American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-01-04
From the Philadelphia SUM- - ..
THE WIDOWS GHTER
A TEMPERANCE TALE.
Bu S. S.

TEMPERANCE TALE.
BY S. S.
Gas there is a God in Heaven Jacob, am
innocent, cried his distracted wife, sinking on
her knees, and crying for mercy" "Do not
murder me. Do not, as you valne your souls
salvation" And she lifted her hands in sup
plication, as fire shot from the Jealous eyes of
her infurated and drunken husband.
"Innocent, are you!" cried the scottish and
bewildercd man. "There, take that-Alrs. In
nocent!n and he leveled furious blow at the
head of his frantic wife, who, turning on one
side to avoid his attack, which would doubtless
have deprived her life, the reeling inebriate
stumbled, and fell PROSTATE on his face, while
his wife escaped unlnjured, but appalled, and
petrifed with fear, wringing her hands in an
guish, and imploring for mercy, as she shrunk
in one corner of the room, trembling, pale, and
sobbing
Chow came that hat here, then, you wicked
jade? Whose hat is III Tell me, or I'll kill
you, if have TO hang thousand times for it,
cried the frantic drunkard, as lie gathered HIM
self up from his PROSTATE position; and with a
heavy budgeon once more approached the
shrinking form of his terrified wife.
cit is your own hat, Jacob. 1t is, indeed, it
is-look at it, and convince YOURSELF" cried the
sobbing, implorng wife.
"So-you take me for fool, do you-you
lump of sin. But I'll cure you of these vile
tricks, - cried her husband, who, rushing upou
her with well aimed blow, struck her 10 the
ground, as she vainly besought his mercy. The
blood flowed copiously from her wounded head,
as she lay stretched, insensible, on the floor,
her brutal husband gasping over hers the beau
tiiul, fragile, delicate, tender and devoted Han
nah Bradley-the Widows only child, who,
when she gave away her beloved daughter, to
the man who protested to love her, enoned
him with deep pathos, "to use her gently, for
she was delicate, and had heart Of bleeding
sensiblty," and Jacob, said that poor mother
very solemnly, "the least i'll usage would kill
her." . b. 81. g..
"Father what have you done, cried beau
tiful black eyed girl of fourteen, who now rush.
ed into the room, attracted by the screams OF
= her poor mother, as she entered the house from
school, Ih
ooh. father! father! you have murdered poet
mother" cried Jane Bradley, as she ran weep
ing to raise the bleeding head of the unhappy
wife; at the same time that the entrance of a
servant maid, brought timely assistance. By
their united aid, the poor victim was carried to
bed; her daughter busily engaged in chatting
her temples, and staunching the blood that
still flowed from her head; while the maid was
despatched with ffightful haste, for a neighbor-
there appeared no fracture of the skull, Jane
was relieved ny the assurance of the recovery
OF her mother IN the course of d week or two,
yet even this assurance could not dry her tears.
When the word "murder' rung in the ears of
Jacob Bradley from the silver voice of his
blooming daughter he felt bolt of fire shoot
through his heart, that sobered him in a mo-
ment. But horror petri6ed all his facuties.--
He stood rooted to the floor like one entranc-
ed mist seemed to float on all around him.
Had he wakened from a horrid dream He
looked at what he grasped in his hands--in one
he held his own hat-and bludgeon covered
with blood in the other! Strange phantoms
danced before him. What had happened?-
What had lie done' He gazed upon the floor,
aud pools of blood struck his eye-balls blind
He now remembered he had been dining out
at his friend Jovlal's But what he had done,
he could not distinctly remember. a heavy
weight like death hung on his heeEt, and sink
ing on CHAIR he groaned aloud, az he exclaim-
ed, ooh! gracious God! what has happened?
Am indeed murderer,
"Mr. Bradley, hope you are better, - said
voice behind him. 1t was the surgeon who
had that moment come down from dis wfes
apartment. Even the inebriate stood abaslled.
"How do you feel, sir, asked the Surgeon.
"Ah! Doctor! Yes--I know-itis DR. Han.
sun. L lccl DOCtOr, llke one may feel VINO IS
in the regions of the damned. What has hap
pened, Doctor. Tell me, for do not know"
"Mr. Bradley, compose yourself. Will you
take any medicinei Have an excellent draught
for the nerves.
"No-Doctor-no am well now--per-
fectly SOBER" ~.
"This is q sad business, Mr., Bradley - said
she Surgeon.
81 know it, Doctor--I know it, How is INV
wife' How is poor Hannah have been
brute TO treat her SO, but was not in my right
senses. Tell me, conjure you, tell me, that
there is no dangeri" And tears of con!riton
and remorse glshed from his overlooking eyes,
mo immediate danger, hope, of her life, %
replied the Doctor, who was unwilling to alb
stract any thing from the salutary impression
now being produced on the heart of the guilty
husband. 4t &c ttf,t fi..t - a
"Thank God for that-cried Bradley.
Then am not a murderer-not the murderer
of my wife," and the wretched man sank on
his knees with uplifted hands, as if in prayer
to God when the Doctor, in order that he might
deepen the wholesome impression OF his peni-
, tence, left him. .....,.5.-l, i.
week s confinement again restored the un-
fortunate wife TO a sufficient state of health to
move about.the house; circumstances that in
spired the unfortunate Bradley with ineffable
-joy-for he had attended her in, her illness
with exemplary coniugal tenderness, such as
pc invariably displayed, when free from the
toFtures OF the Rum Fiend. and engag ed in the