The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-10-18

the meaning Of the declaration, the spirit
indeed is willing but the flesh is weak
l saw him every few days. He never
showed any signs of liquor. asked him
casually, as | had opportunity, how he
was getting along. He always answered
"Wel." | sounded others cautiously.
No one suspected him of any evil habit,
/ concluded he had conquered it. Though
did not lose him from my thoughts or
prayers, grew less anxious He kept
his Bible-cass, which grew in numbers
and in interest. Spring came. and re-
laxed little my labors, as that climate
no matter where it was, to me the eli
mate was bad enough-required it De-
spite the caution, the subtle malaria laid
hold of me. fought three weeks hard
battle with disease. When | arose from
my bed the doctor forbade all study and
all work for six weeks at least No min
lister can rest in his own parish. My pco-
pie understood that as parishes do not
always One bright spring morning one
Of my deacons called, and put sealed
envelope into my hand to bo opened af-
ter he had gone. 1t contained n check
for my travelling expenses, and official
note from the officers of the church bid
ding me go and spend it. In three days
| was on my way to Lake Superior. 1t
was there my wifes hurried note told me
the story of Charles DEATH And this was
it:
The habit had proved to strong for his
weak will. He had resumed drinking
No one knew it but his wife and one con-
6dential friend. He rarely took much I;
never so much as to be brutal at home,o or
unfit for business at the office but enough
to prove to him that he was not his own
master. The shame Of his bondage he
felt keenly, powerless as he was to break
the chain. The week after left home
his wife left also for visit to her fathers
She took the children. one young babe
three months old, with her. Mr.. p. was
to follow her in fortnight. She never
saw him again. One night he went to
his solitary home. Possibly he had been
drinking; no one ever knew-opened his
photograph album, covered his own photo
graph with piece of an old envelope, that
it might no longer look upon the picture
of his wife on the opposite page, and
wrote her, on a scrap of paper torn from
letter, this line of farewell
81 have fought the battle as long as
can. 1t is no use. | will not suffer my
wife and children to share with me a
drunkard's shame. Good bye God have
mercy on you and me-"
The next morning, long after the streets
had resumed their accustomed activity,
and other houses threw wide open their
shutters to admit the fragrance of flowers
and the song OF the birds, and the glad
sunshine, and all the JOY of life, that
house was shut and still. When the office
clerk, missing him, came to seek him, the
door was fast. Neighbors were called in.
A window was forced open. Lying upon
the bed. where he had fallen the night be.
fore, lay poor Charley P. 4 few drops
of blood stained the white coveret. 1t
oozed from a bullet wound in the back OF
his head. The hand in death still grasp
ed the pistol that fred the shot
| never see II young man dallying with
the wine while it is red within the cup,
that do not think of Charlie r., and
his bitter but fruitless battle Loic"s,in
Christian Union.