Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-09-01
Sits' 4,partmtnt
IF MY HUSBAND WERE 10 DO 50.
A Domestic Incident.

husband were 10 act so N would Kill We.
"T could never stand il in the world"
added Mrs. Pitts. 1T is = dreadful situa-
ton for a woman to DC placed in. Mr..
Larkin used to be one Of the best Of men,
and took the best possible care of his fami-
~. For years there was not a happier wo-
man in town than his wife, but now It makes
ones heart ache to look at her. o! it
must be one Of the most heart-brcaking
things in the world 10 have a drunken hus-
band"
@Weli, all I've to say" spoke up Mrs.
Peters with warmth, sis, that I don't pity
her much"
@why, Mrs. Peters how can you talk
soT"
"Well, l DON'T Any woman who will
live with a drunken husband, don't deserve
pity. Why don't she leave him.
"That is easier said than done, Mrs. Pc
ters."
II should think it a great deal easier
than to live with a drunken brute, and have
her life tormented out Of her. If my hus-
band should do SO, / reckon him and me
would part before twenty-four hours"
Now Mrs. Peters husband was a most
cxcellent-and a sober man withal. And
his wife was tenderly attached to him. In
regard to his ever becoming a drunkard,
she had rs little fear rs Of his running off
and leaving her. Still when she made the
last remark, she looked towards him flor
he was presently with a stern and signif-
cant expression on her c~ountenance. This
was not really meant for him, but for the
imaginary individual she had supposed as
bearing the relation towards her Of a drunk
en- husband.
"You would, would you n Mr.. Peters
replied to the warmly expressed resolution
uttered by his wife.
ayes, that / wouldw half laughingly and
half seriously retorted Mrs. Peters.
"You don't know what you are talking
about" spoke Mrs Grimes.
'Indeed then / do! ] consider any wo-
mar a fool who will live with a drunken
husband. For my part, | have not a spark
OF sympathy for the wives of drunkards-
] mean those who live with men who beg
gar and abuse them. Mere disgusting
brutes-the sight OF whom ought to turn
a woman's stomach"
"You were never placed in such a situa-
ton, and therefore are not competent to
decide how far a woman who continuest to live
with a drunken husband is or is not to
blame. For my part am inclined to
think that in most cases to. live with the
husband under these circumstances, is least
oftwo evils"
This was said by Mrs. Pitts.
81 think you are right there" resumed
Mr.. Peters. IA woman feels towards her
own husband, the father Of her children
and the man who in life's spring-time wor
her best and purest affections, very differ
emily to what she does towards anothei
man. She knows all his good qualities
and remembers how tenderly he has lovet
her, and how he still would love her bu
for tho mad infatuation from which he feel
it almost impossible to break away. TIL
hope he will reform never leaves her,
When she looks at her children, evel
though abused and neglected, she canno
but love their father. And this hope keep
her up"
"All nonsense" Mrs. Peters replied warm
Nv. Any woman is a fool to feed hersel
up with such fancies. There is only on,
true remedy, and that is separation. That
what I'd do, and what every woman ough
70 do. It's all nonsense. You wouldn'
catch me breaking my heart after that fash
ion for any man. Not l."
The more Mrs. Grimes, and Mrs. Pitt
and others present argued their side of tn
question, the more pertinaciously did sh
maintain the position she had assumed, III
til Mr.. Peters could not help feeling som
what yexed and some little hurt. He b.
ing her husband, aud the only one VIII
could possibly hold the relation toward
whom all her Indignation was directed
under theimagined possibility of his becon
ing a tippler.
After a while the subject was droppe
and at the close Of a social evening Il
friends separated, and went to their ov
homes.
1t was, perhaps, two months from q
period at which this conversation occurrc
that Mr.. Peters left home early in the eve
ing, to attend a political meeting-po
tics at the time running high and hard
der flowing as freely as water. He was
the habit of attending such meetings, a
Of partaking Of his portion Of cider and
times Of something a little stronger; but
he was a sober man, and a man, too,
strong good sense and firm principles, /
thought Of his ever partaking too free
never crossed the mind Of his wife.
Regular in his habits, he was rarely
after ten o'clock, on any occasion.
this time ten came, and even eleven;
he was still away. This was a circr
stance so unusual that his wife could
help feeling n degree Of uneasincss.
went to the door and listened for him n
the clock had struckeleven, and stood Il
for some time, expecting every momen
hear the sound Of his footsteps in the
lance. But she waited in vain, and at
n .entered the house with a troubled
ing.
At last the clock struck twelve, and
most at the same time she heard her |
band at the door, endeavoring to oper
with q dead-latch key. In this he was
successful from some cause, and thinI
that she might have turned the kew,
Peters went quietly and opened the {
for him. She found that she had not /
ed II.