St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1889-11-16
WHAT BECAME OF A DRINK.

In the year 1849, on the Sd day of o.
tober, traveller from Richmond, in Vir
ginia, to Philadelphia, got out of a trair
at the refreshment station at Baltimore
He was tired with the journey and still
had some distance to go. A friend whom
he met there invited him to take drink
What harm could there be in that? Wa
it not the part of good fellowship to do so
| Who but churl, fellow who ought tc
be treated with contempt, some bigoted
miserable teetotaler, could raise an obiec
ticn2 The two friends, with good inten
tions, went to the bar. Had a drink.
What was the result?
The gentleman who was thus tempted
was poet of the very highest promise.
His career had been wild and bad. His
name was Edgar Allen Poe His tales had
revealed rare genius. One or two poems
he had written were radiant with promise.
Every literary critic was assured that if he
would become steady and settle down to a
good life he would be one of the brightest
stars of American literature But the
counses of wise men and the influence of
good friends had no effect. Whilst in
Richmond he had been brought to peni-
tence for the past, and vowed reformation
He signed the pledge and joined temper
ance society to enable him to resist his
great foe, strong drink. He gave lecture
ON total abstinence, which was attended
by the best people in Richmond, who re-
joiced at the change and were fnll of hope.
lady whom he had long loved now con-
sented to an engagement, and arrange
ments were made for the wedding. All
his friends were satisfied that the man had
changed, and meant to work and live
good life. Before the marriage took place
he had an invitation to Philadelphla for
some literary work. Life was bright and
ali promised well. But whilst staying for
a few minutes at Baltimore, a well mean,
ing friend persuaded him once more to
open the door to the demon that had
blasted his life up to that hour, but was
now subdued. What inducements were
used, what strong reservations that one
glass could do no harm were made. wba,
|ests at being milksop were EMPLOYED
dulged in, we cannot tell. At length Poe
only just turned the key in the lock. He
took drink.
There are foolish persons who say they
have no sympathy with man who cannot
take just one glass, or two, perhaps, and
stop there. No wise lover of his fellows
will say that Some of the very best men
cannot. IL is often the finest brains that
are driven into insanity with few drops
of alcohol, which speedily DESTROYS the
equilibrium of the whole system, as a lit
tie snake poison will do. Poe could not
stop at one glass. At Havre de Grace he
was found SO disorderly that he was taken
Jack to Baltimore in the custody of the
conductor of the Philadelphia train. There
he did what numbers have done-run riot
in drink, completely mastered by the de-
mon he had been foolish enough to set
tree. In the course of few days he fFas
taken to hospital in an insensible state
On Sunday morning, October 7, he awoke
to consciousness. where am II" he
asked. A kind-hesrted doctor who was
BY the bedside said, you are cared for by
your best friends" After a pause Poe
replied, ''My best friend would
Do the man who would blow out my
brains" In ten minutes he was corpse.
The next day he was Inferred in the burial
ground of Westminster church, and Amer |
lea lost one of The most promising and |
brilliant writer's she ever possessed What |
became OF the friend who induced him to |
AXE that drink at the Baltimore refresh |
nent room? What did he think of il |
when be learned the results2 What will |
az think of it in eternityY If angels have
any insight into futurity, what must they
nave felt If permitted to witness that scene
1t the refreshment barr Surely some
lemon sent thrill of hellish joy through
tut the pit as i, saw the man lift the
lass Oh, it is terrible to think what a
brilliant light in English literature that
) lass quenched! And one is reminded of
i certain great poet who lived more than
many centuries previously, who said, pos
IDLY seeing similar evil in his day, 'fWoe
into him that giveth his neighbor drink"
u Hunt Cooke. in The Freeman.