The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1875-07-17
fnE oLD, OLp STORY,
The Eneela Of Wine, Women, Cards and
Dlsslpaied Companions,


yesterday, dropped Into the county
Jail, and proceeded 10 take q view Of
liz inmates, In one Of The cells, sur
rounded by yagabondH guilty Of every
crime Ia the calendar, stood q young
man whose features aud general ap'
pearanoe gave evidences Of u rearing
that WAS strongly IN contrast with his
present surroundings, Having his GU
rloally aud sympathy aroused, the re-
porter proceeded 10 lnlefrogale the
prisoner as 10 his name, place Of res
idenoe, the crime with which lao stood
charged, etc, In reply, he told The
following story, which h given sub
stantially m no told NJ
lilo was born Ia Virginia, where he
resided until the war broke out, NJ
which time no was about fourteen
years Of age. Fired with that love Of
country aud ambition for military
glory which seized 10 many Of our
braye.hearted Southern Toys, lac He'd
from his home aud enllAtod In one Of
the Virginia cavalry regiments un'
used 10 tho hardahlpa aud fatlglea Of u
soldiers lie, no WIS soon stricken
with fever aud conveyed 10 n hospital,
whore for months he lowered between
life and death. Recovering, linally, no
received u iurlougll aud repaired 10 Ills
home 10 reouperatc his wasted ener-
glea. lnafew months he agaln Joined
the army, aud did good service under
the siaa aud liars until all organized
resistance ocased, aud the Star OF the
Confcdcracy had gone down In II cloud
OF blood and glory.
Aitcr the surrender, he returned
home but 10 llnd his family ruined
and pennlless. United for farm la
Dor, aud too proud To remain burden
on his family, no emlgrated 10 the
West, aud settled In Arkansas, where
no applied himself aSsiduously 10 the
study Of medicine, and soon graduated
with distinguished honors. A lucra'
tive practice was seen established, and
no was on the FUR road 10 pros
pcrlty when, In IN evil hour, he
fell victim to the syren songs of the
Tonipters, wine and women, aud from
that hour his career downward was
rapid. 10 his other Vices, he soon nc
Qured that OF gambling, andin II short
time no awoke one morning from u de-
bauoh 10 lind himself penniless and in
extrlcably involved In debt. Through
The lnlercession OF those who esteemed
him In his better days, he was enabled
10 arrange his affairs satisfactorily Ia
his creditors, and thinking that In II
new country, cut of from all past vi
cious associations, he would redeem
himself, he emigrated from Arkansas
and located In this city. Dlscarding
his profession, no applied for and OBJ
tulned u situation as salesman in one
of our leading establishments. For II
time he did well, but the old habits re-
turned, and soon thereafter he was dis
charged. After his discharge he pluhg-
ed into every variety of dissipation and
soon he found himself, stranger
In II strange city, penniless. In an
evil hour, to quench the raging thirst
for drink which controlled him, he
entered the room of one of his former
fcllow-clerks and purloined quantity
of clothing, which he quickly sacrificed
TO procure drink. The theft was
traced 10 him, and he was arrested and
placed In Jail, where he now is, await
ing the action of the Grand Jury.
Such, in brief, was the story told the
reporter. No attempt was made to ex-
ienuate the theft; he committed the
net, and was willing to manfully bear
the consequences. His history Is n sad
one, and whatever may be his fate in
the future, let 1t be hoped that his ca
reer Ia the past will proves /. warning
not only to him, but to all of those
fast young men who are given to wine,
women, cards, and evil companions.