Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1853-12-07

Don't go out. Joe, said Mrs Barker, as
she saw her husband take his hat and move
of quietly towards the door.
'l'm not going to stay long"
And as Barker said this, he glided from
the room. Mrs Barker followed quickly,
with the purpose Of arresting bis progress and
bringing him back into the house.
Now, Joe Barker was very weak minded
man one Of those innocent, harmless crea-
lures who are their own worst enemies, and,
as matter Of course, enemies to the peace of
all with whom they have intimate relations
He was very good natured, even when in IL
quor ADD, what is more remarkable still,
good natured under the sharp words of bis
not over patient wife, who never failed in her
duty towards him, so far as reproof and angry
invective were concerned. There was no lack
OF occasion for these, in the almost daily de-
fections of Barker, whose temperance resolu-
tons, when 10 sight of dram shop, were
strong as threads of wax in furnace heat
Mrs, Barker, as just said, followed quickly,
in order to intercept her husbands move
ments She knew, very WE'LL for what pur-
pose be was going out after supper. There
was only one attraction stronger than home
for him, and that was the tavern. When
Mrs. Barker passed forth and stretched out
her hands to grasp the form Of her weak hus-
band she clutched but the empty air An
ticpating this very movement. Joe had sprung
away with nimble feet the instant the door
was closed behind him; and was far beyond
the reach of bis wife's intercepting hands,
when she made her appearance
Isn't it too much 2" exclaimed Mrs Bar.
ker. as she went back into the house, after
satisfying herself that Joe was fairly beyond
her reach. Hes got his whole weeks wa
ges in bis pockets, and ten to one. if he
doesn't get rid of nearly BALI Of it before be
comes home. ! wish every tavern in the
State was burned down, and every tavern
keeper in the penitentiary--and it would be
so, before long, If I had my way! It's no
better than robbery to take the money of a
half innocent like him. II had only been
in time to stop him and get his money out of
bis pocket"
! Mrs. Barker was both vexed and grieved /;
so much so, that she sat down and wept.
In the meantime, her husband made his
way to the nearest tavern, which was not very
far off. Poor Joe Barker! The words of
his wife, when she called him ''half-inno.
cent" nearly expressed the truth. His in
sellectual range was very low. He could read
early drilling in the district school had ac-
comp!ished for him that much but bis abil-
ity to read was rarely put to any good use.
Newspapers he saw now and then at the tav-
ern, but he never found much in them beyond
a vulgar anecdote, that interested him. OF
the history of current events, be did not I'M
derstand sufficient to encourage thought in
that direction. In fact, general knowledge as
to what was passing in the great world around
him. was as much hidden from his duh eyes
as Il it were in sealed book. He worked at
his trade that of cooper, very much as q
horse goes round in mill. He had learned
how to make barrel, somewhat indifferently
and daily, when not too much overcome with
drink, he sat on the wooden horse 10 the old
cooper shop, deliberately working his drawing
knife--or arranged the slaves in form, and
bound them with hoops He had no need Of
intellectual skill to keep on with his tasks
He knew how to make barrel, and that was
about the extent of his knowledge in mechan-
zeal science. His earnings ranged from tvs
and al BALI to five dollars week, but never
went beyond the last mentioned SUM Too
large proportion of this found its way into
landlords tills, much to the ipissy Of Joe
Barber and bis miserable family, Strong Ii.
quor on SO weak brain made il only the
weaker. and the poor innocent when sober
was little removed from good natured foo
when drunk. s.. .-s
It was all in vain that Betsy Barker. BIZ
faithful, though long suffering and often just.
ly indignant wife, went many times to the
tavern-keepers who sold him drink, and i'm.
plored them, with tears, in the name Of Goo
and humanity. not to sell her husband intox.
icating drinks Coarse insult or wicket
abuse was all she receiyed--and shewouid q