Inside Cover

¶ 1 Leave a comment on paragraph 1 0 2 THE SPOILED CHILD

¶ 2 Leave a comment on paragraph 2 0 A Drunkard and His Five Sons.

¶ 3 Leave a comment on paragraph 3 1 In one of the northern states lived a man whom I will call M. He was for many years a merchant, and acquired a handsome property; and like most merchants of his day, he trafficked in ardent spirit.

¶ 4 Leave a comment on paragraph 4 1 He was a husband and a father; but often it seemed that the demon of discord had taken up her abode in his family: while his children, remained around the paternal fireside, it was uncommon for any one to enter, that dwelling and not witness broils, contentions and tears.

¶ 5 Leave a comment on paragraph 5 1 M. was a scoffer at religion, a Sabbath breaker, a swearer, and to sum all up in one short word, he was a SOT. One who is competent to testify has declared, that for a man who pretended to transact regular business, he was the most perfect sot he ever saw. There are some such instances, but they are seldom found; and when they do occur, they only serve to mark the height from which the guilty man has fallen—they evince that “with the talents of an angel, a man may be a fool.”

¶ 6 Leave a comment on paragraph 6 0 I said M. was a father—happy would it have been had he remained childless—happy for several of his sons, had they never been born.

¶ 7 Leave a comment on paragraph 7 0  The family of M. consisted of seven sons and three daughters. Two of the sons died in childhood—of the daughters it may be said they are ornaments to society. Five sons trod in the footsteps of their father, and even excelled him in vileness.    

¶ 8 Leave a comment on paragraph 8 0 The eldest, J. became a merchant, and after spreading around him a physical and moral desolation, laid down in a drunkard’s grave before he had reached the noon-day of life.

¶ 9 Leave a comment on paragraph 9 0       The second son, T. was also a merchant, and followed closely the example of his father and elder brother. He pursued his business for a short time, was convicted of an infamous crime, suffered imprisonment for a number of years, was at length liberated, and when last heard of, was a wretched, loathsome, mendicant drunkard in one of the southern cities.

¶ 10 Leave a comment on paragraph 10 0 The third son, A. was also a merchant. But he excelled his teachers in crime. When yet a lad, a whole school has been compelled to flee before him. to avoid his rage; and No. 28. [See page 3 of cover