Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-01-14
Tha urunkard,s Death.

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The Drunkard's Death.
AT last one bitter nlght, be sunk dowo on
The door step, faint and ill. The premature
decay of vice and profigacy had worn him to
The boue. His cheeks were hollow and llVld
bis eyes we!o suokcn, agd their sight was dim.
His legs trembled beneath his weight, and
cold shvcr ran through every limb. Add now
the long forgotten sc,nes of mis'pent life
crowded thick and fas. upon him. Hs sthought
of the time when hs had home-s happy,
cheerful home-aDd Of those who peopled it.
and focked abou, him then, uotll tho tJrm' OF
bis elder children seemed to rise from the grave
aud stand about him-So plsio. 50 clear aud so
distinct they were, that be could touch and feel
them. Looks thai he had long forgotten were
fixed upon hlm ono, more; voices long slnos
hushed 10 death sound.d 10 his ears like the
music of village bells. But it was only for an
instant. The raia beat heavily upon him; and
cold and huuger w.ro gaaTlog at bis neart
again. He rose, aud dragged his feeble LIMBS
few PAGES further. This street Was sllent aod
empty; the few passengers who passei 6y ct
that Ia.e hour, hurri I'd quickly 90, aod his trem
| uIous voice Was lost 10 the Voleoci OF the
storm. Agsiu tha, heavy chill struck through
bis frame, aod his blood s,snsd to stsgoate
beneath II. Ii coiIed himself uq 10 prof 'ct
log door way, sod tried 10 sleep.
Bus Sleep had 4 ID from his dull iud glaz,d
eyes. HIS miud wandered strangely, out he
| Was awake aud ojnsclous. The Well kauWo
| shout oil trun6cu utrth sUuoded 10 his ear, tue
glass vas at bis lIps the bosr1 Was covered Win
chooe rich food-they Wei. before bin; ho
| u IL ali baS hDtt IN mn
hand, aud rake them sud, though the luslOo
vas realty Itself. be klcw that be Was sitting
a!onc i, the Gcs:rGcd 5;feei, w.tchloR the ralo
drops as they pa,ter3d oo the stoucs; that dsath
was couog upo1 oim by luches-.ud that there
We're 1000 to care tJr or heD bin. ou1deoly
he started up 10 the extremity OF terror. Ha
heard his oHu voice shouto2 In thc night air,
be kuoy aor What or Hhg. HNkl 4 pro.u!-
another HIS s.ssts were leaving 81 D; hall
f,rmed and iosohcrent words oarst f;1u bis
lips; aud his hauds aought to tesr aud lscsrate
his Il :sb, Hs w.s goios mad, aud be shrleksd
for heIp ill his volc, tsled him.
H. raised bis head aud looked up the long
dsmat street. H,reco c:ed that outcssts like
hiuseif, c)ndsmued to wsnder day aod night
10 those dreadful streets, had sometimes gone
distracted with ther oWa lonelIoess. Ito re-
membs red TO have heard macy years bsfora
= |
fouud 10 solitary cornsr sharpening
rusty koif, to plunge iuto bis owe hoart,
preterrlug death to that endless, weary,
wandering to and fro. Ia an iosaot bis resolve
was taken, his limbs received new life; ho
ran quickly from the spot, and paused not for
breath uut!l he reached the river side. lie
crept softly down the steep stone stairs that
lead from the commencement OF Waterloo
Bridge down to the waters level lie crouohed
into q corner, aud held bis breath, ss the pa
troll passed. Never did prisoners heart throb
with the hope Of liberty aud life half so eager
~ as did that Ct the wretohed mao at the pros
pect of death. The watch passed close to him.
but ho.rcmained uuobs:rved F.; and after wait
ing till the sound OF footsteps had died away
in the distance, he cautiously decepded aud
stood beneath the gloomy arch that forms the
landing place from the river.
The tide vas 10, and the water howad at his
feet The rain bad ceased, the wind vas lulled
and all was, for tho moment, still! aod quiet
so q liet that the slightest sound on tho oppo-
site bank, even tho ripping OF the water
sgaiest the barges that wero moored there, was
distinctly audible to his ear. The stream stole
lsneuidly and sIuggish!y ou. Strange and fan.
taslio forms rJse 10 the surface, aod Deckoned
him to approach dark gleamlog eyes peefed
from the water, aud seemed to mock his hest
tstion, while hollow muruur5 from behlod,
urged him coward. Hs resreated few psces.
took short ruo, desperate leap and plunged
into the Wster.
Not i've sec c,ads hal pissed when he rose to
the waters suttace-bus what q change bad
taken pIaoo 10 that short time 10 all his thoughts
and teeling. L!fs-llfc-in any form, poverty,
misery, stargaion-aoythiog bus death. Hs
fought and struggled with the water that closed
over his head, aud screamed ln agonle5 OF ter
ror, The curse of his oWo 500 rang 10 his ears.
Tho shore-but one foot of dry ercuod-he
could almost touch tho step. Oae haod's
breadth nearer and he was saycd-Cu, the tide
bore him onward, und the laFk arches OF the
bridge, aud be su0k 10 the buttom. Agalo no
{ rose aud struggled for lie. For, one instant
for one brief iusLsOt-.he buildings on the rlv
, er banks, the lights 90 the Dtl7g, through
which The cu.reut had borne hln, the black
water, and the fast ayog clouds, we're distinctly
| visihle-oocs moro be sunk, aud onc, agal6 be
rose. Bright flames of Gfe shot up from earth
to beaveu, and reeled before his eyes. while the
water thuodered 10 bis ears, and stunned him
With its furious roar.
A week afterwards the body was washed
ashore, some mics down the river, swollen
and dls6sured mass Uorecogoz ID ADD u1'
0 pitied, it was b5roe to the grave; aod there II
: has long sine, moldered away !-Chas. UIckens.
a A BIRDS EYE.-A bird has keen per-
caption Of visual oil .c.s that lar surpaSssa tha
= of mau; it possesses power OF altering tae 10
n rms of the eve from telescope to mlc'oo
y mic range, by means OF sioQular struo'ute
1 known 81 the pec.eo or mar5nplun, toat Is az
d sent from the eyes OF the u am 9s; it eau 1e'so
q itselt far above the mists aod logs "nlca ci9s
m the surfsc, OF the earth, aud t0u' gaia slsu'
= Of an po,iz N far beyond the ken OF human
e evss a. It's by these scu'.i.s doubtless. tha,
the the scentIets vulture seeks lis food. the ia, a,
: SHIFTED W eaga its prey, aud the dove its distant
l. home.