The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1842-06-23
F,sm the Philadslphia Molld of Fashioa
TIE DRUNKARD'S WIFE.
A. owKR TRuE TALE.

when q mistfaoic NfE4n t1fnfQ int0 q
dirty alley, and entering ! low, ruinous
door, CROPPED through narrow entry, and
paused az he enlrsnee Of . room within.
That degraded being had once been a
wealthy man. respected By his neighbors
and surrounded BY friends. But alasl the
social glass had FIRST lured him 20 indul-
genee, and then 10 inebrieiy, until be was
now common dfnnksnl.
The noise Of his footsteps had been
heard within. for The crraking door was
tmidIy opened, and pale emaeiaIed boy,
about nine years old. stepped out on the
landing. and asked in mingled anxiety
and dread
IL lhal you. laiheri'
Yes. wel 10 The skin.-curse IT, said
the man; .why aiat you abed and asleep,
you braf!'
The little fellow shrunk back at this
coarse salaialion, bul still though shaking
with fear he did not quit his station before
The door.
What are you standing ihere gaping
for! said the wrcich,-s lis bad enough
10 hear 4 sick wife grumbling all day.
without having you kept up Al night 10
rhine in the morning-get 10 bed, you
imp. do you hear!
The lille fellow did not answer; fear
seemed to have deprived him Of speech,
but still holding on 10 the door latch. with
an imploring look. be stood right in the
way by which his parent would have 70
enter the room.
'Ain't you going TO mindr said the
man with an oath. breaking into fury,
give me the lamp and 90 to bed, or Ill
break every hone in your body
oh! father, don't talk 50 loud said
the lillle fellow bursting into tears; you'll
wake mother, she's been worse all day.
and hasn't had any sleep ill now;' and
as the man made IA effort to snatch the
candle, the boy. losing ali personal fears
in the anxiety for his sick mother, stood
firmly across The drinkard's path and
said, you mustn't, you mustn't 60 in
What does the brat meant broke out
the insbriaie aagsily, this comes Of leay-
ing you TO wait on your mother oil you
learn 20 be as obstinate As . mule; will
you disobey me?-lake that, and that,
you imp raising his hand he struck the
little sickly being 70 the foor. kicked a.
side his body, and then strobe into the
dilapidaied room,
II was truly fitting place for the home
II such vagabond - he. The walls
were low, covered with smoke, and seam
cd with hundred cracks. The chimney
piece had once been white, but was now
Of the greasy led color Of age. The CELL
ing had lost most Of the plaster, and the
rain soaking through. dripped with .
moaoioRous tick upon the floor. A few
broken chairs, cracked lookrng-glass,
and three legged table, on which was a
rimless cup, we're in different parts of
the room. But the most striking specta-
Gle was directly before the gambler. On
u rickety bed lay the wife Of his bosom,
the once rich and beautiful Emily Lam
grierre, who, through poverty, shame and
sickness, had still chung to the lover of
her youth. Oh! woman, thy cons,ancy
the world cannot shake, nor shame nor
misery snbdue. Friend after friend had
deserted that ruined man; indignily after
indigniiy had been heaped upon him, and
deservedly; year by year he had fallen
lower and lower in the sink Of infamy,
and still through every mishap that saint
cd woman had chung to him; for he was
the father Of her boy, and the husband OF
her youth. II was hard task for her 10
perform, bu, il was her duty, and when
all the world deserted him she chung 10
him. She had bore much, but alas! ma
tlrc could endure no more. Health had
fled from her cheeks. and her eyes were
dim and sunken. She was in the last
stage Of consumption, but it was not that
which was killing hcr--she pas dying 81
a broken heart,
The noise made by her husband awoke
her from her terrible sleep, and she halt
started up in bed, the hectic fire streaming
along her cheek, and wild, itful shoot
ing into her sunken eyes. There was a
faint, shadowy smile Tightening up her
face, but it was as cold as moonlight upon
snow. The sight might have moved a
felons bosom. but what can penetrate the
scared and hardened heart drunkenness.
The man besides was in a passion.
Blast il, woman said the wretch as he
reeled in the room; 'is this the way yon
receive me after being out all day in the
rain to ge, something for your brat and
You! Come, don't go to whining, say!
But as his wife uttered faint cry at his
brutality, and fell back senselcss on the
he'd, he seemed to awaken to a partial
sense Of his condition. he reeled step Of
two forward, and put his hand up to hi:
forehead, stared wildly around, and ther
gazing almost vacan,ly upon her, contin
ued. acknowledgements the matier!'
Ills paor wife lay like corpse before
him, but low voice from The other sld'
Of the bed answered, and its tones qulv
cred as il spoke.
oh. mothers dead Twas the voice