The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1853-02-01
mis- SCEL L AN E JUS.
.l'Ers. EHorsan's tGssia,c Law.
by Join SMITH, JR.


by JOHN SMITH, JR.
Mrs. NIorgan's husbandwas an ex.
ccllcnt workman, ard had the best
wages, but he would drink, and like
most men Of his class whcn inlliouor,
generally beat his childrcn,@ and
sometimes his wife. IS.
Mrs. Morgan was i. noble woman,
and loved her husband in spite nil,
hnt after years OF patient: forbcars
ancc, she came IL: the conclusion
that Jimmy Morgan, s5she called
him, should stop drinking, whctller,
or no. In other words, ssl,e mannfac-
tered a private AIaino Law Of her,
own. s L;
The occasion w@s one day when
Jimmy came home t,c,iinner, half tip.
sy, which always happencd when he
stopped at The taverA on his way,
and he did this on ;.ianvcrage about
twice q week
Now you tIorg:l,p, said she, as
soon as he entered, you've been at
the whiskcy bottle again. You
needn't deny it. Ilsnow it by your
looks. And by your breath too
go away you nasty bsast--how ,laro
you try to kiss me when you have
been drinking"
Jimmy he'd cssaycly this matrimos
NAL carcss hoping5sI would concili.
ato tho guide wife;3 hat finding his
purpose fo:lcl, he sssat ss1i33.p lils dig
nifty.
- x IL !, so.s. 81
put on airs; give IS some dinner,
and don sulk.
Mrs. Morgan did not often get
reused, but she was now. She put
her arms akimho aud answered.
Not mouthful Of dinner do yoW
get in this house today, nor any
other day, till you come home sober.
SO the sooner you arc off the better
The half tipsy husband looked
at her iii amusement. For q mo-
mcnt he thought Of enforcing his
viii. as no had often done before,
bul whether he had not drank quite
enough to arouse his courage, or
whether the blazing eyes Of his help.
mate frightened him, he TUNED, al
ter a little hesitation, and Lett the
house.
Of course he went straight to the
tavern, as Mrs. Morgan rather cx,
pectcl he would. And Of course
when night came he was led home
thoroughly incbriatcd, rs she rather
wished he whoull DO.
lie had just sufficient reason left
to wonder at the extraordinary care
with Which his wife, assisting to un,
dress him, tucked Him i'll bed. But
this, like everything else, was soor
forgotten IN a stupid sleep.
She waited until satisfied that he
was entirely inscnsiblc, when she
procccdc, (, sew the offended up in
the shcr::5, exactly as if he had been
a mummy. The stitches were not
small, but she knew they were taken
with trcblcd thread, and they would
hold, especially as he now could use
neither hands nor arms. Once or
twice he sruntcd, as if about lc a
wake, but she stopped a moment at
such Il time.
At last tic proceeding was com,
plctcd. And nov she brought forth
a cart whip, which she had borrow
cd that afternoon from aneishbor.
Now Jenny Morgan,' said she,
apostrophiZlny him, I'll cure you Of
your bcastly habits, or--plcasc God,
III whip You ill you'll be sore for a
month"
Down came The lash, as vigorously
as her brawny arm could lay it on;
again, and yet again, and it seemed
as if sho was never gong to stop.
And very soon, the offended reused
from his stupor, saw what it was, and
began to beg for mercy.
Not III you've promised to leave
on driu 49, was the answer, and
the blows descended more vigorous
ly than ever. Swear to leave of
drinking then
'Oh, you'll kill mo, you'll kill me-
No, it Will do you good. 10 think
how drunk you was ten minutes ago,
and now to see you rolling about SO
lively never tell INC, Jimmy Nor
gan, that I'm killing you after that
Mercy, mercy, mercy, roarcd
the criminal. How can yon Polly,
uac vmtrEh,lehoul So -