Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1867-04-13
A Touching Temperance Lecture.

The bear mention of such incidents
as the following, which we clip from
the Virginia Trespass, are more potent
to warn against and prevent intemper-
ance than long homilies or brilliant
harangues. Such incidents are, alas,
by no means rare.
INTEMPERANCE-We are free to
confess that until lately, we have not
properly realized the terrible effects of
whisky drinking upon the community
at large. Although it has been for
years a conceded fact that intemperance
has been, indirectly the cause of seven
eighths of the crime, and niaety- nine
one hundredths of the pauperism in
both America and England, We have
never been cognizant of its effects in
sundering all the ties of home and affcc-
tion, until a case-which is but one in
a thousand-came under our personal
inspection. While we knew that, dali
ly, hundreds of men, strong in all but
their passion for drink, were abusing,
by the use of ardent spirits, the facul-
ties that God had given them-that
women, even, next to the angels, had
so resorted to the wine cup to drown
domestic trouble that mere youths had
become early devoted to the enticing
bowl, we never before felt the damning
effect of inebriation as we did upon
reading the following letter from six
months bride to l.er husband, who had
sworn to protect and cherish, but who,
alas I! loved the wine cup better than
his beautiful bride Here it is-read
it, ye who may scoff at its sentiments;
revlle its tenderness; curse, if you
choose, its appeal to him who should
never forget his duty to himself or
family but read it:
VIRGINIA, Feb. %, 1867.
DEAR CHARLES For four days and
nights have I in vain waited for the
sound of your footsteps upon the thresh-
old of our home for four nights have
[ rendered a nightly petition to AL
mighty God, that you would come to
see her who loves, cherishes and respects
you above all things on earth for four
times twenty-four hours have [ been
besieged with anxious fears that you
had again become the victim of your
only vice, intemperance, which you SO
solemnly swore to me should never
again be your besetting sin. Tonight,
as the clock struck twelve, you were
assisted to your home, and in what con-
dition !! Alas soften the harsh word
as I would-drunk yes miserably
drunk. caused you to be placed on
your bed, rendered you every assistance
that you needed; then l prayed God to
aid me in this, my great grief; for you
knew how dreaded the fearful fall of
your manhood, for | had sworn { as you
know full well) that would never be
the consort of drunkard, and, God
helping me, l will keep that oath.
could have given you to death,
without struggle, and been resigned
to the will of Him that doeth all things
well. could have stood beside you,
seen the death shadows creeping over
your pale face, watched the purple hues
of dissolution stain your eyelids, seen
the gathering films cloud the blue of
your dear eyes, clasped the hand that
grew cold, to my warm grasp, felt the
faltering pulse as it tainted to perfect
stiffness, and, after its fitful Pickering
had been stilled forever, have, with
these hands, shrouded your loved form
for the grave could have listened to
the slow tolling bell, saw you silent in
death, heard the fall of clods upon your
coffin; all, all could I have borne, and
looked for peace beyond the grave. But
to see the bloated countenance, the
bleared eye, the tottering form to hear
the idiotic laugh, the blasphemous
curse, the maudlin voice these were
worse to me than death. God help you
Charley. May you do better; be bet
ter; and may you be happy, is the only
prayer of her who, leaving you, loves
you better than life but who can not
no, will not-be drunkard's wife.
MARY -
Reader, this is no fancy sketch, but
an incident from life in Virginia. We
are cogEizant of the details, and glad
to state that the erring husband has
taken a solemn oath never to again
"touch, taste nor handle" the accursed
wine cup; upon which assurance the
wife of his heart has again taken him to
her bosom. May he keep sacred his
promise.
''Boss, l want twenty FIVE cents"
said jour printer to his employer