Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1854-02-24
Correspondence.


- &ftft@ft
In thIs part ofthe country we have
no Railroads and no Telegraphs. but
one that passes in silence. We have
however veritable incidents worth rela-
ting. Here Is one. Mr.. B., who lives
few miles from this place, has long
been the slaUe Of rum. the dupe Of infdel-
iiy, and terror TO his family. His wife
was raised religiously, and When he mar
ried her hae been for some years a men,
Der Of the Baptist church. But scarce
ly had the "Honey Moon" passed be-
fore she found she had keeper Of her
conscience. yet the chains Of her slavery
were not drawn intolerably tight, till
they had around them an interesting and
growing family. The devoted wife con-
cesled her sorrows from a cold and pitt
less world. Great was her joy when
the young solve plants" began to sprin
up around their domestic hearth. She
fondly hoped that the feeling ofaparent
would waken up spirit Of tenderness
in her husband, both toward his chill
dren and toward her. But her hope
was evanescent. Rum, and infdelity
had gained too strong hold. She was
soon doomed to see her children treated
with all kinds Of savage barbarity. A
mysterious veil was thrown over the
sudden and strange death Of one or two
Of their children. The others were abus-
ed, tortured, and tormented, until some
Of them fed from home, as they would
from the abode Of amerciless fiend, and
others were glad to get away as soon as
they become Of age None OF these
things softened the heart Of the father
and husband. TIE wife and those chill
dren that remained at home, we're still
in the power Of a mercilesS tyrant, and
the escape Of some only excited his
wrath the more against those in his
grasp. Inaamed by rum, and besotted
by infidelity such was his conduct in his
fam lily, that for years his wife never
knew herself to be soundly asleep.
Every time he stepped from her she
eyed every motion, expecting in all prob
ability, ne would grasp the gun or some
thing else and destroy her life. In this
distress she was driven almost to the
borders of insanity, and more than once
would have hung herself, to escape her
merciless tormenter, but for the faint
hope Of throwing some protection over
her children; and giving them lit lie
care at such times as her husband might
be away from home. This oyertaxed
anxiety Of mind finally brought on dis
ease, that will probably drag her to her
grave. But the end was not yet. Last
summer as he commenced his harvesting
he commenced drinking still harder, and
became still more abusive to his chill
dren. One evening, one Of his oxen
DIOkG Oul anu AclL uOllt- NtAl ulOt
ing he ordered one OF the boys to go af-
ter tho OK, but the other boy knowing
the OK to be very unruly, and that his
brother could not get him up by himself,
and also that il the OK was not soon found
that his father would be In great rage,
proposed going with him, and as his
father made no reply he understood him
to have no objections. But the old man
says he did not hear what he said. As
the forenoon was spent in fruitless
search, the old man was very mad, and
would not let the boys eat any dinner,
but peremptorily ordered them to go
again and hunt the OK, for one to 60, and
the other not to let the plough stand
But the boys, in heir grief and fright,
understood him to say that they must
find the OK If they let the pillow stand,
and hungry and vexed they went out
again 10 search. But night came on
and they could net find the missing OK.
When they return ed the father was mad
er than ever, and began abusing the old
er boy, FER letting the plow stand. But
rome one soon came in, and stayed all
night and this ended the matter for the
night, only he drove the boys to bed
without their supper.
He still drank yer, freely, that night
and also the next morning, and soon as
the man who staid there was gone, he
called up the boys and commenced ours
ing the older one for not blowing, and
drew back as If to strike him heavy
blow, and the boy to avoid it raised up
his arm. "Do you raise your fist to
strike your father" said he. "No faith
err" said the boy, 81 only wanted tc
avoid being hurt" Gathering hold o.
him and shaking him severely, the father
exclaimed, 81 could beat you to hell"
(but he now says he did not strike him.
81 wish to God / was Dead" said The
boy, when the father with horrid rage
ordered him to blowing and the other tc
hunt the OK; butwould not yet let either
of them have any thing to eat. Whe
he had eaten his breakfast he went ou
to reaping, in sight Of where the boy
was blowing. After a few rounds wer,
plowed, he saw the horse standing a
the far end Of the field, and fastening t.
il found part of the lines gone. The
truth seemed to flash across his mind
and he m ounteJ the fepre 10 no In soa-.i