Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1893-10-20
OST CONSCIENCE.

pearod changed. The streets ani
alters were always crowded: Deonl.
bed to pass to and fro; ambition,
itated the air, and good luck wa.
could catch it on the wing NJ
iced that something had suddenI,
Pared, that II certain flute had ceasee
it's part in the great orchestra n
life. Tn the contrary. some naomi.
egan to feel themselves freer anf
Man walked more arily and un
Od better those commodities which
found to give dig at neigbbor
portunity of fiatterng, of cheating
King false reports, of eliminating.
femed as though all discomforts had
spirited away. People no lonpe,
I'll. They seemed to be borne mn
ng affected them. nothing could
them reflect The present. the fin
everything seemed to belong to those
people who had not even noticed the
the conscience.
istppeared suddenly, in the twinkliny
a. eyel Yesterday it was still there
tiresome parasite. obvious to every
obtruding itself on the attention.
suddenly there was nothingl
displeaSing phantoms had disap.
d with it, and also the moral inuuiet.
Ehich accompanies IN accusing con
Zee disappeared liz, " .s,,
~ there was no hindrance to sailing
the stream of life, to absolute amuse
The wise ones of this world realized
they were at length freed from the
which i'm DnHal tb.;, ~.
fhey ut once gave themselves up to
W the fruits of this liberty. There
ed nothing but rapine and thefts; it
the beginning of general ruin.
anwhlle the unfortunate conscience
Pill lacerated on the highroad. The
Frs by spat at it and pushed it with
feet. Each one trampled on it, as
would have done tattered rag; each
hsked himself with establishment how
ets possible that such scandal could
place in broad daylight in a well reg
ed town.
Pd knows how long the poor outlaw
Id have remained in this state had not
unfortunate drunkard picked it up,
n having coveted the miserable rag
his drunken eyes, in the hope of sell.
it to procure for himself little brandy.
denly he felt Il sort of electric current
&ulate through him. He began to look
@1nd him with his dulled eyes. 1t was
fent to him that his head was freeing
Pr of the fumes of wine. Little by lit
there returned to him that bitter con
BUSINESS of the fact that all his living
ces were destroyed by drink.
\ Hput h.. f,,It 4
Hich sometimes troubles man when he
'ls the presentment of menacing dan
i. Next his memory disquieted him; his
hgination made it's voice heard. His
llless memory raked out of the dark cor.
Prs of his shameful life all the details con-
fnng acts of violence, of treason, of in
pity, which he had committed, and all
at recalled to him the whitening of his
art. His imagination clothed all these
tails with living forms. There he is,
lked from his long lethargy, but only to
turned into a sort of tribunal before
llch he judges himself
10 the unfortunate drunkard his whole
st seems like Il continual crime, like a
rpetual scandal. He does not proceed by
errogations, examination, analysis. He
ut the outset by the spectacle of
moral fall, and he feels thousand
les more punished by this internal tri
nal, before which he has appeared of his
n accord, than he could be by the most
ere human tribunal. He will not adj
I, In eNtenuation, that the greater part
his past for which he curses himself did
wholly depend on himself, an infirm,
SCRABBLE drunkard. but upon mysteri
and immense power which threw and
lgged him into this world similar to the
rrlcane which, in its turbulence, carries
rail leaf of grass across the steppes.
What use is his pastP Why has his life
lowed this course and not another road?
nat is he himself? Just so many ques-
as to which he cannot respond, except
complete ignorance and the most pro
nd establishment. Alas! the awakened
science offers him neither hope nor rec
lliation. Hitherto he has lived in a
IT; today the same mist exists, but PEG
with mournful visions. For long his
rs have been fettered by, heavy chains;
the same chains are here, but their
ght has doubled because he has under
od that they are chains. Our drunkard |
AN to shed useless tears. The good |
who passed by began to stop round |
ut him, and assured him it was the |
lie which was working in him.
But, my friends, cannot stop weeping; |
beyond my power" said the unhappy |
n, And the crowd burst into shouts OF
glitter and Knocked him. They did not
lerstand that he had never been less
Ter the influence of wine than now, and
he had merely made a sorrowful dis
cry which tore his heart. Had the
yd made similar discovery they would
e assuredly understood that there is
II, the saddest of all, that of finding an
ikened conscience unexpectedly. They
lid have also understood that they too
e deformed in spirit and as brutalized
his drunkard who was thus lament
No." reflected the unhappy one, u
st rid myself of it at any price; other
am done for"
nd he at once prepared to throw nus
on the public road, but was prevented
he esence of a sergeant of the town
You, my man." said this last to him,
king his finger at him, "look to me as
GU were about to distribute abroad
ldestine pamphlets. II you do, It WIN