The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1842-06-09
MISC EEE.f.S,E9FS
from he Pild UoY!d N f0sLtoa fof March
THE DRUNhARD'S WIFE,

THE DRUNhARD'S WIFE,
AN owga True rNt,
The gray morning was already dawnIng
when a miserable wretch turned into dir.
y alley, and entering q low, rulnous door,
CROPPED through narrow entry, and paused
a! the entrance oi room within. That
degraded being had once been a wealthy
man. respected by his noighbors aud sur
rounded BY friends. But alas the social
glass had FIRST lufcd him to indulgence, aad
then TO luebrlety, until be vas now CON
mon duukAfd.
The noise OF his footsteps had been heard
within, for the creahing door, was ,,mldIy
opened, aud a pale cmacialcd boz, about
utue years old, stepped 90, on tho landing
and asked in mingled anxiety aud dread
Is tha, you talkc.H
Yes wet 10 the .An,--cursc IT, said the
man Why aint YOU abed aud asleep YOU
brat
Tho litlc fellow shrunk back at this
coarse sauia'iou, but SIN though shaking
with fear he did not qutt his station before
tho door.
What aro YOU standing there gaping
for p SAID the wretch, - It's bad enough
TO hear seek wife gtumbltog all day, with.
out having you KEEP. up al night 10 chime in
the notniug-gc 10 bed, you IMP, do 500
henri
The little fellow did not answer; fear
seemed 10 hive deprived him of speech
but still holding on to the door latch, with
an lmplorng look, 10 stood RICH, N the
way by which his parent would have TO en-.
ter the room.
Amt you going to mind = said the mau
with an oath, breaking into fury, give ne
the lamp and 90 10 bed, or III break every
bone in your body
oh father, don't talk SO loud said the
little fellow bursting into tears YOU II wake
mother, she's been worse all day, and hasn't
had any sleep till nOw; and as the man
made an effort TO snatch the candle, the
boy, losing all personal fears IN the anxiety
Tor bis sick mother, stood firmly across the
dflakard's path and said, you mustn't, yea
mustn't 70 IN
VIVA, does the bra, moan : broke out
the lnebrate angtlly tbs comes Of leav
ing YOU to wait on your mother till YOU
learn TO be as obstinate as a mule will YOU
d'sobey me take that, mud that, YOU imp,
raising his hand he struck the little sickly
being to the floor, kicked ASIDE his body
and then strobe into the dilapldaled room.
1t was truly fitting place Cor tho home
OF such vagabond as he. The walls were
Inv, covered with smoke, and scanned with
hundred cracks The chimney piece had
once been white, but WINS now of the rrea.
sy led color o. age. The ceiling had lost
most OF the plaster, aud the rain soaking
through, drpped with monolonous tuck
upon tho floor. A few broken chairs. n
cracked looking glass, aud three legged
. table, on which was rimless cup were IL
- tietent parts Of the room. Blu, the mos,
sNsing spectacle was directly before the
garrrAor' On rlekc,y bed Law tho wifi,
Of his bosom, the once rich and beautiGu
Emily Languerre, who, through povcrty
shame aud sickness, had still clunn TO The
lover oil her youth. Oh woman, thy con
stancy the world cannot shake, nor shame
nor misery subdue. Friend after lr,ent
had deserted that ruined man lndiguty af
ter ndIgnIty had been hoaped upon him
and desorredly; year by year he bad falle,
lower and lower in the sink of inamy an,
still through every nishap that saa,ed wo
man had chung to him; for he was the faith
er other boy, and he husband Of her youth
1t was hard task for - p .rIorm; but !