Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-11-04
C1Gite 9iteratnrG.
From the N. Y. Evening Post,
WHAT A CURSE.

"What curse p Such is the title of
one OF those Temperance Tales of Sargent's,
which made great impression when pub
lished some twenty years ago.
Johnny Hodges was blacksmith, good,
honest, hardworking man, but he had a
drunken wife, and was often forced to ex-
claim, what a curse! can nothing be
done?"
What curse cried l.. the other NOR
ming, after few hoars ssent in various
calls. Can nothing be done to put stop
to this intemperance
| had promised to give man employ
ment, and as he did not come at the time
appointed, and had few moments to
spare, | determined to go and see for my
self if all were true that he had told Of his
want and struggles and "doing his best"
| followed the direction to the second
story of crowded tenement house, and as
| knocked at the door, observed that the
place was decent, and an effort at cleanli-
ness seemed to have been made.
My knock repeated, finally brought
gruff "Come IMP and | entered room in
in tolerable order, and as tidy as circum-
stances would permit. In chair near the
fire sat the master of the house, with dull
complexion and bleared and watery eye,
drunk
1t was the old story. Here was the Sc
cret of the mournful tale of trying day af-
ter day to find employment, without sue
cess. Just as was ttrafng to leave, say
ing in my mind What cursep' his wife
came in with bundle of coarse work on
her arm, and leading little child by the
hand. A glance told my business and the
state of things She tried, woman-like, to
excuse him, ''there could not be kinder
or better man when he was himself, but
he had no work, and a friend asked him
to take glass, and he had not strength to
refuse" This was the end; the insatiate
devil was awakened, and | shrewdly sus-
pected that bruise on bis wife's face had
some connection with the drop he had ta-
ken. 1t was useless to try to talk with him
then, so | left word for him to come to me
when he was sober.
Having call to make in the next street,
went on musing, when suddenly my at
tention was arrested by sounds of uproar
and confusion, and from. the door | was
al a6esst es ....s .ssrtssri,ng tern
zen fury vas Ureaking = = Usecfe mn, ssrr,I
, pelting them with the fragments. Fortu-
nately police officer was at hand, 1EI,s yl,s
kindly took care Of l.s,ifT marched MN
}, "a, lqf.' ~. :. s1Da more s'aT1i quiet pla6e.
4 Another day | had occasion to call upon
a poor woman to have some work done
(poor, lone bachelor that | am, and found
, her looking pale and wo-begone, but doing
her best to make things tidy and decent il
the minds of half dozen children. There
( are no more discouraged looking beings in
) these northern States, than poor woman
: with drinking husband and family ot
children. Past, present and future are
= alike dark.
: She looked up eagerly at the mention ot
e work, as if she thought only OF the reward
: and not at all of the toll and midnight la
i Dor to get it finished. eYousee, sir, must
g do something for the children, to put bread
!; INTO their mouths" "But where is your
S husband-does he not support you q
e "Ies, sir, when he capcggt work; but, like
most of the men, he is little unsteady y
d Eyes, little unsteady" | thought
b "works half the time to buy rum to be
d drunk with the other half p
e The next call was but an echo of this
Il The poor woman had just come in from 6
) hard days work, having left three little
) children alone all day, while she was ear
e ming dollar to buy them bread. Tn,
# same old story.
+ "Yes sir, John is a little unsteady"
''Does he do nothing for YOUR
o "No, sir, of late nothing: he has go
If among bad set, and they have led hin
# away"
s "Oh !" thought l, "Is he led or leader 2
"But why do you live with him q
I'll "Why, sir, he will come home, | can
e keep him away"
el "Then move off, and leave him."
"But, sir, hefellows me, and can't hid
,e away from him. The last time he was s.
mad, that when he found me, he came il
u when was out looking for bit of work
ID and drove the poor children into the street
y and broke the glass and all the plates an,
a. dishes"
e. On another day, in one of my calls,
at found man quietly at home, having ac
I'd tuaily brought all his wages, and lookin
as tolerably comfortable, as his wife was GLAD
in ly preparing him some supper she had jus
IL bought. The children looked up, ha
afraid, as if they We're not sure in whs
ID mood they might find him.
1t seemed good opportunity to reac
him, and when was alone with him for
moment l spoke of steady work and of tn
te comfort to himself and his family that stes
an diness would bring He listened with il
it terest, and his eye ghstened as he promise
90 fair that he would never drink again.
erI Alas knew how many times he ha
We made that resolution-and broken it. S
tie | tried once more, "Will you not sign
St, promise with me not to touch drop %
off | did not say pledge, / knew he would tax
oo alarm at the very word.
an "Oh, nom he shrank back, he sswoul
he not sign away his liberty In vain. |. e,
,ly planned and expostulated it was but to gi,
to him the strength of written resolution I
to the hour of temptation. No; the mast
to Of evil had spread his snare but too certai
h ly, and the poor man was unmoved.
u.s. With sigh | turned away. I wou
lv give him employment so long as he wou
:. refrain, but what power has man again