The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-03-22
what Became Of n DrinL.

But truth will place his name among
Tho bravest of the brave.
What Became of DrinE.
In tho year lStO, Oh tho third day of Octo-
ter, n traveller from Richmond, in Virginia,
TO Philadelphia got out Of q train at tho re.
freshment station Mt Baltimore. He was
tired with the journey. and still had some
distance to GO A friend whom lie met there
invited him to take a drink. What harm
rould there Re in thati Was it not the part
of good fellowship to do 500 Who but
rhurl, fellow who ought to be treated witt,
conteinpt, some bigoted, miserable teetotaller
could raise objection, Tho two friends,
with good intentions went to the bar. Had
drink What was the resultt
Tho 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 u good lfo
he would be one OF the brightest stars Of
American literature. And the counsels Of
wise men and the influence OF good friends
had no effect. While in Richmond he had
oesn brought to nen!tence for the past, and
vowed reformation. lie signed the pledge
and joined temperance society to enabo
him to resist his great foo, strong drink. He
gave a lecture on total abstinence, which was
attended by the best people in Richmond.
who rejoceGi at the change and were full OF
hope. a lady whom he had long loved now
consented to an engagement. and arrange
mcntS were made for the wedding. All his
friends were satisfied that the man had
s had am nvitsfaoos tsfaos to work and ano xs scs
all promised we'll. But whilst staying for
lew minutes at Baltimore, a welLmean.
ing friend persuaded him once more to
,psn the door to tho demon who had
out was now subdued. What induce
ments were used, what strong assever-
atoms that. ono 4 ass conld do no harm
we're made, what jests at being mllk-sop
were employed, what sneers at teetotal
fanaticism were indnlged i'll, wo cannot
tell At length Poe just turned the key in
I the lock. He took drink. There are
foolish persons who say they have no
sympathy with n man who cannot take just
! one glass or two, perhaps, and stop there
| No wise lover OF his follows will say that.
Some Of the very best men cannot. 1t is
often tho finest brains that are driven
into insanity with n few drops OF alcohol,
which speedily destroys tho equilibrium OF
the system. as II little snake poison will do.
Poo could not stop at one glass Al fIavre
! de Grace lie was found so disorderly that he
was taken back to Baltimore i'll the custody
of the conductor of the Philadelphia train.
There he did what others have done-rai
riot in drink, completely mastered by the
demon he had been foolish enough to set free
In the course OF few days he was takon tt
morning. October Z, he awoke to conscious
ness "Where am IN he asked. a kind
hearted doctor who was by the bedside said
You are cared for by yI, ycnr best friends rsn;i.
"My bcst friend would he the ina,
who would blow out my brains.
Iu ten minutes he was corpse
Tho noxt day he was inferred in tho burial
ground OF Westminster Church. anC
America lost one Of the most promising ant
brilliant writors she ever possessed. Wha
became Of tho friend who induced him tt
take that drink at the Baltimore refresh
ment-rooml What did he think Of it wheI
he learned the results What will he thinl
Of it in eternity If angels have any insigh
into futurty, what must they have felt d
permitted to witness at the refreshment bar
Surely some demon sent thrill of heiiis
Joy throughout the pit as it saw the man lif
the glass! Oh, it is terrible to think what
brilliant light in English literature that glas
uuenchedl And one Is reminded OF n certai
poet who lived many centuries preyiou
who said, possibly seeing similar evil in h
day: "Woe unto i'm that giveth his neigl
bor drink ~. Tint Coolfs. in the Ere
! man.
A Boys Terrible Inheritance.
The most striking illustration that is j
q my recollection at tho present moment wa
. in one whom | knew from his birth until
4 met his death 10y the most tragical Of suic
dial acts, and who was as peculiar in some r.
o SIeCtS DeIOFc Un9 luCal Ol uTInk na
I actually seized on him as afterward. On h
I paternal sido this boy directly inherited IL
y | alcoholic taint: on his mothers side, ind
& ! rectly. He was boy not wanting i'm q CO
|, tain ability, and not wanting in a certal
. beauty Of build: but he had about him no IL
\, termination Of purpose. lle was reStle
\ without object, capricious, and often melaI
II choly. lie was not intentionally cruoi, bi
|, rs il without knowing IL ho was .Sddcn
and often desperately cruel with animals an
! nIayInllOHS ID.
1. ing much progress in anything, and carir
should. At last, when he was und
y stantly for stronger Huid Of tho san
II were, with n bound, he passed into dipsom;
4 gayety, OF occasional intoxicatioD, wit
T. anxiety or urgent temptation, but n COZ
a rather, tho whole youth--into drunk ma
). moss IIo did NOT would not, could u
reason on the matter. lie was as couscio
@ in his worst phases. Flo had no desire whi
!, ever to reform 1t was his confession tn
i he cared for liro only so far as it gavo hi
n tho opportunity to indulge in drink. Iiavi,
/, 10 pity for himself, ho had no pity for othel
q and dsrogerdful of his wofars, dragged q
II who approached him, MS far as he could. in
is his own course: not. 10 it observed fro
y any desire to do them wrong, but from
II actual indifference, or, 1t may 10. ignoran
s. Of the relations between right and wron
aNNIc for tntaN l.fa .lf la nFt taI