The southerner., 1855-06-30

much as formerly. OOmetlmeS iI was
late before he came home at night. DIV
"a often wondered to herself what could
be the reason of this. She used every
effort in her power to make home attrac-
tive. Once she vcntured to ask him
why it was that he spent so many eve
nings away from home He replied
that pressing business detained him SO
long from home. But there was some
thing in his manner that filled her
with uneasiness; bat she banlshed
all thoughts from her mind that were
calculated in the least to criminate her
husband. So gentle and upsuspecting
was she that she almost condemned her
self for this uneasiness. Many were the
excuses she made for him, in her own
mind. Had some one told her the real
cause of this change in her husband,
she could not have believed them, SO
| unshaken was her confidence in his in
tegrity.
But the real secret was, the tempter
came and Edward had yielded to him.
;Some friend had over r-persuadrd him to
take glass of wine; he consented, inten-
ding this to be the last The tcmpter re-
turned, he yielded to 1T again-and
again-fast his love for it Increased.
This was the cause of bis absence from
home at evenings. The bar room and
the card table were preferred before
the company Of his wife. This was bad
enough; bat to resort to falsehood to
hide 1t was worse. Conscience was a.
live, and many were the wrings 1t gave
his mind; but instead of breaking Oft
he went deeper and deeper into vice
Day after day habit WAS forming him
into the gambler aud drunkard.
Time moved swiftly on, and with it
Edward NJ. went deeper and deeper in-
to wee anu sin. Now none Of his eve
nngs were spent at home; his temper
WAS chan ged; nothing his wife could do
for hun seemed to please him; her ex-
penses were too much; she wanted a
new bonnet 800 often; her extravaganza
would break him up, and hundred 9TH
er things be Was continually doing and
saying, which were calculated to break
her foud heart. She had tried all means
to excuse him in her estimatlon; tat
now the truth flashed upon her mind -
oh how it made her heart bleed! Her
once tender Edward gambler, a drunk
ard, monster. Many were the prayers
she uttered to heaven for him; many
were the times she entreated him with
tears to forsake his evil company; but
he turned from her with coldness.
1t was too much for Ollvla. She
could bear up under all the sorrows
she had passed through: but this
was too much. She had turned from
parents grave with sorrow; but she
had q supporter. but TO see her hus-
band forsake her, in this manner-to
see him whose place it was never to
forsakc her break all his VOWS of fidelity
and prefer the bar room and the card
tahle-th 'se places of sin over which
he'll rGjoices-to her society was enough
to break stouter heart than hers.
Her health declined rapidly. Soon
she was confined to her room
and next to her bed. Her has
band visited her sometimes, but when
he WAS in her company, his con-
science would not let hi IN rest, there
was something within which made
him feel like murderer. And as soon
as he could he always hasted to his fatal
cup.
* x * x Autumn came and
with it the scar and yellow leaf. Daily
Olivia was becoming weaker and weak :
er. The taper Of life grew DINNER and
DINNER.
One evening as the
day was fast wearing away, Edward NJ.
was summoned to the bedside of his
dying wife. Sac had prayed for
strength to give her once TENDER but
ncw ruined husband her last warning
She took his hand in hers "Kichard
she said my time here is short. A few
moments more and shall be beyond
the reach of pain and sorrow. | do
not dread death, it is a sweet messen>
ger. [: calls fne away from world of
darkness and sorrow to one flight and
peace The time has been when [
should have dreaded to die. When you
were yourself, Ishould have been 10th
to leave you; but now { do not shrink at
the thought Look upon me and see the
wreck you have made! You have bro't
NO thuc oarlu to the nrauei You Aa..A