Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1863-08-25
CHAPTER Ill.

A drunkards' wife ! This were a real
woe What were all her little vexations
compared with it? Mary's resolution was
a firm one, and in her earuestness TO OBJ
serve it, she kneIt and prayed for strength
from above to enable her to be equal to the
duty before her.
Last night terrible fate had menaced
her. The lot of drunkard's wife-the
most appalling woe that can overtake
woman-bad threatened to be her portion.
The s)mbre cloud had risen, and her desti-
ny was in her own hands.
She knew her husband we'll enough to be
satisfied that his pledge would be held
sacred-that, till she drove him from his
home by her unamiable peculiarity. he
would be true to the words be had spoken
Grumbing is only habit. 1t NAV even
nave root IN the natural temperament of
the individual, but it is not an ipcurabIe
disease. Mary felt that happiness here and
hereafter depended upon her fidelity to the
premise she had made-that a single COM
planning word would be like match placed
near the mBgazlne-and another would in
volve her in hopeless ruin
But she had sense enough to know. and
she strove to feel, that it were useless to
avoid the word while the disposition exis>
ted. 1t were useless to whitewash q sepul-
chre-lt is still full of dead mems bones. )
She determined to perform a radical cure.
She resolved to be contented, and then the
hasty word would not be spoken.
She went about her daily duties with
the feeling that mountain had been re-
moved from her heart. She was cheerful
-hoppy-happy to feel that it was IN her
power to avert the terrible catastrophe
which had menaoed her-that she could
avoid the yawning abyss that was before
her.
All her taials and vexations dwindled
into trlfies compared with the fate which
last night had been so wildly presented ia
her imagination, and tae comparison made
her happy.
Punctually to his accustomed hour
Thomas came home. lie had not drank
anything, and he appeared cheerful and
happy. She met him with a smiling face
and never mentioned word of the Difficult
ties that had beset her. She had even been
so tar as to draw pail of water herself
and bring up bod of coal, but she said
nothing about it.
They were happy again, but perhas il
was as much the effect of the contrast as
the actual change in the circumstances
Ihoms fondled little Bobby on his knees
and undressed and put him to bed himself
Mary was delighted, and from her soul she
prayed that her own weakness might moi
dIssol We the blissful picture of domesti,
happiness their homo at that moment nos
| sessed.
"A year passed by. Thomas was true tc
| MS vow, and Mary to hers. Wheneve,
tnings went wrong with her, and the oIC
spirit rose 10 her heart, her husband haC
You a6solve me from my oath, MARY /?
AND she became gentle and cheerful il
an instant These words were a charm
That solemn promise broken. and AGAR
| the poor house, the penitentiary the blostec
father. the ragged child, the long procession
of woes rose in her mind, and she was true
| to herself
But she really improved her dispositiop
The habit was radically cured. The hom,
OF Thomas Butler is no more a world O
trouble; 1t Is home, sweet home'-thi
aoode OF the angel Of cOntentmens, thu
oWeiiing- place of truth and love, and Thu
most etfectual preventive of the curse O
drunkenness.
Our story is not all story-it is true Il
the letter. We beg the complaining VIII,
to ask herself if she is not making tor hel
husband path to the drunkard's grave
Tor herself and her children a bed o