The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1853-08-05
AFFECTING TRAGEDY In REAL
LIFE.

From book entitled "More Work for the
Maine Law" the following is taken. We are
assured the Sketch is no fiction but picture
from real life and what actually occurred.
The sketch describes the departure of q
husband from his home with the assurance
of returning in few hours; his failure to do
so the success of temptation, and the dire
consequences which followed to his family
and to himself.
Mr.. Dunham left Immediately after dinner
kissing his wife and children tenderly, and
assuring them that he would be back before
dark, and they need not fear. Still, Mrs.
Dunham felt tmidity she could not over
come. A heavy cloud hung upon her spirits
for which she could not account She be-
took herself to prayer, in which she found
strong consolation from the hope of a better
world, where maternal solicitude would visit
her no more, where the storms of winter then
bowling, feariuliy around her dwelling, would
no more overcast her serene sky, and where
anxiety for her husbands safety, in person
or morals, would not hold her in suspense
and torture but where all would be security,
peace, and Joy, transporting and immortal.
Her hopes and aspirations acquired a mysteri-
Gus unearthiness, as nothing more awaited
her in this region of death, but only in the
bright -eversion of angelic life and immortal
day.
TO amuse herself she gathered her
little ones around her, and spent several hours
in teaching them to read, in talking 20 them
of heaven,-of the happy circles there, where
father, mother, and childrn all meet, and
mngle in discourse, to sin no more, to suffer
no more Her words were words of inspiration
to the dear little group, and they sat listening
in rapt mediation with clasped hands and
uplilted and adoring eyes. Night drew on
and the storm ragged more and more fearfully
The snow. wich began to fall soon after her
husband left, had added one or two feet
to the underlying accumulation of previous
storms so as to create the most serions
apprehension as to whether he could make
his way through the drifts. She summoned
all her frmness, and all her stock of courage
for the sake of her children. 1t would have
gratified her TO see them remain awake, as
relief to herloneliness; but at their appotet
hour, they were sinking into the sweet
/ profound forgetfuness of childbood's sleep
and she put them into their beds, after hearing
them say their prayers.
| What next! She strained her eyes at the
1 window, to penetrate the gathering storm
and darkness, if possible to catch glimpse
one hope-inspirng gimps--of his loved
and adored form; but all in vain. No husbant
came. She listened to hear the familiar
tones of his voice, in shreaking to his horse
but no sign greeted her, except those of tht
raging tempest and creaking forest, with the
occasional crash of frost bound tree or limb
in skiing into the underlying snow. Sh,
bethought herself of Charles Douglass las
letter, which she had not answered; took il
from her portfolio, and began reading an,
writing, to divert her thoughts from thu
horrible ideas which had taken possession o
her mind. Young Douglass had been he
constant correspondent from the time of hi
leaving for college; and his last Setter con
tanned facts in which she had the livelest
interest, and which for the moment, had th
effect of fdiverting her mind.
She at length took her pen and wrote he
full approval of Charles conduct, and the
proceeded to detail the more recent dolngs o
the alcoholic traffic in Mapleton. She sta
ted the suferings of poor Ma'am Tobey an
that her husband had then gone to bring he
to their house. Sheinformed him that tn
worthy and venerable Mr.. Robson, after in
Weighing against the groggeryRith all hi
might, had been drawn in, and added to ii