Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1878-03-06

| L
wreck. / was poor in purse. feeble III
mind. weak in body. l had acquired
tastes and habits that had no strength
to overcome. My property was sold to
nav the debts incurred by my various
destinations. l was sick and weary oi
life. and l endeavored to drown my
cares and the memory of my misior-
tuaes BY constant scenes of drunken
ness and debauchery.
Among my college classmates there
was one very dear friend who had
dragged with me through my down.
ward career. The only son Of a wid-
owed mother who died at last OF bro
ken heart, occasioned by the protilgacy
of her son. He had been a youth OF
bright promise. l had made him a
worthless vagabond, but l never paused
to reflect upon my responsibility.
One black November night | was re-
turning with four dissolute companions,
my class-mate among them, from the
the county seat, where We had been
holding wild carousal, to the town
where | lived. We had to take the
midnight train, and all were in a state
of partial intoXication. Just before ar
irving at our station, the traia crossed
high bridge that spanned dark, rush.
ing river. Owing to a slight accident
to the engine, the car in which we were
seated stopped in the centre OF the
bridge. Supposing that we had arrived
at our destination, and being too much
under the influence of liquor TO thorogh-
ly understand our situation, We stepped
from the train upon the parapet of the
bridge. mistaking it for the platform OF
the station; then after moment of con-
fusion and wildly clutching at each
other, we stepped off into the darkness
and plunged downward into the abyss
beneath.
We struck the water simultaneously.
The sudden shock almost Instantly
sobered me. By violent effort | sue
ceeded in disengaging myself from my
companions. The icy water gursled
and surgcd about me. L heard their
drowning cries. At last | clutched the
jutting point OF an overhansing rock
that prof ctod few feet above the wa
ter. and formed miniature island IL
the centre of the river. ] managed to
draw myself out OF the water and, seat
ny. shouted loudly Tor assistance.
Nobody seemed to hear me. The
whistle OF the locomotive shriekrd Wild
Ia. and after few moments OF delay,
the train passed and rolled on ont oi
hearns. excrtcd myself to the ut
most to keep from freezing, but my feet
and hands soon became numb and help
less, and began to feel that l was
dying.
L cannot express 10 you the horror Ol
death that | felt that moment. They
who talk lightly Of death when out OF
Immediate danger, find life inexpressi-
bly, dear when presented face to face
with the grim monster | ielt how
little prepared I was to die. Every
mean action l had ever committed was
presented to me. Not only the excess
ses l had committed upon myself, but
evils | had done TO others.
The terrible experiences Of that night
completely changed my whole charac-
ter. My hair, had been as dark as the
plumage Of raven, became as white as
snow. l renounced my former dissolute
habits and companions, and from
that night have trled to be a respect
and useful man.
But, how did you escape from your
lrighttul situation "
L was discovered by the station mas
ter at an early hour on the following
morning, and, though my feet aud
hands were badly frozen, l soon was
about again. My companions were all
lost, and their bodies were not recover
cd until several months 2fterward.-
Now, do you wonder that l refused to
drink with you? Do you wonder that
lam grieved to see you slowly drifting
into the same channel that carried me
so nearly to destruction? l implore
you to put away from you the cup that
intOxicates. Come now, give me your
nand, and promise me to drink from
that cup no more
l gave him my hand and my word
and from that moment l have been a
| trmDeratc man.