The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1869-12-23

preceding; while some we're rubbing him
others were running for warm water and
restoratves, every one was eager to do
something for the poor man. At length
his pulse began to quicken and his lips to
mutter incoherently. "What a terrible
occurrence, said my uncle, to
think of a man lying so near nv
house In a dying condition, on such
a cold night freezing to death, and we so
comfortable and happy" The physician
soon arrived and pronounced him in a
hopeless condition; so the happy hearts
that were full of glowing anticipations of
| the morrow, were sorrowful Verify,
we know not what a day NAV bring
forth, " and wise is the order of Provi-
dence that will not permit us to look in
to futurlty, our most delightful antici-
! pations would be clouded by reflections
OF disagreeable nature ''He was a
stranger and he took him In" and cared
for him. When he would commence
talking, my uncle desired to question him
and find out who he was, but DIR. Elicit
SAID he was delirious, and would not per-
NIT any one to talk to him. Several
times | could hear him utter the name of
Lucy. His clothing was of the finest
material, and in his vest pocket was q
hne gold watch, everything about him in
dIcated that he was not of mean origin
Miss Jeanne was in a fever to administer
some OF her universal specific, and apply
ing the glass to his lips, said, 50 ia this
my poor BARN, muekle's the good it will
do We, monys the time it has comftted
my poor body" But the odor seemed
suddenly to arouse him, and he said,
brandy, brandy, take the accursed thing
away, 1t has ruined me soul and body"
Lucy, oh, Lucy my own sweet wife, /
have sent you young and lovely to your
grave, end crushed the heart and spirits
of the best and most devoted mother
1t was Christmas, yes, yes, / remember,
twas then first tasted the fiendish drink,
and it has dragged me down, down to
perdition." Send round the glass, the
foaming drink, but the white froth con-
ceals tea thousand demons with their
| fiery tongues, the penitentiary, almshouse,
| Jail, mad-house and the grave, ah yes,
the grave, all have its votaries. ooh,
merciful God, look not in anger on me
for what | have done, but forgive, forgive
all my transgressions, blot them from
thy memory, oh, Heavenly Father" 1t
was awful to behold him clutching the
bed clothes, and trying to shield from his
sight some dreadful panorama, and his
rawlings made the tears flow fast down our
| cheeks, and the voice rong in my ears as
something familiar. The physician gave
him an anodyne, and in a short time took
a light to the bed to see if he slept, and
he was dead. None went to bed that
night but the little ones who were too
small to comprehend serious things, and
as uncle was the only gentleman in the
house, Dr. Elicit kindly consented to re-
main until day. He said the young
mans death was the result of intemper-
ance, whether he attempted to drown
himself or not, and gave the little BOYS
such an eloquent discourse on the beau
ties of temperate and pious life, and the
horrors and evils that would surely ensue
from contrary course, that little Dick
sobbed himself to sleep, and Paul crept
to the dining room and emptied Miss
Jeanne's fine bowl of egg-nog out at the
window, much to her chagrin, and to the
delight of aunt Mabel Uncle William
vowed from that night, that nothing in
toxicating should enter his house, and his
sons could never say their father set them
the example. Then, had never seen a
dead person, and trembled at the idea,
but could not divest myself of the idea of
his voice, and how familiarity If sounded
to me; | asked permission to look at him
an indescribable fascination led me on,
but when 1 beheld him, my heart almost
ceased to beat. ''Uncle," | said, Z" this
is Alfred Hull, cousin Lucy's husband
thought it when heard his voice, but
the bed was so dark his face was not visi-
ble." ''This my nephew impossible,
the last time heard from him he was in
Florida with my sister, and she wrote he
had quit his bad habits, and yet the like
ness to him when boy is strong. Oh,
surely it cannot be that my sisters darling
and only child should come to this sad
end, and she never to look upon his face
again." He got the watch, aLI the name
of Alfred Hull was inscribed on it
| When day came he sent to the stables for
his saddle, and small valise was buckled
| to it containing few articles of clothing,
an ivory miniature likeness of his wife,
flask that had the odOr of brandy, and a
number of letters which told the terrible
secret. We all gazed again, and again
on his handsome face, with the jetty locks
clustering around his high forehead as
white as marble, looking as if the
sculptor had just given the finishing
touch to a model of manly beauty
Much expense and care had been
bestowed on his education, he was admit
ted to the bar in his native State, and
shortly afterwards was married to a
beautiful and wealthy girl, aunt Mabel's
niece, and my cousin. The old members
of the legal profession had caressed and
fattered him, and predicted for him a
bright future, but hattery is often the
bane of young men, and he was not too
! wise to be proof against it, but in an evil
hour he ''looked and tasted" and in fit
of intoxication he abused his young wife,
and her father took her to his home,
where she soon died The star that rose
in beauty and brilliancy was soon set in
clouds and darkness; he who was the
pride of widowed mother, was hurried
to dishonored grave, and the voice that
had pleaded eloquently for mercy for the
guilty wretch before an earthly tribunal,
was hushed in death while asking for
mercy from an offended Deity. 1t is
difficult for man to rise and sustain his
position, but, oh, how easily and swiftly
he can fall My uncle had not seen him
since bright youth, when he started to
| Northern College to finish his literary
| education. Christmas morning he was
making preparations for his funeral,
sending for the minister, countermanding
| invitations to dinner, and sending funeral
| invitations. That was a mournful Christ
mas, and our hearts were heavy as We
followed him in tears and sorrow to his
long home across the clark river" ''Dust
to dust" said the venerable minister who
L I n