Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1850-08-23

IF MY HUSBAND WERE TO DO SO.
A Donestio Inoident

IbSj i HOIuSI HOW she SIdlQS IL! il
my husband was to act SO it would xii
me-
81 could never stand it in the world
added Mrs. Pitts. at is a dreadful situa-
ton for a to be placed in. Mr.
Larkin used to be one of the best Of men,
and took the best possible care of his fami-
ly. For years there was not a happier wo-
man in town than his wife, but now it
makes ones heart ache to look at her.
o! it must be one of the most heart-break-
ing things in the world to have a drunken
husband"
Well. all I've to say" spoke up Mrs.
Peters, with warmth, "is, that / don't pity
her much"
"Why, Mrs. Peters how can you talk
sof"
Swell, / don't! Any woman who will
live with a drunken husband, don't de-
serve pity. Why don't she leave him?''
THAT is easier said than done, Mrs. Pc
ters."
II should think it a great deal oaO:~s
than to live with drunken brute, and have
her NE toTmented out 1re et asf- him and me
would part before twenty-four hours"
Now Mrs. Peters husband was a most
excellent-and a sober man withal. And
his wife was tenderly attached to him.
In regard to his ever becoming a drunkard
she had as little fear as of his running off
and leaving her. Still when she made
the last remark, she looked towards him
flor he was presently with a stern and sig
niicant expression on her countenance.-
This was not really meant for him, but for
Al - -, - :uil1,ol che ho1 e,~rocoA
as bearing the relation towards her of a
drunken husband.
"You would, would you :" Mr.. Peters
replied to the warmly expressed resolution
uttered by his wife.
eyes, that l would!" half laughingly
and half seriously retorted Mrs. Peters.
"You don't know what you are talking
about" spoke Mrs. Grimes.
Indeed then / do! CONSIDER any wo-
man a fool who will live with a drunken
husband. For my part, / have not a spark
ofsympathy for the wives of drunkards-
/ mean those who live with the men who
beggar and abuse them. Mere disgusting
brutes-the sight ef whom ought to turf
a woman's stomach"
"You were never placed in such a stu
alton, and therefore are not competent t.
decide how far a woman who continues t.
live with a drunken husband is or is not tt
blame. For my part am inclined to thinl
that in most cases to live with the hus
band under these circumstances, is leas
of two evils"
This was said by Mrs. Pitts.
u think you are right there" resumed
Mr.. Peters. "a woman feels towards he
own husband, the father of her children
and the man who in life's spring-time wo
her best and purest affections, very differ
emily to what she does towards anothe
man. She knows all his good q%ualitie;
and remembers how tenderly he has love
her, and how he still would love her bu
for the mad infatuation from which he fee
it almost impossible to break away. tt
hope that he will reform never leaves he
When she looks at her children, eve
though abused and neglected, she cann'
but hope for their father. And this hoE
keeps her up"
"All nonsense" Mrs. Peters reptile
warmly. ANY woman is a fool to fee
herself up with such %fancies. There is O
ly one true remedy, and that is separatio
That's what I'd do, and what every wom'
ought to do. It's all nonsense. "
wouldn't catch me breaking my heart {
ter that fashion for auy man. NotL."
The more Mrs. Grimes. and Mrs. Pit
and others present argued their side
the question, the more pertinaciously d
she maintain the position she had assume
until Mr.. Peters could not help feeli
somewhat vexed and some little hurt. ]
being her husband, and the only one W
could possibly hold the relation towar
her Of a drunken husband, he must be
man towards whom all her indignant
was directed-under the imagined PossiI
ity of his becoming a tippler.
After a while the subject was dropp
and at the close of a social evening
friends separated, and went to their Q
homes.
1t was, perhaps, two months from
period at which this conversation occur
that Mr.. Peters left his home early in
evening, to attend a political meetin.
politics at the time running high and b
cider flowing as freely as water. He
In the habit of attending such meetir
and of partaking of his portion Of Cit
and at times OF something a little ST.
ger; but as he was a sober man, and a II
too, of strong good sense and firm pri
IL. A. tbo,1bf Of h. ovar norfoE ~