Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1850-12-12
THE TRUANT HUSBAND.
A SKETCH.

IL was past nloDl2nt, ana sne sal
leaning her pale cheek on her hand
counting the dull ticking Of the French
clock that stood on the marble chin.
ney-piece, and ever and anon lifting her
weary eye to its dial, to mark the lapse
of another. 1t was past midnight, and
yet he returned not! She arose, and
taking the lamp, whose pale rays alone
lIlumlned the solitary chamber, pro.
ceeded with noiseless steps TO a small
inner apartment; the curtains of his
little bed were drawn aside, and The
young mother gazed on her sleeping
child! What vivid contrast did that
glowing cheek and smiling brow pre-.
sent, as he lay in rosy slumber 10 the
faded. yet beautiful face that hung over
him in tears! "Will he resemble his
father!" was the thought that passed
for moment through her devoted heart,
and sigh was the only answer!
'Tis his well known knock-and the
steps of the drowsey porter echoed
through the lofty hall, as with a mur.
mur on his lip. he undrew the massy
bolts and admitted his thougIless mas.
ter.
-Four o'clock, Willis, is i, not'' and
he sprang up the slaircasc--anolher
moment he is in her chamber-in her
arms
No reprouches me, The truan, hus
band-none save those she could not
spare him, in her heavy eye, and faded
cheek--yct these spoke to his heart.
Julia, have been a wandering hus
band"
"But YOU arc come nov, Charles.
and all is we'll"
And all was well; from that hour
Charles Davis became an altered man
Had his wife met him with frowns and
sulIen tears, he had became a hardened
liber,ine; but her affectonatc caresscs,
the Joy that danced in her sunken eve,
the hectic flash tha, Ii, up her palIid
cheek at his approach, were arguments
he could no, Withstand.
Married in early life, while he felt all
the ardor, but not the esteem Of love-
possessed of splendid fortune. having
hitherto had the command Of his own
pleasures--Davis fell into that com.
mon error Of newly married men, the
dread Of being controlled. In vain did
his parents, who beheld with sorrow
the rcproaches and misery he was
heaping up for himself in after life. re.
monstrate. Charles Davis turned a
deaf ear 10 advice, and pursued. with
companions every way unworthy his
society, the path Of folly. if not abso.
lutte guilt. The tavern, the club.room,
the race.coursc, too often left her a sol.
itary mourncr, or a midnight watcher.
Thus the first three years of their we'd
bed life had passed-to him in fevered
and restless pleasure, to her in bhgh,ed
hope or unmurmuring regret. But this
night crowned the patient forbearancc
of the neglected Julia with its Just re.
ward, and gave the death blow to folly
in the bosom of Davis Returning
with disgust from the losses OF the haz.
ard table, her mcekncss and suffering
touched him to the soul; the film fell
from his eyes. and Vice, in her own
hideous deformiy, stood unmaskcd be,
fore him!
Ten years have passed since thai
solitary midnight, when the young ma
tron had bent in tears over her sleeping
boy. Behold her now. still in the pride
Of womanhood, surrounded by Other
che:ub faces, who are listening ere they
90 10 rest to her sweet voice,as it pour
forth 10 The accompaniment of her hary
an evening of joy and melody; while
manly form is bending over the musi
page to hide the tear of happiness ant
triumph that springs from a swellin;
bosom, as he contempla,es the interest
ing group. Youthful matrons! ye VIII
watch over wanderng;perhaps an er
ring heart-when areproach trembles OF
your lips towards truant husband. i'm
itate Julia Davis! and remembr, thougl
Hymen has chains, like the sword o
Hermodius they may be covered wit
flowers. that unkindness and irritabili
~ do but harden, if not wholly estrang
the heart-while, on the contrary, D:
u r