The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1832-04-10

| BEWARE OF A DRUNKEN HUSBAND
Oh how many such heart-rending scenes
have been compelled to witness will
relate one, the particulars of which will
long DO impressed upon my memory
The husband and wife were both the
play-mates Of my youth. He was once
rich and respectable, she virtuous and
happy. He became reduced by drunk
enness, to the lowest degree of poverty
and degradation, and his wife was OF
course brought to an extreme state OF
wretchedness. was called tn make her
a professional visit, and found the hus-
band stupid upon the floor, surrounded
by all the disgusting accompaniments OF
drunkard. The poor woman lay shiv-
ering under few tattered remnants of
bedding; and as gazed upon her ema-
ciatsd form, could not refrain from
weeping like chlld over the innocent
victim. A few years since, SO lovely, SO
cheerful. so happy and now, sowretch-
ed.-The contrast was too much. re-
member well when her fond parents gave
her away to tho man of her choice; and
| can still, as it were, see her rich blue
eye moistened with the sacred tear of af-
fection, as she gazed upon the idol of her
heart. That senseless, degraded being
is all that is left of him-and that pale
and grief-worn form is all that now re-
mains Of her. remember, too, the
beauty and neatness oftheir first dwelling,
with all its tasteful decorations. 1t was
little Paradise, Of which she was the
guardian angel. Itwas a pleasant sight,
to see the husband and wife, on "A sum-
mer evening, seated together on their
piazza, enjoying sweet communion with
each other, and revelllng in unmitigated
happiness. Their house is now a wretch
ed hovel-and their happiness, the Bit
terest dregs ever drained from the cup
of human misery. They were hospita-
ble-how could they be otherwise /? they
were happy: and their kindly feelings
could not but extend to those around
them-their well replenished sideboard
WAS free to all their friends; and how
could SO happy a man refuse to partake
of the exhilarating beverage, which he SO
freely urged upon others He did par
take; and now---look at him He
was has oUa master, and kne,o hoo to gopern
hsmse5w He saw no danger !; bat took
-and the accursed sting poisoned tie
fountain of all the finer feelings of his
nature. Now he lies there, an awful
warning to all mankind. to beware of the
first indulgence! Where now are all the
noble feelings ofhis manly heart! Where
that strong aud sublimated affection
which he once bore for his lovely wife
Where the strength and beauty of his
once energetic frame And where. his
own self-respect, which elevated him a.
bove the thought of an act of meanness (!
Ask that Demon which now broods over
him with breath more poisonous than
the Bohon Upas, and he will grin in hor-
rid exultation over his victim, and point
significantly to the empty bottle at his
side. a
The disease of the unfortunate female
was produced by grief, and want of nour-
ishment. She informed me that she had
tasted nothing that day, and that her
child had been taken from her the day
before by kind neighbor to preserve its
wretched life-and then she wept, and
sobbed forth prayer: and what was it,
my friends ? She invoked the blessing
Of heaven upon her child, and prayed in
agony for her husband. Yes she pray
ed for him, who but yesterday snatched
from herself and child their last morsel
of food, and sold it for RUM.
Oh I! young ladies, beware of drum
ken husband; for no language can de-
scribe the sorrows of his wife. Her days
are spent in bitter toll, and all night long
she weeps in unutterable anguish. She
shuns the sight of her former compan-
ions for the remembrance of the past
embitters her sorrows Hy!cy heart has
sickened within her, and gricfand famine
have wasted away her frame. All her
proud hopes have passed away like a
dream-and who can give her comfort
The fondest affections of her heart are
blighted, and she has no hope but in the
grave Oh, ye young ladies il it was
the last word ever expected to say to
you, / would repeat-BEWARE OF A
DRUNKEN HUSBAND.
DR.. SCOTS Address.