Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-03-03
THE EVENING STAR.
IF my HUSBAND WERE 70 DO SO.


"Poor woman! What thousand pittes it is
for her"' said Mrs. Grimes, with feeling; ss
wonder how she stands 1t. II my husband
we,;aa to DO 50, it would kill me-"
IL could never ana " IN .ne aa zoe
Mrs. Pitts at is dreadi.. asuauoh Is
woman to be placed in Mr.. Larkins used to be
one Of the best of men, and took the best posi-
BILE care OF his family. For ten years there was
not happier woman in the town than his wife,
but now it makes ones heart ache to look at
her. Oh 1t must be one of the most heart.rend-
ing things in the world to have a cruaken hus-
SWELL, sll I've got to say spoke up Mrs. Pc
much"
..Why, Mrs. Peters! How can you talk
"Well, J DON'T Any woman who will live
with drunken husband don't deserve pity.
WHY DON'T she leave him 20
z" That is easier said than done, Mrs. Pc
ters.''
leave than to live with drunken brute, and
have my life tormented out of me. If my
hus band were to do so, l reckon he and I
would part before 81 hours.
Now, Mrs, Pet rs husband WAS O. most ex.
celisnt man, and a sober man withal and his
vie was tenderly attached to him. In regard
TO his ever becoming a drnnkard. she had as
little fear as of his running off aud leaving
her. Still, when she made this last remark,
she looked toward him (for he was presently
with stern and significant expression on her
counter ance This was rot really meant for
him but for the imaginary individu ai she had
supposed as bearing the relation toward her
of drunken husband.
''Iou would, would you 20 Mr. Peters replied,
20 the warmly expressed resolution uttered by
his wife.
Eyes, that 1 would!' half laughingly and
half seriously Tetorted Mrs. Peters.
you don't know what you are talking about"
stroke Mrs. Grimes.
"Iudeed, then, do! consider any woman
a fool W no Will live with a drunken husband
For my part, have not spark OF sympathy
Tor the wives OF Grunkards-1 mean those
who 1--we with the men VINO begsar and
abuse them. Mere disg nsting brutes-the very
sight of whom ought to turn a woInan's stou-
ach.,'
aYou were ever placed in such situation,
and therefore are not eOmpe tent to decide hows
tar woman who continues to live with
drunken husband is or is MOTTO blame. For my
part am inclined 10 think that, in most cases,
to live with q husband under these circum-
stances is the least of TWO evils
This was said by Mrs. Pitts
81 think you are right there resumed Mr..
Peters. "a wonan feels toward her own
husband, the father of her children, and the
man W no in LIES spring time won her hestand
purest affections, very differently from what
she does towards another man. She knows
all his good qualities, and remembers now ten
derby he has loved her, and how he wonld still
love her but for the mad infatuation from
which he feels it impossible to break away.
The hope that he viii reform never leaves her.
" hen she looks at her children, even though
abused and neglected, she cannot but hope
Tor their father, and this hope keeps her
up"
sAny woman is afool to feed herself up with
such tanciss. There is only one true remedy,
and that Is separation. That's what PHI do,
and every woman of sense ought to do. Don't
tell me abont hope Of reforming, It's all non-
sense. You wouldn't catch me breaking my
heart AFTER that fashion for any man. Not -
said Mis-. Peters
The more Mrs. Grimes, and Mrs. Pitts, and
others present, argued their side of The CUES.
ton, the more pertinaciously did she maintain
the position she hat assumed, until Mr. Peters
could not help feeling somewhat yeNed and
SCIre lIttle hurt. he being htr husband, and the
only one " no could possibly held the reIstior
towards which ali her indignation was direct
ed under the lmagined possibility OF MS becon-
ing . uFpler.
AFTER q while the subject was dropped, and
al tie close OF the evening the friends separat-
ed and went TO their homes.
1t was, perhaps. TWO months from the period
at which Tue conversation occurred, that Mr..
Peters lvft lis home early III the evening to at
tend a political meeting, politics a the time
running high, and hard ci0er tiowir as freely
a. water. lie was iii The habit OF attending
such meetings and, OF parlaking OF his p2r-
ton OF the cider, and at times OF something
stronger; butas he was q 8 ODER man. and OF
strong good sense and firm prin cipie the tho gnt
OF ever paTtaklng too freely never crossed the
mimi OF his U!ne.
Regular IN his ha bits he was rarely out after
ten O'clock on any occasion But thus time ten
came but he WIS still away. This was Il
Circumstance so unusual that mis- wife could
not help feeling a degree of uneasiness. She
went 10 tie door ana listened Tor him after
The clock stTuck eleven, and stood there tor
some lime, expecting every moment to hear
the sound of his foot steps il the distance.
But she waited in vain, and TT last re altered
the house with troubled feeling.
Al last the clock struck twelve, and almost
at the same time she heard fher husband AZ the
door, tndeayOring 10 open it with a la.cf key.
In this he was not successful, for soma
cause; and thinking she might have turned
the key, Mrs Peters went quietly and opened
the door Tor him. She found that she had lock
ed it.
As she lifted the latch, the door was thrown,
pm " aiuSt har and huvh Y1st,
staggering in. AS he passed her he struck
against the wall to keep from falling. Then
all the lender emotions Of her heart rushed
freely into activity. 1t was her own husband
that lay before her,overcome by the masterspirit
OF strong drink.
With almost superhuma an strength she raised
him up; although large man, and supported
him with her arm until she got him up stairs,
and laid him upon the bed. By this time he SEEM
ext replies to the frequent and tender impor-
tunities Of his wife.
After some time she got him undressed and in
bed. But he grew more and more stupid every
"Oh what if he should dep the poor wife
moaned anxiously, while tine tears that had at
first gushed out, still continued to flow free
ly. She washed his face with cold water,
and tried various means to arouse him from
the lethargy OF drunkenness. But all to no
AT last, despairing of success, she laid down
beside him, in tears, threw her arms around
his neck, and put her face against his. She
when her husband called her name in a whis.
per
Oh! how eagerly did she listen after her re-
sporse to his call
ssF my husband ,verc to do so ~
AS he said this still in a whisper, but very
expressive one he looked her steadily in the
face, with roguish twinkle in his eyes, a uui-
vering OF his lips, the muscles Of which could
with difficulty restrain from wreathing those
expressive organs into merry smile.
Mrs. Peters understood the whole scene in a
moment, and boxed her husbands ears sound
ly on the spot Tor very JOY, while he laughed
until his sides ached almost as bad as his
ears.
In her discussions upon the various unfortu.
nate relations OF man and vi e. Mrs. Peters
was very careful how she declared her course
OF action, were she placed under similar cir
cumstanees. If in any case she was led I'M.
thinkiERly to do so, the remark of her husband,
made with 2 peculiar infection of the voice
"Oh, yesi Ii my hus bond were 10 do so"-had
the happiest effect imaginable, and put an end
TO the Improbable discussion.
ENkON LON DON