The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1853-07-23

Mr. - and his Young wife took up
their abode IN apartments near my first resi.
dence. ] owed my acquaintance to nm in.
PRODUCTION ut course OF lectures, ~ which
WAS associated for I'll. benefit Of one OF
our dispensafies Anatomy aud the phvsi.
ology Of ID. v'scera were my subjects, and
| observed from his excessive paencss that
he WIS afflicted with some internal con
geMlon, or that his circulation ut any rate
was not OF very high order. 4 great
degree of curiosity on the subject Of en-.
largemeut of the liver, from the excessive
use Of brandy. witt. u desire to know the
earliest indications rendering abstinence in
dispensabl. to preserve life, gave me hin,
OF his listlessness, and the cause OF his in
attention to business.
lie WAS n lawyer. and had few years
before been actively occupied in the lower
courts going home one nigh, at n late hour
from one OF my midnight enterprises. where
the good rule Of cash on delivery meets
no favor with our poor patients, notuiib
standing the abundance OF the commodity
delivered, ! observed him staggering before
me IN such "A manner that | feared my aid
would he necessary. He WAS excessively
proud aud tenacious Of his character, and |
therefore avoided his ob.ervsiinn walking
slowly behind hlm until n ,Iolen, tall com.
PEELED use To Interfere and raise him; being
Obliged, Indeed, almost to carr, hm To his
house, n small and barely decent re.dence,
to which his habits had reduced him, aud
the rent Tor which, AS subsequently learned,
his dvlcate wife paid by painting maps
snd pfirts for the booksellers. wv first
impulse was To leave HIM as soon a. should
hear the approach OF the servant IN answer
To nay summons. ! did not anticipate the
possibility OF the absence of the single
servant knew they had some time kept,
bat their poverty had obliged them to dis
charge her, aud the bell was almos, instantly
answered b, the gentle being who knew,
poor chld, the nature of the summons. She
Was Ia her day dress, aud had not removed
1t, rs she told me, Tor several nights, having
been Obliged Ia watch the return oi him
Who should have been her hope and her
AK al refuge. aud whose strong arm should
have uiterpnsed between her aud all harm.
Alas drunkenness had dnmed the lus,re
her, and withefed the arm that should have
protected her, and uaught remained for
both but the quiet grave. None OF Us in
aglned how near It was.
Never shall forget the look of heart,
bfokrn Anguish with which her gaze met
mine, AS the tlane oi the ball hight irll upon
US hose tears are imprinted on my very
soul nor do | thiok any man, viii, spaik
OF humauit, IA him. would not have ans
sweied them IN kind | carried hn TO his
chamber. and alter examining and dressing
the wound ou ais lotehead received from
hls tail. aud Knowing that my abs-ncc
would be most acceptable to the true wife.
tonk my departure. begging her Instantly
Ia seud freely IA the event of any trouble
or new misfortune did not repeat NY
visit, well knowing what her sulenngs must
have been, AID that she wished To bear
them uuuoticrd and alone.
4 was some DAYS before again saw
Them aud lordIy hoped. from n shoft
appearance of renewed attention to husl>
ness, aud seeing bis wife occasionally walk
ny arm ia arm with him, plainly but res
pcctah, clad. that h, bad turned over Il new
leaf IN the ha, krntd aad d,lac,d volume
ut his HE. But, alas he soon felspsed
into a lower state than ever aud often
staggered las my office. occasionally look,
iuu in, and utigting some mHudln 40 sense
I was powctlrss he was hike many others
addicted to the loaths"uc vice, aud had
not mind enough 10 appeal To- lie resented
the leas; hint Tor retota,; aud once gave
me to uude stand | would do we'd 10 con.
centfaie all uy mental powers On nav own
business. assuring me (sud tod knows
tell the truth OF ihi, remark ! would fad
no sul.rtduous ab,liv. The poor fellow
never forgase me Tor carrying HIM up
STAYS, though hi, Suffering wife avoided
mentioning nay name to him except Ia n
medical light.
\ few months after the incident which
brought me into this family, the Cholera Of
1892. came on. II was soon appsren, tina,
the disease confined It's most fatal rsvsges
70 the wte,ched aud debiltai.d. None will
forge, the slckening aud heart reudne
scenes of that awful visitation The Angel
OF Death did. Indeed. spread his wing on
the blast but he did not always fan away
the demon ol pam from the couch OF pow
.ttv. as have often fena,k'd True. the
fight OF the splfl was often 'eaf'ullt speedy
AID painless IA the wretchcd aud int-mper.
ate, bat the strong man struggled arluliy
against the terrible aud unknown eneay,
aud the nerves of the dying frame were
,rked and let luo.e the strong muscles,
I'LL they played terrible antics before the
powefe.s physician. One Often thought
ul LAGOON, but looked ia vain for the
serpent.
Oue evening At five O'Clock. or there.
abouts, | had thrown myself, exhausted.
lrom my horse into my Office chair, after
a visit 10 my little deal nutes Ia the IA, lnm.
aud was ludulging IN my iavot,le luxury.
n cup OF green tea, which preferred IA
kin. away from my family Tor the simple
reason that no man whose heart was IN his
profession could take time TO make himself
an acceptable CUES, at the tea table with
such fearful music still ringing in his ears /;
few OF us indeed paid needlui attention to
our personal comfort Whatever he our
uuarfels. to our credit ~ body be II said.
We sht,nk not when the seals that close
tn, pes,ilence are removed. and the poor
d, maud our aid was hastily sipp'ng my
tea. when my poor young friend, With his
feeble body and slckly laugh. thrust his
head into The office door, and carclessl,
asked how the cholers care on, rema,k>
,u,, ,,,,h I'M, usuxl nilusucy OF the thought.