The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1870-10-26

he renamed two years. At the
age Of fifteen his brother had taken
him from the hattcrs shop and
sent him to RI academy. In one
year thereafter, his brother had
! died, from which time he bad bccn
lett to steer bis own bark, and Sc
lect his own chart.
True 10 the loftier instincts Of
his nature, he had selected the
path Of honor and moral duty,
feeling assured that if he sought
first the kingdom Of God and His
righteousness, all other things
would be given unto him. He
was social Independently
so-and more genial companion
never blessed the social circle; but
he did not prostitute the higher
nature to the allurements Of the
festive board nor did he allow
himself to be deceived by the false
glitter Of the bacchanalian tinscl.
He lived true to the pledge which
he had taken in his early man.
hood-the pledge of total absti-
nerce from intoxicating liquors.
and the longer he lived the more
reason had he to bless God for the
choice he had made.
At the age Of thirty he was
elected to Congress from the Bcrk-
shire district, and in that capacity
he was retained during six success
sive terms, declining furtherscrvice
in that direction upon being NOM
mated to the Office OF Governor.
At the age of forty-seven be was
| elected Governor Of Massachu-
setts, to which Office he was an
nually reelected from 1843 to
| 1851.
1t was cold, bleak day in March.
Governor Briggs had just descend
ed from his room in the State
House, and was leaning against
the railing which guards the stat
ue Of Washington, in conversation
with a friend, when a page ap-
preached and handed him a note.
He broke the seal and read. It
was from the Mayor of the city,
informing him that a man had
been picked up in the gutter dur
ing the night by the watch, and
was now pronounced to be dying
of delirium tremcns. "He says"
wrote the Mayor, that he knew
you once-that you were his
friend and schoolmate. lie will
not give his name. If you would
like to see him, come soon."
The Governor FASTENED down
to the City Building, and with DR..
Smith, the city physician, be went
down into the police station, where
the poor walf lay.
Alas! be would never have re-
cognized in that wasted, shattered
wreck Of humanity the friend Of
his youth; but so 1t was. OF
what a sad, sad sight!
"Has heany consciousness left?"
the Governor asked.
:'I1e has had one or two lucid
spells; but the delirium has about
spent itself. lie can rave no
more"
At this moment the sufferer
started, and opened his eyes-dark,
cavernous eyes, bleared and ghast-
ly, but with a CLEAN Of intelligence
in their sunken depths.
"Who spoke" he demanded, in
a hollow, whispered tone.
"Malcolm, it was l. Don't you
know me p
"The poor man struggled to
raise himself, and the attendants
helped him; and when be had
been lifted to a sitting posture,
with pillows at his back, he looked
up.
Il know the voice. he said.
"And don't YOU know the face?
Look at me, Malcolm"
A little time, and something
like u smile broke over the worn
and haggard face.
"GeOrrc! is it YOU ?"
eyes, Malcolm. l am your old
school-fellow. You surely rcmem-
Der me now"
Malcolm CARING grasped the
hand of his friend and gazed up
into his face. Another faint smile
crept in upon his SCARED and tor.
tured features, but it quickly faded
away, and something like a pearl
giistened upon the dropping lash
cS.
"Malcolm, what can I do for
you?' !
"Nothing-nothing, George. I
am past help. l chose my own
path and | have travelled in it
and here l am. But you-you.
All! why should I murmqr? You
chose the better path, George
and there you are. You, Cover.
nor Of Massachusetts; and l-l-
The voice choked, the features
were convulscd; q moment so, and
then the eyes were opened, the
smile fitted back, and he murmur-
ed, as his head sank, "Stc transit
gloria mahal.'
He had reached the end OF the