Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1853-04-27
a Temperance Gale.
from the American J@;on.
THE TWO DAGUERREOTYpES;
oh
PICTURES ORA DRUNKARD.
By OLIVER OPTIC.
CHAPTER /.

Jim ocrogeins though IN tue main an non
est, peaceable, quiet. harmless fellow, had o
bcassly habit of getting drunk, Whenever a
fit opportunity presented itself; and unfor-
tunately, because where there is o will there
is a wny." the opportunities were both fit and
frequent.
jim owned little farm in the country,
which, by bis own industry and economy, be
had almost paid for. Mrs. Scroggins was a
real worker" and, no doubt, did her full
share in buying the homestead. She was
endowed with great deal of energy and good
judgment and people were so malicious as
to cay that she was the smartest man Of the
twain.
BE this as il may, Mrs. Scroggios was an
industrious woman, and took great deal Of
pride in the little place, which had been bought
by their mutual industry and economy, and
the thought of having it wrested from them
by cold hearted creditor was in the highest
degree disagreeable but to such calamity
her husband s infrmity, as the good minister
of the village called it, seemed to point.
The habit grew upon him, as it almost al
ways does upon those who once get in the
way Of imbibiog too freely. The miseries Of
the drunkard's wife had been too often pre-
sented to the good woman's understanding,
to be regarded as simply creations of the i'm
agination, and she looked forward with alarm
to the prospect Of enduring them, and losing
the little palace
But what could be done? She had ex-
hausted all her eloquenee upon the infatuated
man. without producing anything more than
temporary effect. She pointed out to BIN
kindly the inevitable effects of his indulgence,
and Jim promised to amend; but--alas, for
the vanity of human expectations The got
tipsy the very next day.
Then she appealed to his love of money
tic bis sense of satisfaction in being the owner
of cottage and ten acres of land She as
sured him that be would certainly lose it all,
and warming up with the Importance of the
subject, declared that she would not slave
herself any longer, to pay for the place, and
then have it taken from them to pay rum
bill.
Jim listened patiently and without speak
ing word to the indignant danes eloquence,
and as usual promised to do better; but al
so, as usual, be came into the house the mex,
day, tight as fiddle string
Mrs. Scroggius was in despair; what tc
do she didn't know" as she expressed it tc
Parson Advise, who was sincere sympathi
yer with her in distress She had entreated
she had scolded, she had threatened, and al
to no purpose. "What could body do >
Parson Allwise himself, though he made il
point never to interfere in the domestic af.
fairs Of his Pensioners, was at last moved tC
try bis powers Of persuasion on the poor fel.
low.
But jim, unfortunately for the success Of
the appeal, had but poor opinion of minis,
tiers in general. aud of Parson Allwise in par
ticulur, and as good as told the worthy pas
Tor that ho had better mind bis own bust
ness.
Mrs Scroggins was shocked at the bold
ness of her spouse in answering minister Of
the gospel in such a pointed manner. and was
led to believe that the case was now hopeless
indeed.
But woman's wits are equal to almost any
emergency; and, though she had confessedly
given Jim over to the tender mercies Of the
devil, she could not help thinking it would be
good thing if he could only be saved from
himself
One day, circumstances seemed to conspire
10 favor of an experiment, which had suggest.
cd itself to her fertile brain, and che imme-
diataly earriad II into effec4 with tba ronsi