Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-10-17
A Terrible Casualty.

- eS, III WIS IerTlDle UnlnV pIPdl
shock to MS all. His poor wife and those
darling children. just a chance, as one
may say or perhaps, as the preachers would
put it, mysterious dispensation of Provi
dence. Did you ever see such beautiful
flowers declare that solid column of
tuberoses, to symbolic a life broken off in
the middle of its career of promise, is just
perfection How handsome he looks too.
| see by the inscription on the plate that he
was only Just thirty. What casualty" So
rattes on one of the five hundred friends -
who throng George W-s parlors-or
rather those of his wife, perhaps of his
creditors-on the day of Georges funeral.
" But how did it happen I'have not heard
the particulars. just saw the notice of the
funeral, and hurried up
"lIaven't heard? o, it happened this
way. The family were all ont of town, and
George, poor fellow, attacked with some
slight summer ailment, went down stairs for
medicine, and it is supposed took poison by
mistake. When the stupid servant found
him he was in terrible condition, and by
the time she brought doctor 1t was too late
to save him, though he fingered in great
agony for three days-long enough for his
heart-broken wife to come and see him, but
not for him to recognize her.
What dreadful casualty says the
friend, and the service proceeds Earth to
earth, dust to dust, ashes to ashes," spirit
where That depends
Was it a casualty This is the true
statement of the case. George W was
good fellow, handsome fellow the pet of
drawiug-rooms till he married the prettiest
girl of his set, and the pet of dinner and
supper parties afterwards. lie had even
been church member once in his boyish
days; but that was long ago, and had been
put away with other "chldish things"
Now he was "A man, father, rising yonng
lawyer, generous. "Nobody's enemy but
his own,' his friends sad--a cabalstic
phrase which has come to have but one
meaning. His wife never suspected the
habit which had been gaining upon him so
rapidly for the past few months when she
bade him goodbye. early in June, as she de-
parted with her little ones for their sum
mer's country rest and refreshment, saying
Nov don't NOPE in the house, George; go
out and enjoy yourself; see your friends
and have good time" And he took a
good time according to his definition OF
the term. There was no one at home whose
opinion he valued now, and night after
night he stumbled in with barely sense
enough to get to bed, sleep oft the effects of
one carouse, and begin another the next day.
Aren't you going this thing too strong?"
asked friend VINO saw him to his own door
step the night of the Casualty" You'll
find it hard to knock off when the old lady
comes home
"Mind your own business, and don't call
my wife names," said George, as he closed
the door without bidding his friend good
night.
Somehow that night sleep did not come
as easily as usual, and after tossing YEARLY
for hours, the poor victim exclaimed " I'm
awfully thirsty. believe am in fever.
must have another drink" So he groped
down the stairs, found his way to the side
board, and great draught OF brandy fol-
lowed all that had been already taken that
evening. Then another, and another. Rea-
son was quite gone, sense almost, as the
fated wretch discovered the bottle to be
empty. Here's another" he stamnered, as
his trembling hand grasped similar flask,
and raising it to his lips he drained at least
a wine-glasslul of some poison he kept i'll
the house, and which had accidentally been
placed on the side-board.
Was it a casualty, this substitution of one
poison for another, the quick for the slow
Was 1t casualty that, stupelied with drink,
the dying man sank down without thought
of calling for assistance, and was found in
the morning past all human aid ? Are the
heaven and hell which are to come after
death casualties or is it as sure as the word
OF eternal truth, "no drunkard shall enter
the kingdom of heaven 7"
All there is no chance in this life. "As
a man soweth, so shall he reap and the
seeds of the social wine-cup are like the
dragons teeth of the ancients, and spring
up, sooner or later, a crop of armed enemies
ready to hunt their powerless victim to the
sure end of a drunkard's grave.
Let us rather, while dropping tears OF
natural pity at the fate OF one so promising
aud so bright, thank God that the end came
so soon, before other crimes followed in the
track of their instigator; before innocent
children We're led to follow in the steps of
their wretched father and the man who was
"only his own enemy" became also the
enemy of every one else.-Good Words.