iS6 COLLEGE REMINISCENCES. 



n plight. " I took the poor inebriate in, and disposed of him as I could 

 for the night, intending to learn his history in the morning. 



It was near noon next day when 1 entered his room. He was still 

 in bed, and as soon as he saw me, he wept convulsively. I tried to 

 soothe his tortured feelings, but he refused to be comforted. 1 had'nt 

 seen Gordon for twelve years, — 1 had lost sight of him amid the bustle 

 of professional life, and only remembered him as the gay, talented, wit- 

 ty, mischievous collegian. He soon told me the story of his melan- 

 choly career. He had learned to drink intoxicating liquors in College, 

 for he was the life of every social club, keeping the bacchanalians in a 

 roar by his exhaustless fund of stories, inimitably told, and charming 

 them by songs, sung in a voice of exquisite power and tone. Thus he 

 continued after he left the Academic halls, degenerating every year, — lo- 

 sing credit, health and reputation, until he was compelled to leave his 

 native place, a bankrupt in fortune and character. He arrived at our vil* 

 lage, pennyless — he remembered that I had settled there, though we had 

 had no communication since we parted on Commencement day, twelve 

 years before. 1 compelled him to remain with me a fortnight, and sup- 

 plied him with every thing he needed. I never saw a more grateful and 

 more humbled man. From that day he renounced the use of alcoholic 

 stimulants, and vowed before God and myself, that he would forever 

 totally abstain. " Dr. " — said he — " I swear by Him, who " — "No, Gor- 

 don, do not swear," — I replied, — " there's no necessity of the solemnity 

 of a positive oath, — you are a man of honor, — and will keep your word 

 — resolve — promise — pledge yourself to me that you will abstain " — 

 " Well then, here in the presence of the Heart Searcher and yourself" 

 — and he looked reverently up to heaven — " I promise by His help nev- 

 er to" — he halted — "never to" — *** "never to taste intoxicating 

 drinks. " He covered his face with his hands and wept. My own eyes 

 moistened and for a while we were silent. He wept, not for regret at 

 parting with what he had fondly and almost fatally loved, but at the 

 thought of what he might have been, had he not yielded to th« voice of 

 his accursed seducer. Two years have elapsed since this event, and 

 Gordon is still a sober man. I procured him employment as a subor- 

 dinate clerk at a Rail Road depot, — I could get him no higher birth, for 

 people have little confidence in a reformed inebriate ;— his talents for 

 engineering were soon discovered, for he was a fine Mathematician; — he 

 soon rose in office, and his advance has been so rapid and his services 

 are so highly appreciated, that I would not be surprised to see him Pres- 

 ident of the Company in two years more. 



Alas ! hovv many noble young men lay the foundation of their ruin 



