The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1867-10-25
Selected selistellanw,
An EGectIve speech.

A speech, speech, from Wilton Z"
cried the thoughtless fellows.
lie can't make speech on cold water,
| defy him." said one Of their uumber.
My friends" began Wilton.
Hear, hear he's really in for il now /.
ptiful signs Of his devotion to the bottle
Wilton is on his feet"
The cotirade they oallod Wilton, was
young man. some twenty. years Of
age. Upon his face, aud within his eyes,
- settled Melancholy restoi.- His man.
ners were as grave as those of an old man
lie was often called "Wilton the steady"
on account of his quiet adherence to prin.
pie.
The head partner in the firm in whose
employ w Lon was, gave great party once
year, and it was at this gathering that
Wilton had been persuaded TO come.
In vain his companions tempted him with
the wine that flowed freely. They oonsid
er'd themselves good Chris ians, as, in
decd, did the void generally. They gave
rse'y to charities and to their church,
where their seats we're seldom empty.
They did great deal OF good with their
money; yet in plIcing this fiery temptation
before young men, some of whom were as
yet without fixed principles, they com
mitted gross aud almost fatal errcr.
Looking about him, Wilt,n, saw already
many flushed. almost to inebriation, many
eyes, that spite of their flash and sparkle
novel with difficulty and that dire un.
steadiness that marks the incipient state of
drunkenness.
"My friends," lie said, and then paused
as il to give greater emphass to what
mig follow, am g)ing to make con.
fessoh."
Five years ago had brother, bright
beautiful lad III wi ON the hopes of a large
family conferred. He was called q genius,
aud he was 6re. Sensitive, gentle hearted
and generous to a fault, he also gave prom.
ise to extraord nary vigor of IN nd. 0ue
night several boys in the village, where
was born. resolved to have frolic. Tie
party was to be secret one. aud each TO
C 3rry from GU imer; ;'f we could, provisions
aud wine. 1t came off with SUCCESS There
was good cheer, there were bright and
tlowihg LIQUID, 8 we all were young and
buoyant. My broth + had never tasted
wine. Whether it was disincination
caused by natural dislike, or whether his
constitution led him to avoid it as danger.
GUS to him do not know. | only know
and the recollection is at this m )nlent burn
ing in my brain-that we all thought that
If we could get him drunk It would be fine
fun, Frierds could not have set them
selves more ingeniou>ly to work to COM
pass the object than we did. was fore
most in the attempt. | will not excuse my
self, nor aught pdlliate my. conduct. !
knew that be had a manuscript poem, that
had been pronounced remarkably good |
knew lie could improvise almost without
mental effort, and expected that under the
stimulus of the fiery scrpent-whose sting
| dread more than dread death-his brain
would be quickened and we would be
charmed, perhaps amazed, at the exhibi.
lion of his rare gifts.
At last we prevailed, but instead of
qnickening, the wine supplied his facul-
ties. few glasses reduced him to state
of utter inebriety.
The party broke up. We were all
wild with driuk and excitement he alone
was insensible and immovable. there was
no rousing him from the deathly sleep into
which he had fallen. dared not take him
might he found ont in consequence of the
trouble wo should have in getting him to
his room. So we left him there lying as
as we could place him-hls
handsome face flushed and almost purple,
his active brain, for once, completely stu.
pi6ed.
In The morning, | was awakened by the
sound Of sobs. A white scared iacc stood
over me; trembling weak voice cried out,
o, Phillip, your poor bro lher
81 spraug from my bed. My friends, | |
knew the truth soon enough. Herbert had
recovered Consciousness in the night sulii.
cient TO mislead him. He had fallen from
the window, hight of twenty feet. He
was still living, Ia vain my pIayerRi and
tears, and anguish, his voice faltered.
Young men. he is living yet, but an i,i-
durable idiot. Now will yon ask ME to !
take that accursed stuff ? Yes, the curse
Of living God rests upon IT, II has bur
dened my life, il has ruined as noble an in- |
tellect as ever was ready 10 do battle with |
The faults and follies Of the world DO you |
still ieer and laugh GeGause ltM n3i be |
ioUiGl? will tell JON, if it was living
thing, | would strSngle it--and there is
nothing upon earth hdte with such deadly
hatred"
There was deep silence. Not one in
al the company seemed inclined TO drink
'gah.