American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-06-27

JOHN w. 1JBBAIIS.
THE DRUNKARD's WIFE AND CHiLD-.4
Thrilling EGtract The following is an extract
from the prize tale of Mrs. H. Livermore, pub
lisbei i'll the New England Washingtonan.
1t is founded on facts.
Gone winter afternoon, when huge drifts of
snow blocked up the narrow and irregular
streets of the city, when the iitful wind which
blew from all points of the compass dashed hi
thor and thlther through the keen air the broad
snow flakes, Mrs. Austin, scantily clad, and
lily calculated to brave the raging tempest, left
her home to seek one of the numerous sea-
mems clothing stores, called "slop shops"
which were scattered throughout Ann street
and its vicinity. In her hand was large bun
die Of work just completed by herself, George
and Emma, and upon tile payment she was ex-
pecting for her labor, the family was depending
for their evening meal. During her absence,
her husband staggered homewards in shock
ing state ofinebriety, where Emma and Charles
the younger son, were endeavoring to amuse
the infant Charlotte, not yet year old, who,
always delicate, was now helpless as infancy
itself, from recent severe illness, and who luy
in the cradle wailng her mothers ABSENCE
As Mr.. Austin approached the little one, and
raised her in his arms with the natural kind
ness which not even lntemperance could Danish
from his nature, Emma, unaware OF her ia
theirs deep intoXiCation, accustomed as she
was to seeing him more or less so constantly,
and perceivng that the babe was qniet ran
down stairs TO the almost empty wood-shed,
where her brother George was seeking fuel to
prepare their supper, and Charles followed at-
ter her. MIR. Austin moved towards the fire.
place, and endeavored to seat HIMSELF but los
ing his balance he fell, and in falling the babe
rolled from his arms, with lis face downWards,
into the fiery bed Of glowing Goals that lay on
the hearth stone. The child was too m lch en-
ieebled by recent illness to extrcate ITSELF the
father so dreadfully intoxicated that some min
utes elapsed before he was fully aware Of its
conGition, or could recover his feet; its cotton
garments were then blazing, its tender face,
neck and bosom were Kissing ON the hot Goals,
and its efforts to shrek were only convulsve
and agonized gasps.
zone glance at his infants circulating ST.
tuation, drove the fumes of intoxication from
his brain; clearness came to his head, steadi-
ness to his hand, and with the quiclsness of
lightning he drew the burning babe from the
flames, dashed over it a vessel of water, and
was fastening to the door iol assistance, when
the fleet and anxious footsteps of his wife SCUM
ded on the stairs, and whittier than the sheeted
dead, his tongue rigid with horror, with the
reeking, blistered, blackened form OF his babe
in his arms, he stood face to face with its mo-
Their.
"Oh, God! who can tell The unspokcl agony
of the moment! paralyzed, rooted to the floor as
ftransforned TO stone, with parted lips from
whence issued no sound, her heart beating loud
and heavily, so that she alu!ost reeled from the
force of its sickening throo, she fixed her eyes
steadily on her husband for a moment, Us if to
read the whole tale, and then prompted by the
instincts of her maternal heart, she threw off
her trance of horror and flew to seek relief
tBut the poor little innocent had inhaled the
scorching gas gifts fiery pillow, and the sever
est of its burns, terrible as they were exter-
nally, could neither be seen or reached. The
small veins of its neck were tense and knotted,
under the quiverIng flesh, its every breath caus-
ed convulsive throes and rolling upwards its
sighiess eyes, spasmodically rIenching its feeble
hands, its delicate sinews tlghtened with agony,
the half-reeased soul that hung quiverng on its
lips, was speedily freed.
1T was months ere Charlotte Austin could
throw off from her spirit the horrible torpor
which settled upon her, after the agonizing
death of her delicate babe. 1t seemed as if pale
ness would never more leave her cheek, as if
her eye would never more burn steadily, or her
voice be cleared of It's huskiness, as if she had
forgotten even to smile or converse, for she
moved about as if all but the animal mechanism
of her life were paralyzed. None knew the Sc
cret Of the accident which had occurred save
the parents, and the vague reply of Mrs. Aus
TIN, that ''her babe fell in the fire during her
ABSENCE" fastened upon her the charge of care
lessness and neglec both among her ncighbors,
and in the mulutorm accounts Of the occurrence
that found their way into the city. She never
repealed the Charge but Christ-lke was con-
tent to bear the sins of him who had SO cruelty
wronged her and hers, and to receive the odium
which he deserved. With the same meek, un-
complaining kindness, she continued to minis
tel to his wants, uttering no words Of hatshness,
looking 10 rebuke save what was conveyed by
the mournful gaze of her eye
NON ,uE I Tho