The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1864-05-14
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
Power Of Woman.

l well remember the first time that l ven
tured home in L state Of intoxicatiOn. | knew
my situation, and dreaded that nv wife shoul
discover It, L exerted myself To conceal it.
affected to be witty, afectiOnate, and social, bu
1t was IA total failure. | felt the fatal poison
mCnentarily increasing / saw the inauiring
eye OF my wife fixed upon me with a look of un-
utterable grief. 1t was only with her aid that ]
was able To reach my pillow.
All restraint was soon swept away, L came
home night after night in a state most revolving
10 the feelings of a delicate, afectionate wife. In
Il was too much entangled and corrupted TO break
away either from my vices or associates. They
neither feared God nor regarded man. L was led
captive by their devices.
L became, L will not say an inidel, for / was
too Ignorant of the theory of skepticism To he
one L became a mocker. pools make a MOCK
at SIM" and such a fool was /. knew lust
enough OF the Bible to make it my jest-book. i
saw that this part of my conduct was extremely
painful to my pIous wife, and tried to restrain
myself from thrilling with the Bible in her pres
ence but L loved to raise loud laughter among
my boisterons companions, and the indulgence
served so to strengthen the pernicious habit, that
i was often detected in the use of this offensive
language.
1t was not till L became a father that her
touching appeals on this subject reached my con-
science.
" Must this child" she would say with tears.
" be trained up under these banefui influences?
Must he be taught by parental example to despise
ana rldicule the Scriptures with his lisping
tongue before he is able to read their contents or
realize their heavenly origin p"
Our son had now become an interesting little
prattier, Initiating whatever he heard or saw.
perceived with a diabolical pleasure that the first
ehort OF his infant tongue was to initiate my pro-
zane language, the recollection of which now
SENDS a thrill OF grief and horror through nv
bosom. In vain did his sorrowino mother en-
deavor to counteract the influences of nv most
wicked example. L continued to swear. and he
10 Initiate my profanity, unconscious of Its tur-
pitude.
On a certain occasion / returned from one of
my. gambling excursions, and found nv wife and
child absent. On inquiry, l ascerrained that she
had gone 10 her accustomed place of retirement
IN a grove some distance from the house. knew
mat she mad gone there for devotion. | had been
to see her retire thitber at the even
ing twilight, and though 1 thought her piety un-
had no objection to 1t as n source of
to her, but that she should take her
enid with her, excited my surprise. / felt a
TO follow her. L did so, and took a
unseen by her, but where L had a full
new OF her attitude and features. She was
before a rock on which Law her Bible
'eiore her. One hand was placed on its open
the other held the hand of her fair bow.
sh0 was kneelIng beside, his eyes intentIy fixed
m her face. She was pale and care-worn Her
yes were closed, but the tears were cbasing Zach
ther GOWN her cheeks, as she poured forth her
soul In prayer-frst for her husband.
nat he might be reclaimed and saved but espe-
ANY did she plead with God that her son, whom
unreseryedly dedicated to him., might be saved
rom those sins which were taught him nv his
i1her ; example, Z" Save him. she cried with
8ohy, =" save him from taking thy great and
oiy lame I'm vain and give his anxious mother
Iisdom, iortItude and grace, effectualIy to correct
nd break up the habit of profaneness."
Il crept silently from my hidino DIaoa OIL
irned with a conscience narrowed up by the
eenest selt-reproaches. knew that her FEELINGS
ere not the Gtful ebullitions of passion or excite
emf L had long been convinced that her con-
let was regulated by firm and virtuous princi-
es, and that the Bible, which L so lightly
was the rule of her life. On her return
the house she was solemn, but the law of kind
still ruled her tongue. She did not reproach
9 but from that day she firmly and faithfully
frected our little son for the use of profane
even in my presence, and when perhaps
had just caught it from my lips.
She succeeded in conquerinS the habit in her ]
lld and when she had cured him, l resolved to
andon forever the use of language which had t
her so much pain. L did abandon it from
at time. i was now efectually reclaimed from
IS vice. But my habits of intemperance were
ny becoming like brass bands. My morning
q noon and evening drains, my loss of appetite '
q trembling nerves, proved the strong grasp it '
q upon my constitution.
My wife was in the habit of sitting n n M NIGHT I
my return, however late it might be. She =
d no doubt, in this way saved me from perish
:, rs L was often too much intoxicated to find
way to the door without her assistance.
One cold night | had been out to a late hour, r
{ returned free from intoxication. On coming
emily to the house, | saw nv wretched wife
rough the window, sitting over n handful of
ioers, with her babe and her Bible i'm her lap.
d the big tears gushing from her eyes. In at
nptInS to enter the house, with n fresh resolu- (
IN on nv tODpue / faiute1 and Call c, .6o l. \
I pom the return to consciousness. | found nv
lie had drawn me to the fire, and was preparing
4 bed, surprising my swoon to be the usual
OF ardent spirits. L sprang to her side, fell
my knees, and before her and Heaven vowed Il
to taste another drop of anything intoxica- q
Years have since passed over me, and nv III
vs. are still NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Messenger.