The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1897-05-28
CAUSE AND EFFECT.


CAUSE AND EFFECT.
Hhe subject OF this tale, when introduced,
Appears bright and gallant specimen
OF youth and early manhood in their prime.
An heir OF gentle birth and generous means,
lie enters social life with cultured mind,
And polished style, aud guise that give him
place
In highest scale, and make him leader
there.
His loved home circles pride, his comrades
boast,
The model of admiring friends, he shines,
whether in social or domestic life.
1t matters not. Obedient to the calls
or duty and of pleasure, he goes forth,
An ever-ready knight, nor stays to look
For pitfalls in his way
Alas, alas,
Heredity dlrefu curse has given
To him, baleful thirst for deadly drink.
The latent demon in his breast is reused;
Or else, taste has early been induced
BY social usages; and though the world
Knows not, reeks not, he soon becomes
Although he plumes himself on self-con-
troi.
That fatal first drink, oh what force it has;
small beginning, like the rivuet
That gently babbles down the mountain
side,
torrent.
below
our hero holds a high and noble place
IN minds of those who love him, and esteem
The higher qualities of manhood's prime,
But underneath the fair exterior,
Demoralizing forces are at work.
Erelong. he has acquired a treasured art.
His natural powers he loves to stimulate,
To give him brilliance i'm CAV. social scenes,
To add a sparkle to his native wit,
The progress of this downward Tendency.
None know eXcepr the victim and NOT he
Can realize the niserabIe trutb
And yet. no doubt. at times, he is alarmed.
And then resolves that he will break the
Whose growing weight he feels. While in
this state
He woos and wins n maiden. fair.
And takes her to his home. n paradise
Supplied with ali her Trusting heart can
wish.
A few more wears elapse. His sun still
shines.
To all his sky seems clear until n cloud
So small tits scarcely visible, nnpears
on the horizon's edge Rising II grows
Until its presence cannot he iSnored
Without annarent cause he seams ouite
i'- Changed. "''"' '"u''' "' '''''' 40'''
Unlike his former self He now anpears
Hilarious without Sufficient cause "pp'''''
or, victim of some dark. depressing fear.
~ O'' '''0' - '''' sly w " . 'O'
Then whisper anxious friends. "He surely
~" drinksl, "''N'01' ''''N' ii' ''''''
"He drinksln oh. what n dread sipniflcance
The words express' what import ominonsl
His boon companions saw: "He drinks too
muchn
! Oh. who imbibes at all. the deadly draupht,
| And does not drink, alas, too much?
| '
| O We who tipple at the licensed bar.
| or secretly imbibe the fatal drink
| You NAV be sure yosr sin will find Won ont
T99 al we'll wisbing friends a dean eregrat
| And to the careless gossin theme for talk
|
The wears roll on. His gentle. patient wife
| And little ones. so loving, fair and sweet,
Rnt ike n pnwer9ni snhterranean fire.
| His apnetifa exists and stiIl n grows
| AS his canacity for good declines.
! His duties are neglected his affairs
Become involved. reverses come, and he.
| Unable now to cone with them resiuns
! Ali hone ali interest in bnsiness
| Rnt cIings with desneration In the cause
| or ali his woe saloons and tinnIing mates
Are more TO him than home and Wife and
| babes
However once beloved. These cannot
| checl,
Rv any means his beodlonp. downwar d
course.
The former dav-dreams Of the once-lovet
vito
Have tn a deem and lasting nightmare
changed,
! And ali tho movers she has are piven to
Her Her in ,r oie and beIpIess Ittle ones
! no shiaid tbnn, from the OWLS of THAR life
And d" Vet her afTorts i never eve can avail
! 10 Sa'va tban, iron, disgrace and novertv
TIe% ioy to ,,a s6er III e ome:
IT, eiiIaDt nod win nors ottant to hear
| THAR fatbnr's hoisterous return then fv
10 cnverts wbern fhev may remain until
In stTnor LOST he thiylts no more Of Them.
- - POI ''''' ~
His molodv ottains its direst force
Ev iu, natnre dronns 6snenfb The Ino1
| ~ nbTsicol ma mental n,isarv
M m aSnosn w abndn casts
nv .
Aror,d hin, frionds I'm siIapce sadly, nova
HYortin al tbait 81 M 70 CI,iet hin;
And s,iv6 Sunnnrt to his danendant ones
Coz, S2i,', n,p PTrint Is III. iranaoted crv
L,or 5ns bn he stri,.Hl 70 n,anch his owfu
VI tbiret w
No 4 r ImlrstL 40 ,,or,o,.y Of bornv dovs
ADG ~ di"sinata tbn yisioUs t%Pt onneor
Unseen by Others to his startled gaze
What fearful straits the victim undergoes
What awful fancies or realities
Engross and agitate his frenzied mind!
oh, could the careless tiDpler but obtain
A glimpse of what he at p Such moments see