Written for the Weekly Visiter.

o. RALPH STANLEY. s.ss ,, 3
OR THE UNSIGNED PLEDGE.
{"newspaper_name": "The Columbian fountain.", "edition": "01", "page": "p1", "byline": "A TRUE STORY."}
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1t was once my lot to pass some time il


the pleasant little village Of S., situated ir
the valley Of the Connecticut, who're en-


gagged in the time-honored employment Of


teaching the ''young idea how to shoot ]"
or, in other word, swayed the sceptre "a
birchen one) over the village school. Il
was pleasant village, consisting of one
long street, running north and south, thick
ly studded with dwellings near the centre,


which became more and more scattered as
you proceeded either way; presenting ev-
cry variety, from the stately mansion Of
the man Of wealth, to the neat little cot
tage of the Woodworking, yea independent
day laborer. More remotely dilapidated
habitations, scattered here and there, gave
an appearance of a want of Thrift, and 9TH
er things indicated that all was not right
that the prosperity of majority of the in
habitants was, to say the least, doubtful. -
Althouwh the village presented pleasant
exterior, arising, in great degree, from its
locality yet to any one observing the in
terror arrangements of many Of the houses,
the appearance was far otherwise Some,
that outwardly bore the traces of wealth
and comfort, too plainly showed the baheful
effects of the destroyer within; while
many exhibited an aspect of decay by no
means indicative of industry and good msn-
agemcnt on the part of the inmates Should
the causes be sought large ediice might
be shown occupying prominent place at
one side of the village green before the
door Of which creaked sign indicating
that hero was the travellers home. This
was place of resort for large portion Of
the male inhabitants of the village; wheth-
er they wished to dispose of any commo-
dity--purchase or trade; whether they
desire to hear the news or pass away the
time and while they were engaged in their
employment the tavern keeper was by no
means idle. Each newly formed friend
ship must be cemented by drinking to the
health and prosperity Of each other, and a.
bargain was never considered complete un-
til the parties had pledged themselves by a
sacrifice to Bacchus. Sundry little build
ings, too, might be pointed out, appropria-
ted to the manufacture of one of Goods
good creatures" from the fermented juice of
the apple. Never since the days OF Eve


has the apple, or anything made from it,
been put to worse use than was cider in
these bot-houses Of destruction, where the
process of distllation was carried on with
the greateut assiduity. One of them, and
one only, always presented a pleasant APP
pearance to my mind. A short time before


went there to reside, through some me-
glect of the distiller the building caught fire
one windy day, and was consumed with all
its contents. The ruins remained long
afterward,a a solitary, blackened mass, fir
emblem Of the moral desolation it had beer
spreading around. / had amused myself
with imagining the lamentations which
must have resounded through Pandemoni-
um when the internal spirits beheld the
destruction of the engine Of their evil pow
er, and the regrets that must have filled