Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1853-08-11
THE PERSEVERING WIFE,
Ok -
The two DaguerreOtypeS
CHAPTER I.

Jim Scroggins, though in the main an
honest, peaceable, quiet, harmless fellow,
had beaslly habit of getting drunk
wheneve yer fit opportunity presented it.
self; and unfortunately, because "where
there's will !here's a way" The oppor-
lunisies were both fiji and frequent.
jim owned a comfortable homestead,
that he had almost paid for. Mrs. S.
was "real worker" and no doubt did
her full share in buying her homestead.
She was endowed with great deal of
energy, good Judgment, and people were
so malicious as to say she was the best
man of the twain. ..s.... ...
BE This as il may, Mrs. Scroggins was
an industrious woman, and took good
deal of pride in The little place which
had been bought by their mutual indus
ry-and the thought Of having it wrest-
ed from them by cold hearted creditor
was 10 the highest degree disagreeable;
but 10 such calamity her husbands in
firmly, as the good minister of The vii
lage called il, seemed 20 point. 81
The habit grew upon him. as il almost
always does upon those who are in the
habit of lmbibing too freely. The mis-
erles of the drunkard's wife had been
too often presented to the good woman's
understanding, to be regarded as simply
creations OF imagination, and she looked
forward with alarm TO the prospect o!
enduring them, and losing the lirlle home.
stead. ... .a.. "
But wha, could be donel She had
exhausted her eloquence upon the infat-
ualed man, without producing any thing
but ,emporaryseifecL She pointed out
to him, kindly, the inevitable effect of
his indulgence, and Jun promised to do
better; bu, alas for the vanity of human
expectations! he got lipsy the very next
day.
Then she appealed to his love OF mon
ey--to his satisfaction in being the own.
er of q cottage aud ten acres of Land.
and warming up with The importance OF
The subject, declared that she would NOT
enslave herself any longer to pay for
the place, and then have It taken away
from them TO pay rum bill.
jim listened patiently to The good wo.
mans eloquence, and, as usual, promis.
ed to do better; but, also, as usual, he
came into the house the very next day,
as ligh, as iddle-strng.
Mrs. Scroggins was IN despair; what
TO do she didn't know, as she expressed
il to Parson Allwise, who was sympa-
lhizing with her in distress. She had
entrealed, she had scolded. she had threalt
ened, and ell to no purpose. .Wha,
could body do!'
Paison Allwiss himself, though nc al
ways made i, point not to interfere in
the domestic affairs of his parishioners,
was at last moved to try his powers of
persuasion on the roor fellow.
But Jim, unfortunately for the success
of his appeal, had but poor opinion of
ministers in general, and of Parson Ali
wise in particular, and as good as told
the worthy pastor lha, he had better tend
TO his own business.
Mrs. Scroggins was shocked al the
bo.dness Of her spouse in answering a
minister of the gospel in such pointed
manner, and was led to believe that The
case was now hopeless indeed.
But woman's wits are equal TO almost
any emergency; ane though she had
confessGdly given Jim over TO the tender
mercies OF the devil, she could not help
thinking il would be good thing if he
could only be saved from himself.
One Gay. circumstances seemed 10
conspire in favor of an experiment, that
had suggested itself to her fertile brain,
and she Immediately carried il into Of.
feet, with the most happy success as the
sequel will show.