Connecticut western news., 1881-10-05
THE STRAW THAT SAVED.
A Life-Sketch.


 A certain young man, living not thousand miles from the city of New York, had, at the age of one-and-twenty, come into the possession of 8 large for tune. Immediately thereupon the fair weather friends assembled about him, and sought to make him believe that they could make life pleasant for him. He was fond of company full of life; with no restraint save his own con- science; and he was easily led on into the glare and glitter of convivial enjoy ment. His mother had died when he was youth of sixteen, and his father had lived but year longer. And he had no near relative to counsel or guide him. Once he had loved 8 beautiful young girl; but his dissipated course had frightened her parents, and they had forbidden him their house until he could truly mend. This had so angered him that he had torn her image out from his heart, resolving that he would never be slave!
 And he was living brilliant, glorious life, he knew, or, at least, he told him. self so. He drank deeper and deeper i; and, anon, he came to the gaming table. In short, every vice that a wealthy spendthrift might find feeting pleasure in he indulged in. And the circle of friends clung to him closely. They swore by him, and declared him a trump. They drank his wine, and robbed him of his money; and, if a new source of pleasure could be found, they all went in for the enjoyment, and he paid the bill
 One day, after his eye had become bleared and his step uncertain, he met the girl he had once loved in the street. He read pity in her sweet face, and saw tears in her eyes and he tried to steel his heart, yet he thought of her until his wild friends were again around him.
 One day he went to the bank and drew out thousand dollars. That night he sat down in his own apartments, with his own wine upon the sideboard and his own cards upon the table, and played with his dear friends The wine flowed freely, he drank deeply, and the game went on recklessly. They played for high stakes, and played fast and late.
 On the following morning the young man awoke with bursting head and aching eyes. By and by he called to mind the events of the night. He leaked into his pocket book and into his purse. Empty, both And he remembered that he had given his checks to various members of the party for large amounts. He found the stubs, and they told him he had drawn his check to the amount of over two thousand
 But what of that? Before night he had drank brandy enough to steady his nerves, and make him once more happy. Another evening came, and again his friends were assembled around his board. He had got up grand supper for them this time, and after the various courses of food had passed in order, came the wine and the toasts. And one of the friends-one to whom 8 large check had been given-got up to offer 8 sentiment.
 "FiIl up Fill up !" he cried, "while I give you the toast of the evening. Here's to our sober and thrifty host :! May he be ever as sensible as he is at this moment !''
 It was drank with cheers-three times three.
 It was observed that from that mo- ment the spirits of their host seemed to fail him. He became moody and ab- stracted. By and by some one bantered him upon it, and asked him what was the matter. He answered.:
 "I was thinking, did Tom tell the truth when he said I was sober and thrifty?''
 And thereupon they all exclaimed "Of course he did Ho! Was ever a man soberer, or more thrifty?"
 Because, pursued the host, patheti- cally, 'I shouldn't want friend to lie on my account
 "Oho Sensible to the last Fill upl"
 But the host would drink no more. He bade the others enjoy themselves as much, and as long as they pleased but they must excuse him.
 Without him, however, the sport Jagged; and when they found tha there was to be no card-playing they soon dispersed.
 And after they were gone, the young ) man sat down alone, and thought ant the words "Sober and Thrifty Sobel and Thrifty l" rang in his ears, and h' repeated them aloud. And then he re 7 peated: May he be ever as sensibl' as he is at this moment l" And then : with smiting of his clenched han1 upon his bosom, he exclaimed "Tom did not lie I will not let hin ie!"
 On the following day the youth wen ) to the bank, and was closeted for hal
 an hour with the cashier. On the morn
 ing of the next day 8 paragraph ap
 peared in all the morning dailies, an
 nouncing "We are really pained t : announce that A. B., the youn t man who was left the inheritor of fo1 y tune, little more than two years ago 5 has lost every dollar. Misfortune ha : befallen him false friends have be trayed him so that, now, his note fo a less than hundred dollars has gone t 6 protest P
 : On the next day after this the youn !, ] man (we will call him Fred,) went t