Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1858-12-09
The True Wife.

Ell nome IN a state oil lntoxIcaticn. I
knew nv situation, and dreaded that
my wife should discover it. / exerted
myself 10 conceal it. | affected TO be
witty, aiiectionatc and social, but it
was a total failure. | felt the fatal
poison monentarily increased. j
saw the inquiring eve of my wife fixed
upon me with look ofuntterable grief
1t was only with her aid that | was
able to reach my pillow.
All restraint was soon swept away,
and came night after night in a state
most revoiting to the feelings of del
icate, affcctionate wife. In vain my
amiable companion wcpt and expostu-
lated was too much cntangled and
corrupted to break awav either from
my vice or associates. They neither
feared God nor regarded man. / was
lei captive by their devices.
/ became, | will not say an infidel,
for | was too ignorant Of the theory OF
skepticism to be one / became a
mocker. "Fools make a mock at sin, I"
and such a fool was I. I knew lust
enough Of the Bible to make il my lest
book. | saw that this part of my con-
duct was extremely painful to my pious
wife, and tried to restrain myself from
triHing with the Bible in her presence;
but / loved to raise loul laughter
among my. boisterous com mpanions, and
the indulgence served so to strengthen
the pernicious habit. that | was often
detected in the use of this offensive
language.
1t was not till | became a father
that her touching appeals on this sub
ect reached my conscience. "Must
this child" she would say with tears,
''be trained up unler these baneful in
lucnces} Must he be taught by pa
rental example to de'pi,e and ridicule
the Scriptures with his lispinS tongue
before he is able to read their con-
tents, or realize their heavenly oli-
gin?'
Her son hal now became an inter
esting little prattlcr, initiating what
ever he heard or saw. | perceived
with a sort of diabolical pleasure, that
the FIRST eifoy, Of his infant tongue was
to initiate M profane language, the
recollection of which now senls thrill
OF grief and horror through my bosom,
In vain did his sorrowing mother en-
leavor to countcract the influence OF
my wicked example. | continued to
swear, and he to initiate my profanity,
unconscious Of it's turpitude.
On certain occasion | returned
from one of my gambling excursions
and found my wife and child absent
On inquiry, | ascertaineti that she
had gone to her accustomed place o
retirement in a grove some distance
from the house. | kn.w that she hat
gone there for devotion. | had beer
accustomed to see her retire thither a
the evening twilight, and though
thought her picty unnecessary. l hat
no objection to it as source of enjoy
ment TO her; but that shc should taxi
her child with her, excited my surprise
felt curiosity to follow her. / Iii,
, so, and took a position unseen by her
r but where had full view of he
) attitude and features. She was kneel
ing beside a rock, on which lay he
$ Bible before her. One hand wa
e placed on its open pages; the othc
= held the hand of her fair boy, VIII
+; was kneeling beside her, his eyes in
T. tcn,ly fixed on her face She was pal
and carc-worn. Her eyes were closed
( but the tears were chasing each othe
/, down her cheeks, as she poured fort
u her burdened soul in prayer-frst 70
h her husband, that he might be re
G claimed and saved, but. especially di
1 she plead with God that her sor
n whom she unreservedly dedicated t
G hia, might be saved from those sin
e which were taught by his father
e example. Save him, she cried wi,
Il agony, Save him from taking tn
e great and holy name in vain; and civ
IS his anxious mother wisdom, fortitud'
e and grace, effectually to correct an
z break up the habit of profaneness."
/ She succeeded in conquering II
k habit in her child; and when she ha
n cured him, | resolved to abandon fo
h ever the use of language which hs
IS caused her so much pain. Ibid abar
% don it from tha. time 1 was no
=. effectually reclaimed from this vice.
1t But my habits of intemperance we
is daily becoming ike brass bands. NJ
ct morning and noon anl evening drau
y my loss of appetite and tremblir
t, nerves, proved the strong grasp it HI
er upon my constitution.
Ny wife was in the habit Of settir
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