Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-02-27
ghostly throng there was something familiar
TO the frightened landlord.

ghostly throDg there was something familiar
TO the frightened landlord
| The leader Of the strange procession, a
young man, with an expression Of unutter.
able sadness on his wan countenance, plac-
ing his chill hand on the head of the trem.
bling man, in deep, sepulchral tones ad.
dressed him thus
"Do you know me, James Brown Look
into my face; mark me well. Do you recog
nize the bright, happy boy who came from
his country home, baptized by a mothers
tears, with a mothers blessing on his head ?
Do you remember his ardent aspirations, his
noble impulses Pure as the air of his own
New England hills, knowing nothing of the
evils by which he was to be surrounded,
lighthearted as the woodland bird, was that
boy. Who changed all this 2 Who tempted
that youth with his first fatal glass ? Who
allured him on, dragging his feet deeper and
deeper into the paths of vice 2 Who laughed
at his efforts to break away from the snares
in which he was entangled Who Knocked
at his mothers love, and tore from his bosom
every noble, holy impulse2
"James Brown, thou art the man. You
brought my mothers gray hairs with sorrow
to the grave You made her son thief and
a villain. You ruined him body and soul
lie stepped aside, and another of the wan
company advanced
ado you know me, James Brown Do
you remember my happy home, my lovely
wife, and fair children Have you for
gotten the enticements you used to take me
from that home, and bring me into the
charmed circle of your saloon
DO you remember, how, again and again,
! resisted your efforts, but still with satanic
perseverance you continued to seek my ruin =?
Fool that | was, you succeeded at last.
yielded everything, soul and body, to the
dominion of the foul fend.
"The price of my soul is in yonder till
but in dragging me down, you have dragged
yourself to more fearful depth; ay, to a
bottomless abyss"
Another now came forward and took up
the terrible tale.
"Ah i well know you remember me. |
see it in your miserable face. You remem-
Der well how, step by step, you allured me
on, until manhood, respectability, all was
swallowed up in the maddening thirst that
consumed my very being Then, forsooth,
you banished me with curses from your sa-
loon; it was too respectable for such as |.
Drunkards were not admitted there. That
Punishment came too late; my fate was
sealed
81 had child. God knows loved that
child. He knows | would have given my
hearts blood for her, and yet killed that
little one. Maddened by drink, as she tot
cred toward me, calling in her sweet tones,
Papa, papa | caught the little innocent
and with all my strength hurled her from
me. Her head struck a stone, and the child
so dearly loved died by her fathers hand.
"You know what fate was mine. was
tried for the crime and expiated my offense
upon the gallows. complain not of my
sentence.
~ was guilty man, wretch to yield my
self to your fiendish spells but you, James
Brown, should have died by my side. You
brought me there. You were tenfold more
the murderer than myself"
"Do you recognize me, James Brown ?"
said another, Do you remember the minis
ters son whom you enticed to your saloon,
in revenge, as you said, for his fathers in-
terferng in your business Have you for
gotten how that good old man begged you
with tears in his eyes to sell no more of the
maddening drink, that was crushing all that
was nobest and best in his son Do
you remember your answer to those ap-
peals, Your son would get it elsewhere if /
did not sell it. | am not accountable p
James Brown, you saw that father, crushed
by the disappointment of his fondest hopes,
borne to his last home.
You know you brought him to his grave.
You know that son had promised his dying
father TO never taste again the deadly poi.
son; and yet with fiendish malice you pur-
sued him, enticed him to your hell, until,
perjured villain, he sank lower and lower to
a drunkards grave. James Brown. behold