The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1842-10-29
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY III, WEBB.
BLooMsBURG, COLUMBIA COUNTY, pa sATuRnAy. q

j. Mfs. Martin sat down with little Emma. =
bp' no food passed the mothers lips. Sh
could not eat. There was a strange fea
9 aoout her heart---a dread of coming evil
: that chilled her feelings, and threw darl
cloud over her spirits.
: In The meantime, Martin had gone 10 III,
: dinner party, firm in his resolution no, Il
touch drop of ardent spirits. But the tas,,
OF vine had infamed his appetite, and he
drank more and mole freely. until he ceased
TO ieel the power of his resolution, and a
gain put brandy 10 his lips, and drank with
1he eagerness of worn and thirsty travelIe,
al cooling brook. 1t was nine o'clock
"hen the company arose, or attempted to
arse IRON The table. Not all of them could
accomplish that feat. Three, Martin among
the rest, were carried off 10 bed in state
oil helpless inloxicati)n.
Hour after hour passed away The anxiety
oil MRS Martin increasing every moment,
unlIl the clock struck twelve.
why does be stay SO later she said.
rising and pacing the room backwards and
forwards. This she continued to do, paus.
Ing every now and then TO listen, for nearly
an hour Then she wen, to the door and
looked long and anxiously in the direction
from which she expected her husband 10
come. Bu'hs well known form met no,
aer eager eyes, tina! peered SO intenty into
The darkness and gloom of the night With
anotlier long drawn sigh, she closed the
door, and re entered the silent and lonely
room. ! nat silence was broken by the
loud and clear ringing of the clock. The
hour was one Mrs. Martins feelings now
became too much excited iar-hAr.. ~ r~or,-,,,-
silent anguish Of spirit. For nearly quar-.
ter Of an hour her tears continued to flow.
and then deep calm succeeded a kind Of
mental slupor. that remained until she was
startled again into distinct consciousness by
the sonnd Of the clock striking two.
All hope now faded from her bosom. -
Up to this time she had entertained fee.
BILE hope that her husband might be kept
away hom some other cause than the one
she so dreaded, but now tina, prop became
only as broken reed, to pierce her with
.keener anguish. ..
III is all over ! she murmuted bitterly las
she again arose, and commenced walking TO
and fro with slow and measured steps.
Il was fully three o'clock before tha,
lonely, and almost hesri-broken wife and
mother retired to her chamber. How cru
ely had the hope which had grown bright
and buoyant in the last few months, gain
ing more strength and confidence every day
been again crushed to the earth.
For an hour longer did Mrs. Martin sit,
listening in her chamber. thing around
her so hushed- inio oppressive silence, tha,
the troubled beating Of her own heart was
distinctly audible. But she waited and lis
tened in vain. The sound of passing foot
steps that now came only al long, very long
intervals served but TO arouse a momenary
CLEAN in her mind, to fade away again, and
leave tin deeper darkness.
Without disrobing, she now laid herself
down still listening, with an anxiety that
grew more and more intense every moment.
At last, over-wearied nature could beat up.
no longer, and she sunk into troubled
sleep. When she awoke from this, it was
daylight. Oh, how weary and worn and
wretchard she left! TIE consciousness Of
why she thus ay,with her clothes unremov-
ed, the sad remembrance Of her hours Of
waiting and watching through nearly the
whole night, all came up before her painful
dislnctness. Who bul she who has suffer-
ed, can imagine her feelings at that bitter
moment re
On descending to the parlor, she found
her husband lying in a half stupid condition
on the sofa, the close air Of The room
impregnated with his brealh---ihe ,siekep-
ngldsgusting breath of drunken man!
Bruised, crushed, paralyzed affection had