The Osceola times., 1880-04-10
mcnts and the fate OF mankind.

uited, and where not II soul was 10
be seen, and naught but the dim
lamps which made darkness more
visible, relieved the gloom of tenn.
pest and night, | followed my guide
into one of those narrow, dirty
streets, the picture of desoIation
and pestilence, where crime inds a
hiding place, and iniquity resteth
in temporary secarlty, which are to
be found ia glmost every town or
city IN our land. After having
groped our way along for some
time, we halted before q door upon
which there needed not to be writ
ten, " lchabod,' for every trace of
its former glory had departed, as
its shivered frame and cracked pam
els abundantly testified. Pressing
upon the door, ii turned crcaking
and groaning upon its hinges, rs if
to introduce me to one Of the most
heart-renjing scenes IT has ever
been my lot to witness. Ifoutside,
the tempest and darkness made all
look gloomy and dosolate, and the
loneliness of man more apparent, |
certainly found no relief within. !
was ushered into largo and lofty
room, which ia former times lad
been the drawing room OF some rich
family; ITS size, only made the I'M
preston OF WOO the more visible,
and seemed in ITS old dusky hang.
1 ings to mock the misery it was call
ed to witness Upon Il wretch ed
/ pallet, with sunkcn eyes and un-
shaven face. lay the wreck of once
powerful man and as gazed upon
him and heard the blasphemie5
which be uttered, | asked myself,
Is this scene ! can ever forget p
The being upon whom ! was called
( TO attend was once The son OF pros.
pcrity round his path had gather
ed friends and patrons no. a few,
bat he had drank deep at the bowl,
and was now draining to the drcgs
the cup of misery aud OF woe. Oh
could the rum dealer have been
there could he have heard his
hoarse voice as he called tor "rum
rum ~ and the imprccatIoRs and
curses he hurled and heaped upon
all around, am confident it would
have taught him an important les
son, never to be forgotten. All rca-
son had fed, and he lay fighting the
phantom OF his own brain, in all the
agonics of dclirium. All hope OF
administering comfort to hls mind
was gone, so | ordered that which
] thought his situation required, /,
aad turned from the bed to the rest
of the unhappy family. If my mind
had been paIned at such wreck OF
humanity, it was not relieved at the
picture of woe around nae. There
stood at The head Of the bed a being,
who, though in the midst Of power
ty and sickness, and subjected to u
long life OF misery, wrctchedness and
woe, Yves still lovely; and as She
bent over the head Of her dissipatcd
husband, and wiped the sweat away
from his brow, ber largo eyes filed
with tears, which ever and anon
fell coursing each other down her
suullcn checks, and as gazed upon
her, felt that thero dwelt in The
bosom OF womaR feeling Of love,
that neither tmo nor circumstances
could ohlterate. CrOuched in ore
corner of the room, huddlcd togcth-
er to keep each other warm, and
looking with mingled feelings OF
awe and sorrow, 10 the bed where
their father lay, were three thin,
emaciatcI children, whose ragged
clothing was not sufficient 70 shield
them from the piercing night blasts.
The youngest boy had crouched
down with bis long hands pressed
against his hollow checks, the hot
tears bursting in showers from lie
tween his fingers, rendered almost
transparent hy want, crying for
" bread !" "hread !" Oh, shall |
over forget that night? Great God
| explained, after having done all
that my thoughts could susecst, is
mpn SO dcpravcd, so lar sunk below
tbe level @, his kind, as to sell to
his .,i1w man, the cause Of all this
misery ; Thus musing, | bent my
way home, where retired not to
sleep, however, but to ponder on
tho scene had just witnessed Ear
ly next mornlng, | hurried again to