St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1871-04-14

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did not like to see him there lie
was tc" y"un" and handsome Il man.
His phrcnoln.ical developments were de
cidcd!y GOOD. Ie had a fresh complex
ion, blue eyes, LIGHT curly hair; but lack
Of decision characterized his cnuntrnance
want "t iirmncss WAS apparent i'll his
manner. II" was reading IL newspaper.
"Ihat is not one of your paupers ?"
SAID To the gentleman in charge.
81 am very sony To :ay that he is,
SIR" he replied.
$50 young, Sc promising in appear
ancc-I really cannot understand it,"
was my reply.
'.Nor could any one not acquainted
with his history" was his reply; "but
let us resume our conversation. By-and-
by, come this way; he will enter into
conversation with you; he is not back
ward about it don't know what To
make OF the man, really
"But how old Is lac -
"Twcnty-nine years hc looks even
younger. fear lie has lost all proper
ambition, and it may he, will end his life
in the workhousc."
We wandered along from one to anoth-
or. The establishment was perfect ::
most of the paupcrs were old and inlirm :;
many of them looked shame faced on lc-
ing noticed. Ioor old men. suppose
they had no children to care for them.
In one of the offices was the model of
ship. 1t WAS a splendid thing. From
keel 10 masthead there WAS no fault in
her The Guns were beautifully carved.
Officers stood on her quarter deck, sail
ors in her rigging. Every coil of rope,
every shr"ud WIS exquisite in flush and
proportion. The boats were secured, the
sails all set. Truly, she was Il rcgal oh
ject. Behind the vessel WAS painting
Representing. the distant port.
My natural question was, ''Who did
that ?"
''The poor fellow is dead" was the
reply. ''llc was 4 genius and a scholar.
The noblcst-luoking man, sir, that you
ever laid eyes on. You have seen that
fine stone mansion on ScIgwirk street !
| Well, sir, he built that house ten years
AGO, and paid thirty thousand dollars for
ii, and yet, five years after he was in the
poorhouSe.'
''What did it, sir -
"Rum."
That was the bricf reply. Expressive,
was it not?
"YcS, sir, rum. The last time lac
| IN,
tlamcD the doctor of the institution
handed him Il dollar, saying, Bob, il
you drink any more you will lose your
eyes Bob looked at the dollar, then
turned TO the doctor with most express
sire glance, us he said: Then farewell
the eyes
"IIorrible, wasn't it ! In II month,
time they were digging his grave. 1t
was in the corner OF the churchyard.
Nobody followed the miserable body. If
laid in Il plain coffin, and we only said
rs we heard of it-'l'oor old Bob '
That's all the cpitaph ,lrunkard gets,
SIR"
Fifteen minutes after was hunting nI
the parsonage who had Interested me 81
much. found Inn III the garden hoe
ing potatoes.
We talked together on asriculiurc.-
lis fine language a,tonished me. felt
that he had had an intimate acquain.
tancc with books, with men, with ma
ture.
We walked along, lc showing me the
product of the soil. Presently We came
to IN arbor ovcr-hung with grapes, and
sat down together.
"Parlun me-" said |, ''if take tho
liberty Of asking you what brought you
here at So youthful an age ;" Ills eye,
dropped; he raised them again as he
answered.
''Rum -
That brief word. In my mind it i.
associated with all the horrors of hell.
Presently he continued
81 have disgraccd IN honorable name
sir; | am bringing my family to shame,
and yeti have not the nerve TO he a
better man"
was indignant at this confession. lie
saw it and continued
''Do not blame me, sir; You have moi
had my trial. have fallen from ligl
place. Eighteen months ago was 4
lieutenant i'll the navy, SIR
els it possible" l was startled, shock,
cd.
"Ycs, sir, possible; a reality, sir
His lip quivered Il little as he added
have brother in the pulpit, sir; "a fine
preacher, man loved and respected
How do you suppose he feels ID. have
a rich brother in New York. They hay,
both tried their best to save me.
81 was ruined in my youth. There
is 4 llgc old store on the corner OF NJ
and l. streets. You have doubtless scer
it. Before his death my father carried OF
that business went there regularly
after it was closed for The arrival Of tho
distinguished ,oyagcrs, stealing from my
home, often from my bed, for the pur.
= pose 10 carouse with three young fel
lows Of my own age. We told stories
we drank wine together till midnight
then, with 4 false key l had made,
would steal into the house and sleep of
my carouse. began that, sir, when
was but ten years Of age. DO you won
der | was drunkard OF these boy.
| alone am living. One of these boy