The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1882-10-24
Written for the sorru KrsrvoEIAS:
THE D1UNKARD's DEATH BED
SCENES.


Inc shahows OF death hang Ger my brow
Myhsart 80 long by grief welghediown
Must scca be stillc ID the COLI damp ground.
~ earthly sorrows will soon b. .'sr
Aud shall feel their psnys no more.
This Wild nesrt thrsbbiny 10 my breast
| win then forc,.s DC arrest.
OIL welcome death Liong have sought
The pcaeeaud rest, Thy SHOULD hase brou gh..
But ali! ii, more, far verse know
For can see my dooin below.
And though my troubles here are done
The nrcs Of hell have just begun,
Their burnIngs even now I feel
While satau's chlming my death knecl.
Long Ger Tomorrow my ,lcathlcss soul
Aust writhe In axvnIes untold.
Buthmt. there conos TO mo adAy
When wss happy young and gar.
Where parents, brothers aud sisters near,
wcrc gathered at home, and asthsrc; :
Those days were allied With sweetest Joy.
To me, happy thoughtless boy,
Dut long c'cr days OF manhood came
I learned TO drink, 20 swear ana samo,
And soon my lifc-my very aoul y
Was swallowed In the fatal bowl.
When iIrst I,lrank with friends 80 gay
{ felt ashamed and SUNK away,
Hut SOON drove the thought from inc
And next was ON jolly spree,
And IN, self respect was swallowed up
II the sparkling drausit In the drunksrsi's
cup.
Ny only hope. my only care
was 70 drink the contents foaminS thcre.
Mother bcsousht ,nc then IN tears
To n.t,lIsRrAcc her few short years,
Hut TO her erica my heart was deaf
aew 70 ll'le my burning grief,
10, thea heard, yes,eyen then
The wvrds Of shamc on the tpngucs Of men,
Aud In this cup thought to qusll
The avcnging hamcs from the tirunkard's hell.
drank to sooshe the burning pain
That raukcd me, body, aoul and brain. "
soon was In dcstl-iike slerp
From having drained the wine cup deep.
Ipassed tho day upon the nocr
A. night ! rose 70 seek for more. M
But nyi A brgsar am ieft
Of every cent am bercft
Ia shame upon my hands AMI knoss
crcpt asxy prrhapsto freeze.
Hut no! saw come rcciIngby
A gambler withN nsnsilsh eye.
lie paused beneath the gisriLg light
To count his gold and silver bright.
faimed blow, and quick ss.thonght
The GAMBLER TO the earth brought,
istrippsd his pockctsof bis gold
Aud left him lytns stIr and cold.
Idrank with all souls delight
Aud thought to spend happy night.
When some one called me from tehind
Aud begged of mo IN nccrnts kind
To leave the counter and como homcs
For now said hc--wc'rc oil alone
Poor mothers gone Ia Heaven aboyc
Hut blost you with her dying love.
Ny heart vnseoIi, could not hear
The kindly words Of brother dear.
wRhout moments thought drew
From it's shexti u dagger bright and new.
Now SEGA darker picture still,
Oh. heavens. Ny very senscs thfiii,
Ny brother on . har-room noor
Lios wcItering IN pool of gore,
Aud In my hand y rcekIng knife
with which ryc taken his precious life.
An officer gll.es into the room,s
With tlrvhbng heart Iyct my doom
Add armtr grasp my giitterIug blade,
That nov nsud or lnc ls<s made, =
Aud withan unexpected dart ~
Tue point burIusi In his heart
lie falls-my only hopes In Hight
Out iuto tho darkncss of tho uiyht :
with aching linibs anl craxed braiu, y
| nish through darkness storm and rain
Al last. pesiics rushing river
1 fell--and In my terror qniver,
Dellrium's frcs consume my brain
My ssry soul Is rasked with pniu.,
The liudson's waters dark And,lccp
Now almost touch my burning feet,
Ny hynrt scnds folth that awful cry
Oh God That I 10 night rculd die,
hut not thai -leath was not for me
The names Of torturrs could sce
werc yet not half prepared tor uic, : -
s.ill survived that tuight feel
A horror that no tongue could tell.
Oh could feel fhat When us Ger
Ny soul could rest forcvcrmore, 1
Then could die without grvsn
To leavs tho world and sock my home.
but tls nst thus. .ny peace is gone
And must fiul = irllnkania homc
Where fouivst demons reign and roam
Aud peace and love can never come.
Within the nrss Of cteruai hell
Ny soul forever now inust dwell. III
Iloug hayc laborcd deep 10 sin t
Aud ught Tho things hNt fuhtincn,
Ani now MY last reward s'all DO
~ wrIlhs IL drcs prepared for me.
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