs Elder. | am
only trying as best can, to make you
see upon what dangerous ground you are
standing. When once you comprehend
this, am certain you will start back with
a shudder Of fear. Already there is a
shadow on your character. Even as your
feet stepped over the threshold of man
kind, you let a stain appear on your
garments, and it has been made visible to
many who will not fail to point it out, un-
less speedily removed. Wash it off, my
dear young friend
MY wise, good, true friend,' said the
young man catching at the hand Of Mrs.
Elder, and showing strong emotion. Il
seem to hear in your voice the voice of
my mother! And will take heed to the
warning words you have spoken kindly,
even as my mother would have spoken
them. 1t was good Providence that sent
you into that car to-day. Twas hurt and
indignant and growing hard and desperate
under the cold repulsion with which the
persons you saw there treated me. Your
face smiling on me as Of old; your kind
voice; the earnest pressure Of your hand;
the warmly urged invitation to visit you,
restored me to better feelings. 1t was in
Gods mercy that | promised; for as |
walked homcYard. this evening, a tempt
alton came in my way which, except for
my promise to you, could not have been
resisted. 1t can, trust, have no power
over me again; for, through your clearer
eye, can see MY danger as | never saw
it before, and stand appalled, on the very
brink of an abyss. into which single
step might at any nom Mt have plunged
/ me-
The young man wert and in his tears
/ Mrs. Elder saw raiuboWs of hope.
Charles said the employer Of Til1cn,
as the young man came into the counting
room where the latter was seated, the
next morning. Il think you are acquain-
ted with the young men who are so dis
gracefully exposed in to days paper
What young ment' asked Charles
With an instantly blushing face.
Reed, Harrison, Cotton and John War
! field was answered.
! Il have heard nothing of it, sir; what
has happened them
They were on drunken frolic last
| night, when one Of them insutcd a lady,
ard was knocked down by her husband.
lie was knocked down in turn; but re-
covering himself, he ST. iuck one Of his as
saants, aud broke his arm. The final
result was an arrest Of the four young
/ men by the police, who will have to give
bail for good behavior aud appearance at
court. Two of them, Cotton and War
fell, will lose their situations, know ;
aud the same result, will follow no doubt,
in the other cases. If either Of them had
, been in my employment, wcwould have
parted company here ~
The employer Of Charles did not know
why his clerks face turned so pale.
You were not with them, hope he
said, as a sudden suspicion crossed his
mind.
NO, sir ; and Charles looked at him
steadily. Il spent the evening with Mrs.
Elder
'Ahn The employers countenance
lighted up again. You could not have
been in safer company
She is a true, good woman, sir re-
piled Charles, speaking with more feeling
and freedom than usual; and the carly
friend Of my mother
If she be your mothers friend visit
her oftcn,' was kindly answered. Next
to a mother, is mothers friend
oh what an escape said Charles,
speaking to himself, as he turned away,
Shuddcring inwardly. And it was a
kind word that save me. Had Mrs Elder
treated inc like rest, would have been
overtaken in this evil and lost. But, God
helping me, | will get back into THO SooI
Path, and never leave it,
-~eS+-
ApRoPos of France, great elutton -
that iS,a person afflicted with bulmy, (in
satable hunger, ,)--has just died in Paris
lie was stone digger, named Ferdinand
p, aged "a, a native of Lyons, who
was afflicted vita what Medical men call
bulimy, or Unsuitable hunger. His earn
ings being altogether insufficient to salts
fy his enormous appetite, though he ate
scarcely anything but bread, his fellow
workmen used to contribute towards his
support but wearied with thus burdening
his friends, and worn out by his suffer ings
from the presence Of lNnia, which aggra
waited his hunger, he at last came to the
desperate resolution Of hanging himself,
and succeeded in effectng his purpose. -
The annals of medicine record many in
stances Of this disease, both in ancient and
modern times, but the most remarkable
case Of late years was that of a woman,