Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1853-12-15

~ know H." was the decided answer

III know it, was the decided ans wer
"Then III run home and tell Betsey.
But Won't she be glad ~
And away the excited creature ran, as
fast as his feet would carry him.
Poor Betsey Barkerl When she found
that Joe had gone of, with all his weeks
wages in his pocket, she fel, like giving
up. They were out of meal and meat,
and the children's shoes no longer kept
THEN feet from the ground. For herself,
she had not garment but what was
patched and repatched until scarcely a
whole breadth of the original fabric re.
mained. She had laid i, all out in her
mind. how she was going to spend the
four dollars which her husband told her,
in the morning, he would be paid for his
weeks work. II was very small sum
when Sc, of against their MANY, many
needs; but she had apportioned it, in her
thought, in such way as to make it 60
the farthess in supplying things absolute.
ly necessary. But. alas! alas! Joe had
gone off with the whole sum in his
pocket and she knew the chances were
ten 10 one ,ha, he would not have the
half of il left-perhaps no! dollar
when he came home.
The poor wife was Gishear,ened. and
who can wonder! She cleared off the
supper things, and then sat down to
need an old jacket belonging to her old.
est boy. As she turned il over and over
and noticed how torn and worn i, was
more I'll for the rag bag than ANYTHING
else-she let it fall into her lap. and,
bending over upon the table by which
she was sitting, buried her face in her
arms. She did not weep now. Her
feelings of dependency had in them too
much of hopelessness for tears.
As she sat thus. the door opened, and
her quick ears recognized the footsteps
of her husband. Her heart iluttered in
s,anty with new hope, while half the
oppressive weight on her bosom was re.
moved. His return, so early and so un-
expectedly, was an augury of good
That he had been drinking, she doubted
not; but there was ground for believing
that he had not wasted the money she
so much needed. She did not raise her
head until Joe came up to where she
was sitting, and, in a tone of exultation.
which he could not repress, exclaimed
"Hurrah, Betsey! Good news!-
There's all my money-not a cen,
gone" And he threw handful oe sill
yer coin on the table. "Good news!
What do you think? Old King Alcohol's
dead. I've just heard the news"
"Are you crazy, Joe!" said Mrs Bar.
ker, looking in wonder and bewilder-
nent at her excited husband.
mot bi. of it, darlng" answered
Joe. as he threw his arms around, his
wife's neck. and kissed her. "Nor
drunk. either" he added, as she pushed
him away. "Why. Betsy! Don't you
know that we've got Maine Law! I've
been TO Gilbert's, and to Sprigg's. and TO
Dixon's, but they re all shu. up. Tomp.
kins .old me tina. a drop of liqour
couldn't be bought in the whole town.
Amt that good news for you, old girl!
Hurrah boys! I'm as glad as if I'd
found new dollar. never could pass
their doors without going in for drink.
whether wanted 10 or not. Somehow
or other, couldn't help it,"
"Joe! Joe! Is all true what you say!"
eagerly exclaimed Mrs. Barker, now
pressing forward upon her hus band,
and drawing, almost involuntarily, her
arms around him. rs IL all true, Joe p"
Every word of it, Betsy, as I'm a
living man."
Thank God! Thank God." was the
overjoyed wife's sobbing response, as
her face fell upon the bosom of her kind
hearted, bu. weak and erring husband.
A month from that time, and what a
change was visible in their humble
dwelling! And no. in theirs alone, bu,
in thousands Of other dwellings through
ont the State from which prompt legis.
lation had driven the vile traffic in rum.
with all its attendant crime and wretch
edness. ..-