Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1870-10-08

e - ~ WV @MNNANN
away 10 be absent two hours, there
was nothing to compel her selE-cJH.
trol, aud her grief had full sway.
she agOnized herself recalling that
hrst daWning Of the tFuth-that IA.
tai first moment, when dimly she
began to see that she had "made
unto herself an idol and found it
clay"
Yet in all other things" she rel.
terated to herself, "he Is perfect -
only this but he has promised me
solemnly-UOtced tit shall neUer
be again!'
Aud so, poor, young thing, Just
stepping with shrinking feet into
the deep waters which oVerwhelm
SO many wretched hearts, she tried
to re-asure and comfort herself.
This had been the sorrow she
would not put in words, even to
herself.
Wishing his relatives, who met
her with kindness and election, she
was in the height Of enjoyment
when u certain letc occurred, which
her husband, with his male cousins
attended. She was reluctant to
spare him for even the necessary
few hours but, seeing now DESTROYS
he was Of going, she concealed her
own feelings, aud urged him of.
He dill not return until evening 4;
and when he entered the drawing.
room, preceding his cousins, she
did not at all comprehend his Sit
uation. She had never seen any
one, except coarse, vulgar men IN
the street (evcn a littlc), under the
Influence OF liquor and though she
saw his aunt and cousins exchange
glanccs, and even the lady. callers
look confused, she did not see the
truth until in Il FOSTERING manner,
; wholly unlike his usual conduct to-
wards her, he approached her, call
ing her some familiar, endearihg
name, and placed his arm roughly
and heavily upon her shoulder.
As he leaned over her, she caught
the odor of liquor she saw his dull
bewildered gaze, and in one flash
OWNED all.
How she ever controlled herself
sufficiently TO excuse herself to her
! guests, place her arm within his,
and assist him up stairs to their
r room she never knew. Enough,
she did so, and when she stood be-
, side him, as he lay half stupefied
across the bed, and bathed his face
and head, and tried to restore him,
who can blame her that she asked
: herself, with a feeling of strong
contempt, ais this-this the man |
so hOnOred, so respected, so loved p
Let me tell you, husbands, who
| think nothing of appearing in the
= presence of your wives in this con.
| dition, that when they look at you
4 under the influence of spirituous II.
quors, no matter how they have
I respected you before, they dispise
you! Mo matter how truly they
: have loved, and may, in a lesser de.
; gree, love you again, when you are
5 yOurself-Gt that time they loathe
, you utterly.
. Remember, a mother. a sister, q
D friend, can make her escape, and
] leave you to become restored Il
your senses buta wife, obliged by
the very c~lOseness of the relation.
to see your condition In all It's mosI
! disgusting details-must sicken un,
. der the sitting Odor of the mingled
I spirits and tobacco with which you
saturate your pillow, must realize
L how little Of a man, aud how much
OF a brute you are capable ofbecom.
g ing.
so Marian, the love other wifely
= heart fighting against the horror
e and disgust which would overpow.
4 or her, IS she waited on him and
tended him through all the differ.
c cnt phases of %drunkness, felt as any
other woman feels IN such a case.
b Once asleep, she left him-lefl
; him for the first time without a kiss
: on his brow as q seal OF her quick
returning, and c%rouchlng down on
1 the floor, in a dark corner of the
= veranda, upon which her room
: opened, she sobbed out the bitter,
ness of her heart, "Oh, God. | can,
: not bearit il! Iloved him so! Oh
can't help loving him yet! but
did respect him so | Caunot, can.
/ not bear it!'
s Alas how many young wives
Q have made this bitter moan, and vel
G had 10 bear IL?
While she was sobbing and weep.
ing thus. his aunt came to her
took her in her arms, and tried tC
comfort her.
marian, DEAR" she said, al know
all about it; and my heart aches
for you, poor child! But | do mol
c believe, truly, he will be guilty OIL
1t again. He loves you devutedly
e and | hope his love for you will
save him. ado not think in any
2 way it is your fault-one Is so apr
TO think so, for he had this falling
before he ever saw you, and we al
hoped his attachment to you, ant
your influence, would be the meanl
Of his entire reformation"
i Marian shuddered. She knew
Harry loved her, but at the SAINT
time she knew he was obstinat,
4 and self-willed in the extreme, anC
II she could never influence hin
against his own wilfulness.
Still, there was comfort in thu
A.; kind aunt's words ; and she gradu
ally grew calmer, and resolved a
II least not to let her parents, or thu
it world, imagine she had any caust
n for anxiety, TO put q cheerful fact
and be happy If she could.