The Woodville Republican. [volume] (Woodville, Miss.) 1847-1853, 1851-03-11

spring time won her best and pures
affections, very differently TO what sh,
does TO another man. She knows al
his good qualities, and remembers how
tenderly be has loved her, and how ht
still would love her, but for the mad
intatuation from which he feels it al
most impossible to break away. The
hope that he will reform never leaves
her. When she looks at her chiltren
even though abused and neglected.
she cannot but hope that their father
will ultimately renounce his evil hab>
its. And this hope keeps her up."
"All nonsense" Mrs. Peters replied
warmly "Any woman is fool to
feed herself up with such fhncies.
There is only one true remedy. and
that is separation, That's what I'd do,
and what every woman of sense
ought to do. Don't tell me about hope
of reforming. It's all nonsense. You
would not catch me breaking my heart
after that fashion for any man. Not H."
The more Mrs. Grimes and Mrs.
Pitts, and others present urged their
side OF the question, the more pertina-
ciously did she maintain the position
she assumed. until Mr.. Peters could
not help feeling somewhat vexed
and some little hurt. He being her
husband, and the only one who could
possibly hold the relation towards her
of a drunken husband, he must be the
man towards whom all her indigna.
tion was directed under the imagined
possibility of his becoming "a tippler.
After while, the subject was drop
ped, and at the close of the social
evening, the friends separated and
went to their own homes. ... % ..
1t was, perhaps two months from
the period at which this conversation
occurred, that Mr.. Peters left his home
early in the evening, to attend polti-
cal meeting-politics at the time run
ming high, and hard cider flowing as
freely as water. He was in the habit
of attending such meetings, and of
partaking Of his portion Of cider, and
at times of something stronger, but,
as he was sober man, and a man, too.
of strong good sense and firm ptinci.
pies, the thought of his ever partak.
ing too freely, never crossed tho mind
of his wife. rHa 1j
Regular in his habits, he was rarely
out after ten o'clock, on any occasion.
But this time, ten came, and even
eleven, but he was still away. This
was "A circumstance so unusual, that
his wife could not help feeling de-
gree OF uneasiness. She went to the
door and listened for him, after the
clock had struck eleven, and stood
there for some time, expecting every
moment to hear the sound OF his ioot>
steps in the distance. But she waited
in vain, and at last re-entered the house
with a troubled feeling. ssa .ft. eH
At last the clock struck twelve, and |
almost at the same time she heard her
husband at the door, endeavorng to
open it with the dead-latch key, In
this he was not successful from some |
cause and thinking that she might
have turned the key, Mrs. Peters went |
quietly and opened the door for him.
She found that she had not locked it.
AS she lifted the latch the door was
thrown suddenly against her, and her |
husband came staggering in. As he |
struck against the wall of the passage
-rebounded-struck the other side,
and then fell heavily upon the floor. /
The dreadful truth instantly flashed |
upon her He was drunk. Fora moment |
her heart ceased to beat, her head |
reeled, and she then had to lean
against the wall to keep her from falls
ing. Then all the tender emotions of |
her heart rushed freely into activity. |
II was her own husband who lay be.
fore her, overcome by the mastery
spirit of strong drink. With almost
strength, she raised him
up, although large man, and supporfa.
ed him by the arm until she got him
up stairs, and laid him upon the bed.
By this time he seemed perfectly stu.
pid, aud only mumbled Incoherent reS
nIies to the frequent and tender impor-s'
tunities of his wife.
After some time she got him undress.
ed and in bed. But he grew more and
more stupid every moment. 4
"Oh, what if he should die y the
poor wife moaned anxiousiy. whiie the
tears that had at first gushed out still
continued to iiow freely. She also
washed his face with cold water, and
Tried various means to arouse him
from the lethargy Of drunkenness.
But all 70 no purpose. agaes ar
AT last, dcsDairing of success. she
laid down beside him, in tears, drew
her arms around his neck, and laid her
face tenderIy against his. She had
lain thus for about five minutes, when
her husband called her name in a