Democratic banner., 1846-05-23
From the Christian Advocate and Journal.
A TALE OF THE BOTTLE.

the state OF New DIRK into the province OF
Upper Canada, by way CT Cape Ninccn:
and Kingston. Betweent the two channels
of the river ST. Lawrence we passed VOLTS
or Grand Island, which is but thinly set
tied. 1t was in the depths of winter, late
in the evening, when called at an inn.-
As is but too common at public houses, sew
eral gentlemen were seated around the
freside, engaged in conversation, A little
interrupted by my coming in, they made a
short pause. Soon one of them resumed
the conversation, and with a spirit of indig-
nation, said, "sWell, that man ought to be
hung for such conduct toward his wife"
to which the company responded in tho
affirmative. As l did not know tie par
t~iculars Of which they were convcrSing,
thought it was the SANDER and harshnesS
of a bar-room conversation, and l asked
for no explanation. The company soon dis
persed. Early in the morning | called OIL
a man in the n~eighborhood, with whom |
had some business to transact. Soon a
gentleman rode up to the door, wishing to
know if was a minister, stating that a wo-
man had died the day before, and wishing
me to stay and attend the funeral; to which
Iconsented, and learned the following par
ticllars: ]. B., the inhuman husband of the
deceased, was the son of a tavern keeper
on the island, and was early addicted to
habits Of intemperance. He had been
married to Miss B. four or five years. Not
withstanding his early habits nj dissipation,
he had been somewhat guarded and pru-
dent till he was married. He then gave
himself up to his cups and c~arousals ne
elected his business, scattering and Destroy
ing, spending much of his time in the town
of Kingstown, a placeFnoted for gambling
and intemperance. 1t was not long be-
fore the last Of his property "tottered upon
a single card" He sold the clothing out
of his own house for rum, and his wife was
left to contend with poverty ard despair.
He soon became one of the most abondon-
ed drnnkards l ever saw. He had not on
ly seemed tohave forgotten to provide for
his family, but it became his delight to rob
his forsaken of every little comfort she
might earn, or receive from a benevolent
friend. He lived on the western side OF
the island in a log hut. 1t stood upon a rise,
exposed to the northern blast that sweeps
along the entire length of the Ontario. AL.
most perpetually the bowling tempest beat
upon the lonely and shattered DWELLING
The rolling waves of the Ontario were
seen at distance dashing their foam upon
huge banks Of ice, and the roar Of waters
and storm added to the dismal gloom that
reigned within a drunkard's home.
Here lived the unfortunate female whose
unhappy fate I am about to describe. She
had been married, and confined to tie pris.
on house ola drunkard for near five years
All, hapless woman! little did she think
when she gave herself to the man she tell
derby loved, and who promised to protect
her, that he was soon to become to her the
source Of a thou and woes. With the PEN
Gil of fancy she had drawn the scenes of
afuture life, and they were tinged with
sunshine. But soon she learned that the
husband of her youth was a drunkard, and
what could she expect? Despair settled
upon her brow, and anguish wrung her
bleeding heart. Not one ray of hope shed
its glimmering upon her solitary path. As
if destined to woes, with her sorrows her
cares increased. Two infant children de-
manded her attention and her tears, the
younger of which was but a few weeks old
when its mother fell a victim to neglect
and despair.
And here let simple narrative tell her tale
of wo. When her infant was about ten days
old, she was under the necessity IF going
utthrough drifts, and snow, and piercing
winds, to gather fuelto keep from freezing
her husband was gone on a drunken
frolic. She took a severe cold, and was
confined to a bed of straw, (for such it lit
aral1u yuac NJ loooar ILL I'LL i