The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-02-05


jokes SO witty and pointed, Hen.y's. They
roared. and shouted and clapped their hands. as
they joined in the chorus, or repeated the last
words of Henry'S jokes for he was rich and
they-had caught g another pigeon to pluck.''
Long before he intoxicated with wine, he
was drunk with admiration and applause. The
pleasures of home-his wife-his buv-were all
forgotten-all absorbed in the present enjoyment
At late hour he carried home, and for the
first time presented to his wife's astonished eyes,
the idlotc expression of a drunkard's face. On
the next morning. he awoke with a parched
throat, burning throbbing brow, and heart,
wrong with the conviction, that he must have
been carried home, most offensive clod of
breathing clay. He felt himself disgraced, and
ashamed TO look upon his innocent boy and
feared to catch the soft radiance that beemed from
the eyes of his angelic wife. She, poor thing
knew not what to do. Love prompted her to
look over this, his first error, and induced her to
believe, that under the circumstances of the case,
it was perhaps excusable. She saw his shame,
hut seemed TO behold it not. Had she pursued
another course, and talked plainly with him. and
atfeclonately but firmly told him of the crime
he had committed, and warned him of the fearful
consequences of repetition, perhaps it might
have hndered him from progressing further in
the polluted path he had just entered That day
he wandered about, siess and unhappy late in
the afternoon good natured, thoughtIess friend
met him, and noticing his woe begOne counte-
nance, enqulred the cause 1T was frankly related
" Tut tut man" said he I'll cure you, | know ali
about it, come and try it again, but touch lightly
this time, s. the hair of the dog, you know, is
good for the bite" Henry suffered himself to be
persuaded, and the remedy seemed TO afford re-
lief. cannot trace his downward course
Ever resolving that This should be his last frolic,
Go call ii by no harsher nancy he but afforded
another proof of the old saying, that :" the road to
He'll is paved with good intentions" From
drinking at night he began to take his morn
ing dram. morbid appetite was thus engendered.
and the unnatural craving of his stomach con
tinuaily required stimulus. until he became
noted tIppler. When IL was Too late his friends
exhOrted, and warned him: their exh0riaiOns
and warnings were kindly received he always
expressed repentance, and resolved again, and
again, TO ALLURE his evil practices, refusing, how
ever, to sign The total abstinence pledge giving as
reason, that he could refrain from drinking, as
well without, with it, Poor man, he little
knew that the pledge is shield that can ward
off temptation. His business was neglected -
Gambling, the twin sister of Drunkenness, spread
her snares about him, and his ruin was fastened
on. Ere three years had elapsed from the time
he first INDUCED in drink, he was common
:" gutter drunkard," loaded with debt, and with
out solitary friend save his poor wife, who
through all the changes which he passed, from
afluence to poverty, from poverty, to want, and
vice and cruelty, chung but the closer to him as
friends faded away. About six months ago, he
entered his home one morning after night of
debauch elsewhere, and catching up plate of
corn bread, which his patient wife had placed
upon the table for his breakfast, enquired in a
somewhat raised voice.
g Who is this for, Emma ?"
g For you Henry was the reply, d" it is nice
and wholesome, | made it MYSELF
80 Why is there no loaf bread 2''-She did not
reply. Did you hear me, why is there no loaf
bread say ?''
The Baker, Henry, has sent his bill so often,
and as you told me | should have the money to
pay him tomorrow, i did not like to get any more
until then"
"Ah indeed, well tell him, when he calls to
morrow, that can't pay him for month, if
then"
My dear Henry, ! cannot, really cannot put
him off again, promised faithfully. as you told
me. | will work day and night Henry and do
any thing you desire, but don't make me an in
strument of falsehood-indeed- indeed--it will
break my heart"
Her husband gazed in her face for a moment,
but no sympathetic feeling cleaned from his dull
and vacant eyes.
8 Emma you are a fool, what does little lon.
ger credit signify to such a man as Old Hard
bread, or ---- bark ye, Emma, what matters it,
if like many others give him leg bail, and leave
min to gnaw the crust ~
The color faded from his poor wifes face, as
she returned her husbands look, and listened to
his words ? but in an instant the warm red blood
rushed back to her checks. and her eyes bright
ened with an intensity Of feeling, his could not
withstand.
What" exclaimed she, vehemeDny, turn
rogue, Henry, be pointed at, and spoken of as
dishonest mani Cheat those who labor for their
food Ifaoy thing has happened, not brought
about by your own lolly--nay, DO not frown, did
not mean Ihat--f any thing has happened to pre-.
vent your payiug--and that right soun--take all
all that's et-the bed from under us-lhe
dress ] wear all | have in the world-sell and
pay-pay every cent. can work. could beg
siarve, out | could not bear to hear YOU
called a rogue-or our dear boy, our little Alger-
non, dishonest mans son she clasped The
little fellow 20 her hear, then looked again upon
her husband, and throwing herself in his arms,
pressed her cheeks wet with falling tears to his,
murmured, " but you didn't mean it Henry, only
say you didn't mean it, and she sobbed upon his
shoulders.
No answering sobs met hers, his temper, which
had become fiery and exasperaied, by the liquid
flames he was continually pouring down his throat,
was only reused to fury and shouting with AN