Richland beacon., 1874-08-15
What We Have Seen.

open cdindiscrimiEately throughout
town, wherein their keepers vended
day after day and night after night
the fiery liquid Of the still to the old
and the young. Irrespective Of their
ages ana conditions in life. 50 long as
they rakcd from the moistcncJ face Of
the counter the glit;cring shiilings,
tinkling into the Golfers.
We have seen these yenGcrs 50 far
forgctful of what is right, as to en-
croach upon tho holiness of the Sab
bath day: aud while the bells were
Ginning the hour of worship heard
the staggering in,hf!atc n!nglc his
curses with solemn enuuda.
We have seen the young man when
the we'll defined traces Of deep iE-
tellectuality shonc prominently on his
brow; we have seen the pT;dc Of his
manly nature as it manifested itself in
him abashed, and lifted him far above
anv act that was in the least dsrc-
spectful or dishonorablc.
We have seen the blood Of youthful
ambition mantle high in his cheeks at
the mention Of greatness. and heard
him, in eloquent strains, paint tJf
outlines of his fancied future.
We have seen him within whose
breast there dwelt gererou heart
ant a noble spirit, with hhd open
as day towards the object Of charity,
and bis purse as bountifui as his COM
parison. We have seen him, as he
would weep tesrS Of sorrow IN bitter
sympathy for his fallen and ruined iel-
bowman. We lave seen his manly
cbees crimson with the blush of shame
for the drunkard. We have seen the
n;cture change. We have seen this
Young man take one mistep in an un-
guarded moment, and tip with his
friends the social glass at the bar
I We have seen him repea. it again and
again, until We have seen his once
clear eyes grow red and dull, and
have heard his tongue wag thick and
incoherent. We have seen him grow
neglectful of his person aud appear
ancc. with hair disbeveled and gar
ments soiled. We have seen hin
omit the Sabbath School and tht
Church. We hare seen him rcS'';;r !,
unon the streets ct MO -. a..
~, anu nave hed'u 'n'
vilest imprecations escape his lips
We have seen his friends ole by one
ignore him and spurn his company
We have seen his fortune, dollar b.
dollar, squandered for whisky and IL
drunken freaks. Have seen HIM q
the gambling hells with human van
pires on his right and on his lef
sucking the last drop Of vitality froI
his financial body. We have seen tt
tears of father, a mothe. and 81
ter fell in vain. Step by step "
J, have seen him 60 down to disgrac
:, infamy and ruin. We have seen hl
die friendless and neglected in b
poverty, with curses upon his life al
with the terrors of damnation in b
features. We have seen him laid
C, the cheerless grave and heard t
fe heavy thump of the sodded earth f
y heavily over his coffin. We ha
r, seen the heart-broken father and moi
Iy or weep in widest distraction ov
H. his grave and with heads bowed do'
r. over his ruin, seemed to drink the C
:. of sorrow to its bj;terest dregs.
ge We have seen tEeir dens Of CORR
Ist tion abolished and he temptation
he moved, and we have seen In con
as ouence thereof a new general
he grown up to be temperate, virtu'
Sc and prosperous.
al We have seen the drunkard
me claimed when this temptation was
IS, moved, and his family grow prosl
'ns Gus and happy. We have S
lse. enough to convince us tia. the v'
at ing Of spirituous liquors should
not wiped out of existence.
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