, 1842-06-04
From the Ph.ladelphia World of Fashion.
THE D~RUNKARD,S WIFE.
AN OWRE TRUE A L

rs "'o" iuiiiouS doOT. STopeu lnrOuSl
a narrow entry, and paused at the
entrance of Il room within. That de-
graded being had once been a veal
thy man, respected by his neighbors
surrounded by friends. But alas! the
social glass had first lured him to in.
diligence, and then to inebrity, until
he was now a common drunkard.
The noise of his footsteps had been
heard within, for the creaking door
was tlmidly opened, and 4 pale em1-
cIa'ed boy, about nine years old,
stepped out on the landing. and asked
IN mingled anxiety and dread,
is that you. father?
Yes. wet to the skin-curse it,
said the man-'Why amt you abed
and asleep. you bratr
The li,ue fellow shrunk back at
this coarse salutatlon, but still though
shaking with fear, he did not quit his
station before the door.
'What are you standing there, gap
ing torf said the wreich,-lt's bad
enough 10 hear a sick wife grumbling
all day, without having You kept up
at night to chime in the morning.
get TO bed you imp,-do YOU hearf
The little fellow did not answer
fear seemed to have deprived him of
sPeech-but still holding on to the
door-latch. with an imploring look,
he stood right in the way by which
his parent would have 10 enter the
room.
Amt you going to mind?' said the
man with an oath, breaking into a
fury,.give me the imp and 90 10 bed.
or I'll break every bone in your
BODY
oh father don't talk so loud said
the little fellow bursting into tears
you'll wake mother. she's been worse
all dav, andhaSn't had any sleep till
now,'--md as the man made an effort
10 snatch the candle, the boy, loosng
all personal fears in anxiety for his
sick mother, stood firmly across the
drunkard's pathand said-.'voumustn't
Won mustn't 20 in
what does the brat meant broke
ont the inebrIa,c angrllv, this comes
of leaving YOU 10 wait on your moth
er ill YOU learn to be rs obstinate rs
a ~mu!c--wiI YOU diSobey me?-take
that, and that, you mp and raising
his hand he struck the little sick!y be-
ing TO the floor. kicked aside his body.
and STROBE into the dIlapidltcd room.
1t was truly a fitting place for the
home Of such vagabond as he
The walls we're low, covered with
smoke, and scanned with n hundred
cracks. The chimney-piece had once
been white. but was now OF 4 greasy
lead color Of age. The ceiling had
lost most Of the plaster, and the ram
soaking through, dripped with a mono
tonous tick upon the floor. A few
broken chairs. n cracked looking glass.
and Il three legged table. on which
vas a rimless cup. were in different
parts of the DOM. But the most
striking spectacle was directly be-
fore the gambler. Ona rlckety bed
Law the wife of his bosom. the once
rich and beautiful Emily Languerre,
who. through poverty. shame aud
sickness, had still clung to the lover
Of her youth. Oh! woman. thy ON
stancv the world cannot shake. nor
shame nor misery subdue. Friend
after friend had deserted that ruined
man-indisnity after indignlty had
been heaped upon him. and deserved
lv-year by year he had fallen lower
and lower in the sink of infamy-and
vet still through every mishap, that
sain,ed woman had chung to him, for
he was the father of her boy, and the
husband of her youth. 1t was a hard
task for her to perform--but it was
her dutv. and when all the world de.
serted him should she too leave him!
She had borne much, but alas! nature
conld endure no more. Health bad
fed from her cheeks, and her eyes
were dim and sunken. She was IN
the last stage Of consumption, but 1t
was not hat which was killing her,
she was dying of a broken heart;
The noise made by her husband a.
woke her from her troubled sleep'
and she half started up in bed, the
hectic fire streaming along her cheek,
and a wild, ftful light shooting ,n.o
her sunken eyes. There was i saoa
shadowy smile lighting up mel lace'
but it was as cold as moohliehl UPON
snow. The sight might have moved
a felon's bosom, but what can Pene.
tra,e the scared and hardened neart
of drunkennessf The man oeSideS
was in a passion. .h