The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1842-03-10
From the Lady's World of Fashion for March.
THE DRUNKARD'S WIFE.
AN owRE TRut TALE.


The grey morning wat already dawning
when a miserable wretch turned into dirty
alley, and entering low, rhinous door, groped
through narrow entry, and passed at the en-
trance of room within. That degraded be-
ing had once been q wealthy man, respected
by his ne,Ghbors, surrounded by friends. But
alas! the pOcial gIsOs had sSst lurod him to in
dulgence, and TO nebrity, O0iil he was now a
common drunkard.
The noise Of his fooisieEs had boon hoard
within, for the creasing door wsO limidIy o.
pened, and pale emaciatsd boy, abOst siRo
years old stepped out On thslruding, and eek
ed ia mingled anxiety snd dead,
'ls that you la,her9"
'Yes, wei 10 the skin, n,-turss it, said The
man-why ain. you Sbed ard sleep, you bra,i'
The little follow ehrunt back at this coarse
eaIutN,ion, but s.ll, though qaakiny with fear,
he did not quit his station before the dooI.
'What are you standing there. gaping for9'
said tho vre,ch,-'i,'s bid enough TO hear Q
sick wife grumbng all day, without having
you kept up al night to chime IN IN tho morn-
ing, got 10 bed, you imp, do you hearP
Tho little fellow did 40. Snswer; for fear
seemed to have deprived him Of spescb; but
stil holding on 10 the doG latch, with an i'm.
poring, look, he s,eod tight in The way BY
which his parent would have to enter the
room.
Ain'l you going 70 nindl' said the man
with on oath, bresking iniO fury, give me
the lamp and 60 TO bod, or l'Il break every
bone in your body
oh! father don't talk 30 loud said the lite
tlo fellow bursting into tehrs, 'you'll wake mo-
tber, she's been worse oil day, and hasn't had
any sleep ill now;' and as the man made an
effort 10 snatch the candle, the boy. losing all
personal leats 10 anxiety for his sick mother
stood firmly across the druukards path and
said. you mus,H'l,-you mustn't 60 in
What does the bra! mean?' broke out The
inebrlate angrIy 'thie comes Of leaving yot
10 wait on your mother till you learn to be as
obstinate as mule, will you disobeym take
that, and that, aud lhst, you imp" and raiU'
ing hls hand he struck the i'lle sckly bsing Ia
tho floor, kicked aside his body, and s,Tode in
to tho dllnpidated room.
], was lrnly fitting place for tho home o
such a vNgabond as he. The walls were low,
covered with smoke, and scanned with hun
dred cracks The chimeney piece had once
been Shite, but was now of The greasy leac
color of age. The ceiling had losl most Of
the plaster, and the rain soaking through
drpped with munOionOus tick upon the floor
A few broken chairs, cracked looking glass
and a three legged table, on which was rim
less cup were in different parts of the room
But the most striking spectacle was directly
before The gambler. On rickety bed lay lht
wife of his bosom, the once rich and beauti-
ful Emily Lauguerre, who through poverl!
shame, and sickness, bad still clung to th'
lover Of her yonth. Oh! woman. thy consIan
cy the world cannot shake, nor shame no,
misery subdue. Friend after friend had de-
sered ,ha, ruined man; ndiguity after ind G
nifty had been heaped..upOn him, and deserved
ly; year by year he had fallen lower and low
er in the siak Of infamy; and ye, etill through
every mishap that sain,ed woman had elung Il
him, for he was the father Of her boy, an
the husband Of her youth. twas hard lasl