Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-05-22
able wretch, or perhaps fill a pauper's

misery, toll and suffering would nave
been saved from! What joy and peace
would have been mine, yes [ might
add to the peace that passeth all un-
derstandingW
IA few days after [ joined the young
mems association, and it was there |
first learned to gamble and drink
wine. And here let me tell you, if
there were less young mems associa-
tions and more piouS meetings, many
a youth who is now treading the down
ward road to ruin, would have been
49, ID L " iii toll yoo- why am pref
udlced against young mems associa-
tions. They are organized under the
head of literature and art, but woe,
woe to the young man that enters;
gambling, swearing and drinking is
the order of the night. But will say
nothing more on this subject, for |
presume you all know the secret Of
those organizations.
"AS | said before, few days after
receiving these admonitions from my
father, attended one of these meet
ings, and there for the first time drank
of the cup of sin. | continued going
TO these nightly meetings for more
than a year, and in that space of time
the habit of drinking had its full hold
on me. Nevertheless, | was at my
desk regularly every morning, and
must truly say that learned more in
that year than | did in all my school
days; but the languid step, the loss
of memory, the false light in the eye
told that fearful tale.
1.-TWO more years passed, and scarce
ly a night i'll those two years passed
over my head without | was more or
less intoxicated. | was now nineteen
and for the first time my eyes were
opened, and saw the dark abyss Of
despair into which | was rushing
headiong; if l had stopped then, all
would have been well; but no, the
tcmpter had too strong a hold upon
me, and |, after two years of dissipa-
patton, was too weak TO resist. But
another grief was lying heavily at my
heart. saw my father sinking rap
idly. Day by day the step grew feeb-
ler, the voice fainter, and ere anoth-
er year passed l knew he would pass
beyond the tomb. Nor was | mistak'
en-. One morning, being unable to
arise. he called me to his bedside, and
addressed me in the following words
s1Ms- N"~ shall soon leave this
world. \ few more days and / shall
be numbered with the dad, but | could
not bear to part from Garth without
giving you warning of the doom that
awaits you if you follow the course
YOU are pursuing. l know your Sc
cret. The poisonous wine cup is mark
inc you for its victim. And remember
when | pass away, that you have
brought YOUR fathers grey hairs in
sorrow to the grave. But l forgive
you, and God will forgive you if you
now return to the path of virtue"
a will now reform | murmured: 4:
Il will touch the cup no more. God
help me to keep my oath"
Il saw d smile on his countcnance
as left the room. NJ father lived
Just three days after promised to
drink no more wine, kept my prom
isc for more than a year, and in that
time l met my ideal of woman, and
married her. My business prospered
greatly. and | concluded to have a
magnificent wedding. | sent invita-
tions to all the elite and wealthy Of
J A.. to witness my nuptials. I
also gave a wedding supper, and here
! again fell. was pressed to drink
and Welded Glass after glass was
emptied. and when the carnival was
at its height | was led to my room
beastly drunk. When | awOke, the
sun had reached half way to the me-
ridian; my throat was sore, and my
lips dry and parched, My first thought
was to try the virtue of wine. I im-
mediately ordered some and emptied
four glasses, one after another as
quickly as they could be filled. | then
felt better. After this the old habit
gradually came upon me.
'1t would be too tedious to go
through the whole catalogue of my
dissipations. After a while | began
to be needless and neglect my bust
ness and in five years from the time
| was married, | was bankrupt. |
rented a dingy old building in Water
street, and moved there. | was in the
lowest depths of poverty. Now and
then | managed to earn little, but
spent it for accursed drink.
"Three years we struggled along
through poverty with scarcely enough
: food to keep soul and body together
But now comes the saddest part of
my story. | had earned few dollars
/ and concluded to have a glorious OLD
: drunk. It was in the latter part of
1 November, a night very much like
: this; the rain fell in torrents. and the
3 November wind screeched and howl
: ed in all it's fury. Quite crowd had
: gathered in the tavern when | entered
7 ! made my way to the bar, and loudly
called for whiskey. Again and agar
e l drank, and when the clock on the
e mantle tolled the hour of midnight,
was beastly drunk. With unsteady
+ steps | wended my way home. en-
2 tered the room and called for light
s but no one answered. Having {
/ match in my pocket | struck light
< fickered for a moment and came very
2 near expiring; then the match sho