Newspapers / The Rasp. (Raleigh, N.C.) / July 9, 1842, edition 1 / Page 1
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r u - m4 W. & J. B. WHITAKER, EDITORS AND PROPRIETORS. VOLUME II NUMBER 24. RALEIGH, JULY 9 1842. SINGLE COPY, " WE COME, THE HERALD OF A JSTOISY WORLD. - BA I TERMS. TheRasp is published every Saturday morn ing, at One Dollar and Fifty Cents per annum payable in advance. tf" Any person sending us sixnew subscri bers, and the subscription money for one year shall receive the seventh number free oi charge for. the same length of time. Advertisements conspicuously inserted, at tbe very reduced price of Fifty Cents per square t for the first insertion, and Twenty-five Cents for each continuar e From the British and Foreign Temp. Intelligencer. THE WINE DRINKER. FOUNDED ON FACT. If' village, not far from one of our most populous cities, may be found a widow, with two helpless children. Though scarcely twenty five years of age, her care-worn and haggard countenance bespeak, sorrow and anguish. It may be interesting to know something ot the circumstances which brought her to her present condition, Alas ber history is a melancholy instance of the woes and wretchedness produced by the hy dra headed monster intemperance. Lest this should meet the eye of some one personally interested, the names of the parties shall be suppressed, and publicity given to such facts only as may serve to warn others to beware of the young man "who tarries long at the wine!" Some few years since, the lonely widow to" whom we have alluded, was the belle of the vilage in which she lived the admired and accomplished Mary C, of the town of A. Her faith had long been plighted to the ta lented Henry W. son of one of our most dis tinguished political men. They had known each other from childhood; and before Hen ry had entered his junior year in college, he had vowed eternal constancy, to Mary. Long since he had finished his collegiate course, and entered upon the duties of his profession, with all the advantages which education, wealth and family connexions could give him; he bid fair to become emi nent at the bar; and, had he directed the ta lents with which he was endowed m the right "channel, he might have risen to celerity in the ranks of literature and science. He was admired by all the learned , the witty, and the gay. But rumor had whispered in Mary's ear that "Henry would occasionally take a spree," yet so unexceptionable v as his de portment, so uniformly polite gallant, and gentlemanly was he in her presence, that she discurded such a report as untrue, and lulled all her suspicions asleep by the fatal illusion, that it wasonJy the cruel artifice oi some designing foe. Months would thus pass imperceptibly by, and againthe unwelcome sound would greet her ear that "Heniy. did drink." Long did her faithful mother reason the casewith hers and begged her to relinquish the engage ment, at least for the present; but the delud ed girl closed her eyes, ears and heart a gainst conviction, and clung with all the de votion of her nature to the object of her af fections. That one so talented, so noble, so prepossessing as Henry, should ever be a drunkard, was too degrading even to think f. No ! he had more strength of mind to yield . to such a course. Besides, what if he did I occasionally take a glass of champaign or old hock, he was literally obliged to do so? Moving iVlhe socilty which he did, he could not refuse, occasionally, to drink a toast, or sip a glass of wine with a lady, she would not have him commit so great a breach of etiquette as to refuse compliance with so gen teel a custom. But more than all this, sup pose he did sometimes err, could she not re claim him? Gotild she not make his home so pleasant that he would not seek the ine briating draught? These were the secret reasonings of Mary's heart; and thus did she silence all scruples, and bury in oblivion all dark forebodings. Just at this crisis, she accompanied him to a large party; and there, amid the spark ling of wine, she saw him so far forget his own dignity, and the respect due to her, as to render himself unfit to see" herhome. This was, indeed, a corroboration of all she had heard, and4she could not evade the un pleasant truth she had witnessed; 'while all the gbssipping community were alive With the news, and many a cne "guessed the en gagement would now be broken off." Mary's poor heart was withering beneath blasted prosperity and blighted hopes. Henry in the mean time hastened to apologise for the past, and with ail the fervor of a lover, pre mised reformation, and sued for a speedy consummation of their vows at the hymeneal altar; at the same time telling Mary "she need not be so apprehensive for the future he had no inherent o2 for liquor he re sented the icea of becoming a drunkard as much as she did; he never drank any thing stronger than wine, and only that when in company; drinking toasts over a bottle o champaign was very common among gentle men of his profession; and he could point her to many of the most respectable men o the place whom he had Seen far more excit with wine than any one had ever seen him; and were they drunkards? Noi "The fact is," said he, "Mary, this hue and cry about an innocent glass of wine is all humbug; it has always been used as a beverage; and there's Mr. Grey, that good old minister, I never saw him refuse a glass of wine at a wedding in my life. At the same time, I will even leave off this practice for my dear Mary; and surely she will not suppose that I have no more command over myself than to pursue a coursewhichwill ultimately bring me to ruin." Thus did the sanguine lover reason, and thus fondly did the credulous Mary listen. Poor Henry knew not the strength of long established habits, far less did he realise the proverb of the wise man "He that ruleth his own spirit is mightier than he that taketh a city." And when he stood before the 'holy man," and promised to "love cherish, and protect" the wife of his youth, little did he imagine that his neglect or unkindness would ever send a pang to her heart. Nay, had he heard a prophetic prediction of his af ter course, he would have exclaimed, with the man of old, "Is thy servant a dog, that he should do this thing!" We have not time now to portray Mary as she appeared the first few mfTnths after mar riage, the gay and almost envied wife of such a man as Henry W . As an evidence of the estimation in which he was held by his townsmen, he was nominated as candidate for State Senator. Political ex citement ran high, public meetings demand ed his absence from home, and late hours, and a flushed face, gave the first indications of a return to the wine cup. Party spirit ruled the elections at that time, and Henry was defeated by his opponent, a man alto gether inferior capacities. He now absented himself much from home, and Mary feared Henry took something stronger than wine, or he would not be su petulant nnd lrntwb.e as lie now seemed. She remonstrated, and he protested ,khe had only taken a glass Of wine with a friend." Things went on this way for many months, till gradually he lost much practice in his profession, and often appeared in the street shabbily dressed. Mary now staid much at home; and her pale cheek and sunken eye told of sorrow not to be expressed. Her sweet babes now clung to her attenuated form, and shrunk from the father who had once called them "his little idols." When Mary contrasted the degraded and sottish husband with the dignified and talented lover, who had wooed and won her heart in all its innocence and freshness, she wt-pt, she entreated, but she upbraided not, and strove with all a woman's skill to hide the errors of the man she loved. In the recesses of her own bosom she hid her sorrows, and betrayed them not, except by a wan countenace and sometimes crim soned "cheek. To all a mother's anxious in terrogatories "if Henry was kind to her?" she uniformly replied, "How could it be otherwise? he loves me too much." And so he did in his sober moments? but what will not intemperance do? it transforms the doating husband intothe maniac the brute. We cannot follow Mary through all the changes of her short but evcnuul married life. Sh at length consented to go and live with her parents, for Henry had now be come a perfect sot, loathseme to look at and disgusting even to think of. One day, in the midst of his guilty revels, he was seized with delirim tremens, and died in a few days a mid agonies indescribable. Language can not depict the horrid scene, nor imagination conceive the direful images that haunted the last hours of his life. v- Thus sank Henry W into an untime ly grave, cut down in the very bloom of youth in the spring time of his existence. Let his history stand; forth as a beicon light to warn young females to beware of the young man who has the least propensity for the accursed bowl. This is no fancy sketch; 'tis a living truth, nnd is the history of thou sands. Hope not by marriage to reform the drunkard, and be not duped by the wine drinker, who boasts that he can drink cham paign without detriment to himself or others: but rather give heed to the admonitions of Solomon '"Wiue is a mocker, strong drink is raging, and whosoever is deceived there bv is not wise." The following quatrain from the French- is worth remembering When things are done and past recalling, 'Tis folly then to fret and cry, . Prep up a rotten house that's falling, But when its down, e'en let it lie. 'I'm casting accounts,' as the merchant sai when he threw the leger at his refactory clerk." WAGABOND WERSES. I likes to loaf iu Market-street, Upon the side that's shady, To see the faces fair and sweet Of each dear lass and lady. 'T was tother day, ven I vas there, A vatchin' the, dear voa's glide, I saw a lady vith vinning air, Comin' up the 'tother side. Her yes were of a skyey blue And sparkled wery bright, Her cheeks vereof a saffron hue She laced most desperate tight! I saw aoother, vith pleasing face, And her smile vas sweet and kind, She moved along with ease and grace Her bustle 'stuck ouV behind. There is a girl in Salem whose eyes are so bright, that her lover will not have a light in the room when he is courting. Prince Albert is a frugal vouth, Who in saving takes delight ; He seldom vainly spends, forsooth, But lays by a Sovereign every night. The Cobbler's Valedictory. 'I feel that I wax weaker in public estimation daily ! I am fast approaching the end of my popularity. A few more siiches, and I am for ever soled and heeled, for the right and left of oblivion ! I have done awl I could do in the service of Sa tan ; and the sooner 1 breathe my last, the more creation will be gratified. Catechism. 'Tommy, what is the chief end of man V 'There's two on 'em, dad.' 'What are they?' 'First, to subscribe for a paper ; and second, pay for it.' Microscope. Id3 And then sue its editor for publishing facts. Ed. Tickler. There is a lawyer in Albany, who boasts he is never without a case ! That case is a pine book case, containing a single volume of the 'Percy Anecdotes.' The only case he could ever open or close. 'The last link is broken,' as the loafer re marked ven he vos masticating the oaly.sas senger in the diggics. We will send the News for six months to any person who will inform us of a word to rhyme with 'Spooney.' Hagersloxcn News. Looney, Rooney, Shooney, Mooney, Reasonably rhyme with 'Spooney.' Picayune. If we, too, make a rhyme to 'spooney,' Wilt send the paper to us soon, eh ? Becausef unless you make that promise in advance, that is, hold out the inducement of prompt pay, we will not tax our poetical pow ers we will not write poetry upon credit,thal's the shoit and the long of it. Knox. Post. " Go forth, the sky is blue above, And cool the green sod lies below ? It is the hour famed for love But cook my tupper ere you go. f . . A Q,ueer Q,uery Who was the comman dei who first introduced1 salt provisions into the Navy? Ans. Noah; for he took Ham in to the ark.. Why is a printing oiSce like the Mosaic re ligion? 4 Because it is full oi forms and types. ! I
The Rasp. (Raleigh, N.C.)
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July 9, 1842, edition 1
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