Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1827-08-30
THE INTEMPERATE HUSBAND.

l From MIR. Chafles Sprague 5 ADDRESS,, denver
ed before the Massachusetts Society for sup.
pressing Intemperanee.
The common calamities OF life may
be endured - Poverty, sickness. and
even death may be met-but there is
that which, while il brings all these
with it, is worse than all these together.
When the husband and father forgets
the duties he once delighted to fulfil,
and by slow degrees becomes the
creature of intemperance, there enters
into his house the sorrow that rends
the spirit-That cannot be alleviated
that will not be comf0rted.
Il is here, above all, where she,
who has veotured every thing, feels
chat every thing is lost. Woman, 81
lent suffering, devoted woman, here
bends TO her direst affection. The
measure Of her wo is a drunkard.-
Who snail protect her when he is her
insulter, her oppressor? What shall
delight her, when she shrinks from
the sight of his face, and ,rembles at
he sound OF his voice? The hearth is
indeed dark, that he has made desc
late. There through the dull midnight
hour, Der griefs are whispered TO her
self, her bruised heart bIeeds in sc
cret. There, while the cruel author
of her distress is drowned in distant
revelry, she holds her solitary vigil,
waiting, yet dreading bis return, that
will wringlfrom her by his u%Dkindness,
tears even more scalding than those
| she sheds owe his transgre5sions.
TO fling a deeper gloom across the
present, memory turns back, & hroods
upon the past Like the recollection
Of the sun stricken pilgrim Of the cool
spring that he drank al in the morn
ing, the Joys of other days come ove
her, as ii only to mock her parched
and weary spirit. She recalls the ar
dent lover, whose graces won her
from the home of her infancy-the
enraptured father, who bent with
Such delight over his new born chill
drcn-and she asks if this can really
be him-this sunken being. who has
nothing for her but the sot's disgust
ing brutality -no!hing for those abssh-
ed and trembling children boz the s0t's
disgusting example! Can we wonder,
that amid these agonlsing moments,
the tender cord. of violated affection
should snap asunder? that the scorn
fol and deserted wife should con.
fess, 'there is no killing like that which
kills the hearIf' that though it would
have been hard for her TO kiss for the
last time the cold lips OF her dead
husband, aud lay his body for ever in
the dust, it is harder to behold him SO
debased in life, that even his death
would be greeted in mercyi Had he
died in the Iigh. Of his goodness, be.
~quealhing to his family the inheritance
of an m..alnished name, the example
of virtues that should blossom for his
sons and daughters from the tomb
though she wouid have wept bitterly
indeed, the tears of grief would moi
have been the tears of shame. But TO
behold him, fallen away from the sta.
ton which he once adorned, degraded
from eminence o ignominy-at home,
turning his dwelling to darkness, and
its holy endesrments TO mockery-a
broad, thrust from the companionship
of the worthy, a self branded outlaw
this is the woe that the wife feels is
more dreadful than death; that she
mourns over as worse than widowhood!
The truth, but not the ,chole truth
A gentleman, hearing of a persons
death, said to another, i thought you
told me Tom Wilson'S fever had gone
off, Yes Oreplied the latter } but
l forgot to mention that be mad gone
OF along with it,
Al women, almost, are captivated
by talent; especially those for whose
pleasure in particular, its possessor
may exert it. Nothing can be more
aattering; and fattery is the key of
all heats. Want of handsome per
son, or even good looks, is for the
most part forgotten, or willingly par
doned in the man of talent The eye
| of mOu1an Iuaa met r-c,t-a ~ 10 Il,