The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1869-02-05
sNistellaan.
THE lJErlKlRb'S WNIIyG.
NJ LEWIS ". HIDE.

Come let us go over to browns and
have a drink"
81 thank you, Ed, but l cannot ac-
cept, asI have firmly resolved never to
drink another drop of Intoxicating Ii
quor."
"What can it be possible that you,
too, have given lpthe pleasures of exist
eRce, and have turned Inilksopf Well,
am sorry for you; but really would
like to know who has been preaching
temperance to yea with such good
effect"
"Wel, then, take my arm, and let us
walk down together, and will tell you
iliwhyI have determined 70 abstain from
intoxicating drink"
"On my way out West, on my last
commercial trip, stopped at the village
Of S., to visit my old friend Tom
Rivers, who is keeper of the State prison
located at that place, and from whom !
received and accepted an invitation to
visit the prison.
ain passing through the drcary pre-
cincts Of that -abode of the doomed, |
. saw nothing of special interest until !
s''yed at a cell which my friend point
81 97sfsg---S.,s that of a man sentenced
e1'tas SEC =. for numbering his wife.
hpE C"fod S1y curiosity, | pecred
apsidSed I'd door of the cell, in
naA > &c. (Which saw man ing
easn sftodS bed, with his face
sizcn or qs, apparently absorb
S'sies. {.
So 81 sec. = pdarkcned his cell, he
hs4geeF ts'of"'Affmy astonishmcnt, dis
.ue PROV like that of harden
aigwo2 i't1 - features made liidcous
ises97i ~ I les, but one whose every
noqg ,,~Es - led with intelligence.
Of s'acouam azed, | asked him what
81 ohGeo'i TO commit so atrocious a
1sq batwlich he replied, after re-
Job arrc few minutes, that it was
.posddening influence of intoxicating
-luor that drove him to the act.
Z "IIc then arose, aud coming close 20
the door, addressed me thus
'Youug man, | will tell you the
whole history of my downfall from aillu-
enco and honor 10 beggary and crime,
hoping that il will be means of saving
You from ruin and disgrace.
"'Ten years ago launched forth on
life's stormy sea to carve my own way
through the world. commencing my
business career as Uookkceper for the
firm of j. & G. BY fidelity and steady
application 10 business, | soon gained
the confidence of my employers; and
rapidly advanced from my humble posi-
ton Of bookkeeper 10 that of a junior
member of the firm.
Encouraged by my ilaEering pros
pccts led TO the altar Fanny Forrest,
whom l loved passionately; and well
worthy was she of my love, as she was
not only beautiful and accomplished, but
also the very embodiment of all that is
amiablc and yirluous. After a happy
but brief bridal tour. we returned, and |
went back TO my business with renewed
viger and interest.
For while everything prOspercd
finely, and q rapidiy increasing, lucra-
tive business was rapidly elevating me
10 the proud emincnce Of wealth, when,
finally, by custom, now too prevalent
among business men, Of confirming bar
gains over social glass, almost uncOr-
sciously formed an appetite for strong
drink, which, in spite of my cndeavors,
! found myself unable TO control.
az was aware Of my danger, | could
sec before nue. the yawning abyss Of
xuin and degradation toward which |
was approaching with rapidly accclerat-
ing speed l tried 10 avoid it, but, alas +!
the demon CT intr,upcrancc had me Sc
curely in his power, my reason fled
frOm its throne, and l soon became so
disgraced and incapacitated that l lost
my interest in the business, fell from
my lofty position of wealth and honor to
that of despised and degraded deb
auchee.
"'Disgraced and humiliated, / en-
deavored to drown my trouble by drink
ing still deeper, until fell so low that |
was despised by both friends and strang-
ers alike, and wandered the streets a
lost and defled outcast.
'Oh, that | had stopped there! or
that death had terminated my miserable
existence before the damning influence
of that accursed stuff had plunged me
still deeper in woe by staining my soul
with the blood of her who proved to be a
true friend to me in adversely.
"'Unable to find mployment~-for
who would hire an inebriate when there
were thousands of sober men seeking
work my wife was compelled to sell
one piece of furniture after another to
secure money with which TO buy bread,
and when this source failed | frequently
abused her, when, with fearful eyes, she
pleaded for bread or basought me to
abandon my evil habit.
Zone day, after having drank more
excessively tAan ever | arrived home in
a bcas.iy state efntoxication, with my
mind bordering on pLronzy,; upon en-