The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1857-03-31
1I:iIE DAILY GAZETTE.
NISeFTIANEODS.
/ rRxpRnAHcx STORY.

was in the medical staff OF the
army during the Revolutionary War,
| W wss rather young to be there. NY
constitution was one Of the best
Had il been otherwise, ! should no
doubt have fallen victim to the hab-
its which contracted in early life
Nv tendencies were conviyial; temp.
tations to incorporate drinking and
gambling were always present and i'm
portsnate; We were q clique BY our
selves with no one to molest or make
afraid; and no one thought himself
degraded BY being drunk. +,
/ married very early in life, when |
vas little better than . boy. The
girl that | married was thought % be
Z great deal too good for me, BY every
body but herself. was not intem-
perste then; and, for time, my wife
and our little home seemed all the
world to me. She had little pro-
perty: and about a year otter our mar.
riaye she gave birth to daughter. -
Bad habits soon got the mastery Of
my better feelings. The attractions
otthe gay circle at the tavern. or the
quarters Of some comrsde, became ir-
resista able, and the very consciousness
Of the neglect to which was subject
ing the woman whom promised to
love and to cherish, began 10 make
her presence undesirable, and homo
Q place oi mental and moral punish.
mont. Qualms, and struggles, and
cravings Of ths worm that dies
not, doubtless these were neither few
nor far between: but the temptations
were irresistible. / was lost. !
knew it.
The de, ails OF a thousand cases are
mach the same. che little modicum
0. property that my wife brought me
had dwindled away, piece after piece.
Where had it gonel Down my insa-
table throat! had swallowed it or
pambled it away! Ne memorial re-
.mained, but rags and tatters! We
were very poor. A more uncolnplain-
inc woman was never made. Sne
struggled to hide even her tears, to
save me from pain on her account.
Let mo pass over some three years
.ofmisery, and come at the conclusion
Of the wh ,le matter. One bleak De-
cembcr morning, as was about going
forth, she put her hands upon my
shoulder, and pointing first to our
sick child, and then to few brands
upon the hearth, reminded ina that
these were the last, and that it was
bitter cold. As l turned away, |
promised to send her some fuel imme-
diately.
soon met some Of my comrades;
and returning to tile tavern, We pass,
2 cd The hours as usual in drinking and
revelry. until near midnight, when |
staggered homeward. 1t was picrc,
ing cold Ireached the doorstep, and
placed my hand npon the latcli-then
L first occurred to me tn 1t had Who'll
" forgotten my PROMISE had sent
home no fuel! entered the ap srtment.
Alirht was still burning. The hearth
was cold. My ~ifs sat, rocking her
sick child in the cradle. She turned
l,er ewes upon min. The tears were
streaming down her shiyering cheeks
Wife, said l, 'ior Heavens sake,
when will you leave of cryingf
\ Dear husband said she, when
you leave of drinking.
sGod help me- ! exclaimed, as !
put my arm around her neck, for the
appeal was irresistible.
sGod help me, and Twill never
drink another drop
By Gods help never have, to the
present hour; end from the date Of
that resolution, the days Of our unin-
terupted happiness began,