Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1875-06-04
Temperance-A True story.

Temperance-A True Story.
Amid the green hills of Vermont, on
a white marble slab, is written the name
of an only son of one of the wealthy
families of the place. A townsman, un-
acquainted with the sad story Of young |
s., might read the inscription on his
tombstone with sigh that the heir of
50 much wealth should die in manhood's
prime; but to those intimate with his
personal history, wealth would be lost
sight of, in view of the fearful struggle
for dear life he maintained with a de-
mon that dogged his steps for weeks
and months, and years even, and thrust
him at last in fearful error into this
untimely grave.
S., grew up a noble type of manhood.
Fine in form, genial and dignified in
bearing, he was considered leader in the
community, and placed in offices of trust
at very early age. But, alas the
morning that beamed so brightly was
soon shut in by the darkest clouds; he
loved the inebriating cup, that sooner
or later, " biteth like serpent and sting
eth like an adder" His father believed
in the moderate use of spirituous liquor
as beverage and often vindicated his
course before his son, perverting passag-
es of scripture; and always supplied
his family with brandy to use at the
discretion of its members.
Young S., with superior mehtal ca
pacities, saw, before he was seventeen,
the pernicious effects of a free use of this
fiery poison, and felt, in his growing ap-
petite for it, there was danger and this
consciousness of danger aroused the
powerful energies of his soul to resistance,
and he resolved never to taste it again.
Until twenty he withstood manfully the
daily temptation his mistaken father
cruelty placed before him, and kept his
pledge unbroken; then he was Frustrated
by severe sickness, and his physician, as
is too often the case, prescribed spirits
as restorative at first, he peremptorily
refused to taste it, but his mother, in
her great anxiety for the recovery of hel
. darling, insisted he should take it ''just
for medicine, and he yielded. Il
seemed small matter, but the conse
! quence were fearful 1t was like open
|, ing a crevice in bank against pent W
r waters his slumbering appetite was SC
q quickened by commencing again the
o daily use of liquor, that he never more
. was master of himself. His whole sou
rebelled against slavery to the demon
9 intemperance, and hence the bitterness
h of the cup of misery, which he drank t.
the very dregs.
= The drunkard who becomes such with
out compunction, and even glories il
g his shame, may live stupidity on for year
q a loathsome burden to himself and socie
ty; bnt constant struggle with the
IF pursuing fiend, such as was manifeste'
% by young S., soon wears out the physi
cal frame. He knew, aud his friend
l. knew that, unless he obtained the victo
e ry. he soon must die. Yet, strange t
= tell, his father, his cruel father, still
s kept before him the fatal brandy-th
a bane of his life. In the day of reckon
. ing, how can he answer for this grea
n wickedness.
Il S., loved most tenderly a beautiful
10 truehearted maiden, who was worth
the wealth of affection he gave her, an
es who loved him no less fervently in rc
a. turn, and her plighted troth was tn
s golden sunshine Of heaven that brough
of summer to his heart, but when he foun
N his resolutions of reform we're of n
Y, avail, that, Notwithstanding all hi
IS efforts, the destroyer was constant
" gaining upon him, his generous natur
ID recoiled from the thought of bindin
If her to share his miserable destiny, an
IN he broke the engagement.
Is Then in the bitterness of his spiri
ct he prayed for death to release him frol
e, his unspeakable misery. Poor youn
le man would he had prayed for strengt
er to resist The temptation then the answ'
ID would have been, My grace is sufficel
he for thee" but instead of looking @
d. high for help, he still fought alone wit
rt his enemy, and failed.
he Mania for drink followed he felt hin
id self pursued by numberless devils, an
to saw before him darkly yawning grave
I'd with an agony fearful to witness b.
adj this could not be long death soon r
leased him and here, in this rural moo
he the birds sing as sweetly, and the sun
nd mer winds kiss as gently the green tu
al above him, as though his brief life ha
ch not thus been crushed out in bitternes
it But will not his sad history speak
ut many a father and mother and physicia
of and give point to the woe pronounce
for against him who "giveth his neighb,
by drink to make him drunk ?" What
faa rfiil thing To have the blood of a vi