The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1871-12-01

comforts of Il cool brain are TO be pre-;
ferrcd 10 that state OF heated txcitcinent
which YOU describe and dcplore, what
hiuders in your own instance that YOU
do not return 10 those habits from which
YOU would induce others never 10
,wcrvc? IL the blessing be worth pre-
serving, IL il not worth recovering!
Recovering! % ifa wish could trans
mort Inc back to those days Of youth,
when Il draught from tho next clear
spling could slakc any heats which SUM
mcr suns and youthful exercise had pow
or TO stir up in the blood. how gladly
would ! return TO thee, pure element,
the drink Of chidreM and OF child-like
holy hermit! In my dreams can s0mc-
times fancy thy cool rcfreshmcnt purl-
ing over my burning tongue. But my
waking stomach rejects 1t. That which
rcfrcsllcs innocence only makes me slck
and faint ...;
But is there no middle way bctwixt
total abstinence and the excess which,
kills you? For your sake, reader, and
that you may never attain to my .expe-
ricnce, with pain must utter tho dread
ful truth, that there is none, none that
can find. In my stage Of habit Il speak
not OF habits less confirincd-for solno
OF them believe the advice TO be most
.prudcntial) in the Stage which have
reached, to stop short Of that measure
which is sufficient To draw on torpor
and sleep, the bcnumbing apdlectic
sleep of the drunkard, is to have TAKEN
none at all. The pain Of the sclf-dcniai
is all one. And what that is had rath-
or the reader should believe on my cred
n ii. than know from his own trial. He
t<,1 ~ wI0naVer no shall
arrive at that state, in which, paradOxi-
,.;s;t h;, ,l..,..ssa. ssstsvn, iOf u -
i, 'rra rrari,ii truth that the intellectual facs
ulties by repeated acts Of intemperancc
may be driven from their orderly sphere
of action, their clear daylight ministers
lies until they shall be brought mt last to
depend. for their faint manifestation OF
their departing energies, upon the re-
turning periods Of the fatal madness to
which they owe their devastation. The
drinking man is never less himself than
during his sober intervals. EVIL Is 50
far his good.
Behold me then in the robust period
of life. reduced 10 imbccility and decay.
Hear me count my gains, and the pront
vlicl. have derived from the midnight
cup.
: Twelve years ago, was possessed Ot
, a healthy frame of mind and body. 1
was never strong. but think my con-
: stitution (for a weak one) wasas happily
lcxemp, from the tendency TO any nala-
!. DIV asit WAS possible to be. ! egarce
knew what it was to ailnnything. Now
:. except when | am losing myself III sea
:" Of drink, am never free from those uii-
!, easy sensations in head and stomach;
In Isn
any definite pains or aches. .,
At that time was seldom III ?cu AFTER
!. six III the morning, summer and wtIitcr
= aw okc re frcshcd. and seldom without
some merry thoughts in my head, or
; some piece ofa song to welcome tho
newborn day. Now, the first feeling
whicl, bcscts me, after stretching out the
: c'hours Of rccumbcncc 10 their last pOssi-
y ble extent. is a forecast Of the wearisom6
!, ,lay that lies before me, with secret
u wish that I could lave lain on still, or
!, never awaked. !,
!, Life itself. my waking life, has much
of the comfii sion. the trouble, ana oD-
scurc pcrplcxity. of an i'll dream, LII
:, thc day time stumble upon dark noun
tains.
), Business, which. though never very
particularly adapted to my nature, yet
as something of necessity To be gone
/" through. and therefore best Mtdcrlakclf
: with cheerfuncss, used 10 enter upon
: with some degree Of alacri'y, now wear:
I les, aslrights, pcrplcxcs me. ! fancy n''
sorts Of fdiscouragcmcnt-. and am really
! 10 rive up an occupation which glvr-
: me bread, from l,arra>sing conccit o'
y cincapaciiv. The slightest commission
: pivcu me hv Il friend. or any small duty y
]. which have to perform for myself H.
= giving orders 10 'ralcsnhail, &C., haunta
,, nc as labor impossible to be got
J, Through. 50 much the springs Of aclioi
49, :. arc broken. = :,
- The same cowarslcc attends me In al
Y my Intercourse with mankind. dare
:, not promise that n friends honor, Or III,
!, cause, would be safe in my keeping; u
~ wero mi to- The expense Of any mainy
,, resolution III dcfcndimgit. So much tl't
(" springs Of moral action arc dcadcneu
~ within INC.
~
hs I ran Il pom ir,lnclcSs cgCtist, who
n have no vanity To consult BY these Con
-. fcssions. know not whether l shall "
~ laughed ut, or heard seriously. Such a'
\. they arc, | commend them to the rca
=. ,lcr's attention, IL he find his own cas'
II any way touched; have told him villa
"a ann come to. LET HIM sTcr ~ TINE.
re
III rs There is nice batch Of Radical
i<t Al. oil. nf i'm