Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1871-09-07

the new country, started on my way
home with squad of soldiers who
were going as far as Vmcennes. From
there made my way to Louisville,
Kentucky, in company with some
brave and hardy pioneers There I
parted with my horse and took passage
on a keel boat for Pittsburg, and
thence obtained conveyance
home. had been absent about eight
months. Joyfully entered the paternal
mansion, receiving most welcome sal
utations from all its inmates. But
soon found that something troubled
my friends and ascertained to my sor-
row that the day before my arrival
home my dear Orpha was consigned
to the cold grave. A malignant fever
had hurried her into eternity in few
days. 1 passed sleepless night. In
the early morning l was kneeling
at her grave I felt rebellion in my
heart under this affective providence.
All was dark in the future. l could get
no relief from tear. The fever of my
brain dried up their fountains. have
never wept since. Almost in a state
of madness, I Stunned society, and
thought society Stunned me. At
length to my great misfortune, a few
young men horn to wealth, but spend
ing it in dissipation, broke in Oh my
solitude. They persuaded me that my
melancholy might be dissipated by
going to balls and taking a social glass
occasionally, and that l could return
after the revival Of my spirits to total
abstinence at my pleasure. The idea
was at first ahhorrent to my better
t aii.ing and feelings. The attack was,
however, repeated again and again
until by over persuasion yielded
Here was the great error of my life,
had I sought in piety, sobriety and
good company for relief, 1 think 1
could have found it; for had great
active elasticity of character. I might
then have been among the good and
great, l say this I think without ego
tism. began moderately, but drank
deeper and deeper, and the habit be-
came stronger and stronger l have
writhed under its degrading influence
for many years.. and@fee that -I-havs
11nuap TO ocooDo bo
grave. Yes, boys, this vile habit has
been the bAne of my life; it has give
me an age of remorse and self-reproach
with poverty, loss of friends, and the
loss Of health and self-respect; and
made the eternal future dark and for
bidding before me. The appetite for
strong drink has become my master,
and a very cruel one indeed; it has
prostrated reason, conscience, selfcon-
troll and manhood. While suffering
remorse for the past, it drives me far
ther into sin. Were it not for my early
training, that has never been entirely
obliterated, and that l am compelled
by sheer necessity to be sober at least
three fourths of my time to make
scanty, living by my vocation, and that
take almost infinite pains to make
myself useful and agreeable in my
tumble sphere, as Uncle Davy, the
country school master, should be
much more complete moral wreck than
I am. But as it is, 1 live life of de-
gradation and remorse, and shall die
unwept and unhonored, unless per-
chance some of nay pupils drop tear
as they pass my lonely grave. And
now, boys, take warning by me, and
'touc1 not, taste not, handle not the
unclean thing" Before reaching his
three score years and ten, Uncle Davy's
strong constitution was broken down
by di~ ease, induced by the vile habit
of intemperance, and his once noble
frame consigned to q Drunkards
grave.