Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-08-17

Darker, gloomier, and blacksr grew the
night, keener aud more bitter grew the cold,
and more ferccly Whistled the north wind as
It swept around tbs Eiea mans dEelhss, u-
penetrated the novels of the poor, causing
them to draw closer around the dying embcrs,
and shiveriDg with cold, and apprehensive oF
the future.
Nary Arnold was dying-and sach death
10 downy pillows were arranged With incest
care to promote her comfort during the few
raomsnis she remHinsd. No weeping friends
stood silently around Awaiting the moment Of
her dissolution, or an&iorsly bent over her to
catch ths last feeble vttosances- No cRs stood
~ to ncistsa ber psrehsd lips aith drop Of
cooling TatcF. No kind ha7d srsoCthsd her
pillow, or brushed back her clustering haiz
from of ber,thrOhbing temples, aud no gen.
tie voice whispered in her ear words of con-
ISOLATION or hope, or proclaimed to her Sa-
viour's love, in her dying hour But alone,
in darkened cherries hoYel on a scanty
pallet of straw, she zas dying dying OF star
vation aud neglect. CiG5pi1g her hands above
her, her feeble voice broke the stillness-
Father forgive hin Sbo, regardless of :hs
9olema VOWS ma5S upos the Eltas OF bis God,
now so cruelty leaves me to perish, for he
Knows not what he does. A demon hath
gained possession of him, AID he yields iEa-
piicit c5edissce to its Internal behests. Turn
him from his mad course, and lead him back
10 virtue; bestow thy choicest blessings upon
him, aud oh, Father, restore him to his right
mind again and Father, when he looks upon
the pale corpse of her whom he had sworn to
love cherish and protect, may he repent and
fly to thee Cor help. For the sake of him
Uho died, that re might live, forgive him,
and again receive him into tiny favor. Father,
but her lips refused further ptteTaace, and
her clasped hands fell poWerlezs her pure
spirit had taken its Eight from its scenes Of
woe to world of light and bliss.
The night was far advanced when William
Arnold staggered back to the miserable Placs
which he called home. An underlined dread
crept over him as he approached it, and
memory and conscience we're busily at work
within him. Starting at every unusual noise,
he ascended the rickety stairway, and treiub-
lingly grouped his way through the long dark
passage, and it was With feeling of relief
that he at last gained the deer of his vulnerable
abode. His hand was upon the latch when
fear returned, and he stood in awe of the
silence within.
As he stood hesitating, the stilIness within
was broken By the feeble accents Of 4 voice in
prayer Every VOID seemed burned into his
very soul, in letters of living FIRE. lie listened
in wrapped attention, as the voice grew weaker
and fainter, ard Eually ceased abruptly, AID
it was many niuutes ere he could s1mtnon suf-
fcicGt courage to enter the apartment within.
And, when he did so, he cTopt TO one corner
Of the sooTn, where he lay shiTering with the
oold, and suffering the paGgs Of bitter re-
morse, until the light of day revealed to him
the frozen corpse Of his wife.
(yoiner In vi hara he iav ba n,azal in hiffer
agony upon thezc upturned features, with that
besceching impression which they last wore
still retained in every lineament, and kneeliDg
down BY her side, with one of her cold hands
clasped in his, and calling upon high Heaven
to witness it and aid him, he sOlerunly ayowed
that nothing which could iutoxicate should
ever again pass his lips
Reader, you would Ike to know how William
Arnold kept that vow? Then 90 With me to-
night to that capacious church on the corner
-and-streat5. We find it filed to
overfOwing with an Intelligent audience, who
have congregatcd to hez7 EEd see the cele-
brated reformer. There Il momentary rest
lessness among the audience as tall and noble
looking man enters, aud the crowd instructive
ly give away az he slowly proceeds up the aisle,
and is greeted With burst Of applause a. he
ascends into the pulpit and faces the audience.
4 graceful recognition Of the compliment
paid him and he opens his discourse and
deacants powerfully and elOquently upon the
enoTmity of the evils which flow from the
liquor traffic, and points out clearly the man
neT in which it can be abolished aud then
az he feeliuglJ sllades to his past life, can you
recognize in him the man We left, two years
ago, knesling beside the frozen CORPSE Of his
Bife7