Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1843-05-24
Nj s c e L L A N Y.
THE DRUNKARD,s WIFE.
A TRUE TALE.


door, CROPPED through narrow entry. and
paused al the entrance OF a room within
That degraded being had once been
wealthy man, respected by his nelghhors,
and surrounded by friends. But alas
the social glass had first Iured him to in
dulgeace, and then to inebriety, until he
was now common drunkaGd.
The noise OF his footsteps had been
heard within for the cracking door was
limidly opened, aud pale, emacIaled boy,
about nine years old, stepped out on the
landing, and asked in tone Of mingled
anxiety and dread,
Is that you. flher2"
Yes, wei 10 the skin, curse it." said
the man. Why Amt you abed and asleep,
you brat ?"
The hule fellow shrunk back at this
coarse salutation, but STILL though shak-
i'm with fear, he did not quit his station
before The door.
What are you standng there gaping
for "-saId the wretch. It's bad enough
TO hear q sick wife grumb!ing all day.
without having you kept up 1T night, to
chime in, IN the morning-get TO bed, you
imp-do you hear ?"
The litlIe fellow did not answer; fear
seemed to have deprived him Of speech !;
but still holding on 10 the door-ach, with
az imploring look, he stood right in The
way by which his parent would have en-.
tered the room.
"Aint you going 10 mind?'' said The
man with an oath, breaking into fury
Give me The lamp AMI 20 TO bed, or I'll
break every bone in your body"
20. father, don't talk so loud" said
the liule fellow, bursting into tears
You'll wake mother; she's been worse
all day and hasn't had sleep ill now -
as The man made an effort TO Sn Itch The
lamp. the boy, losing all personal fears in
anxiety for his sick mother, stood firmly
across The drunkarl's path, and SAID -
You musln'r, you mustn't go IN
What does the brat mean - broke out
The inebTiale angrlly-this comes OF Ieav-
ing you 10 w0;t on your mother I'LL YOU
learn TO be as obstinate as 4 muIe-wil
you d'sU5cy ME- take that, and hat You
impl' and raising his hand, b. struck The
lllIe sickly being TO the 6Oor, kicked aside
the body, ami strobe into the room.
Il was tru'y fitting place for The home
OF such u yagabond as he. The walls
were low, covered with smoke, and seam.
edwlth hundred cracks. The chimney
piece had once been white, bot was no "
of The greasy lead color Of age. The cell.
lng bad lost most Of The plaster, aud the
RAIN soiked through, dropping with a
monoionous tick upon the floor. A few
broken chairs, era :ked looking glass,
aud u three-legged table. On which was a
rilnless cup. were in different parts Of the
room. But the most striking spectacle
was directly before the gambler. On a
Tlckety bed lay the wife of his bosom, the
once rich and beautiful Emily Lagueire
who,lhrough poverty, shame and sickness
had still chung TO the lover OF her youth
., woman, Thy constancy the world can
not shake, nor shame. nor misery subdue
Friend after frien had deserted that ru
ined man inlignity after indignuy hat
been heaped upon him, and deservedIy
year by year be had fallen lower and low
err into The sink of iniamy; and We
through every mishap,lha sainled woman
had cIuug 10 him--lor he was the fllhe
OF her boy. The husband OF her youth.
was hard task for her to perform; but i
was her duty, and when all the world hat
deserted him, should she too leave him
She had borne much, but alas natur
could endure no more. Health had flet
from her ckeeks, and her eyes were din
and sunken She was in the last stage
of consumption, but it was not that which
was killing her-she was dying Of
broken heart.
The noise made by her husband, awok
her f ON her troubled sleep, and she hal
started up in bed, the hectic fire slreamin.
along her cheek. aud a wild, fillul igt
shooting into her sunken eyes. Their
was Ialnt shiJowy smile lie hling up he
countenance, but it was as cold as moon
light upon the snow. The sigh, nigh
have moved feon's bosom, bat what ca
pcnt,ra,e the scared and hardened hear
of d 1nkenuess2 The man besides wa
In passion.
Blast Il, woman" SAID the wretch, a
he reeIed iEto the room-"is this the wa
10 re i've me after having been on, al d.
IL the ram 10 get something Tor your brs
and you2 Come, don't 90 10 whining,
sty"-but as bis wife uttered faint CT
end Tell back sensclesS on the bed, h
seemed 10 awaken 10 partial sense Of hi
condition; he reeled Il step or Two foi
ward, put his hand up 10 his forehead
stared Wildly around, AID then going a
mos. vacan'ly upon her, continued" br
why-whars the matter :"
His poor wife lay like corpse befor
him, but low voice IRON the other sid
Of The bed. answered, and his tones quiz
cred as he spoke.
20! mothers dead ~
d" Il was the voice Of his son. who ha
stolen in, and was now sobbing volenll
as he tried 10 raise her head ia his lin