Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-01-26

machlaery OF MS physlcai lfaWc moNcu vi
with something approaching to healthy tone
His hand grew steadier though it still trem
bled.
Two hours brought his regular dinner
time, when Jarvis, who began TO feel th'
want Of food, returned home with new auo
strange feelings about his heart. One i'm.
pulse was TO tell his wife what he had done
aud what he was doing. But then he re.
membered how often he had mocked her new
springing hopes how often he had promised
amendment, and once even joined a temper
inco society, only to relapse into lower and
degraded condition. No, no." he said tt
himself after debating the question in hi,
mind as he walked towards home, 4" will not
tell her now | will FIRST present some fruits
Of my repentance; ] will give such an as
surance as will create confidence and hope"
Mrs. Jarvis did not raise her eyes to the
face OF her husband as he entered The sight
of that once loved countenance, distorted and
disfgured, oven made her heart-sck when she
looked upon it.
The frugal meal passed IN silence and re-
straint Mrs. Jarvis felt troubled aud op-
pressed, for the prospect before her seemed to
grow more aud more gloomy. All the morn
lng she had suffered from a steady pain in her
breast aud from lassitude that she could not
overcome. Her pale, thin. careworn face told
a sad tale Of suffering, priyation confinement,
and want Of exercise. What was to become
of her children she knew not Under such
feelings Of hopelsssuess, to have one sitting
beside her who could take much Of her bur.
den from her were he TO will it--who could
call back the light to her heart If only true to
his promise made in earlier and happier years
-soured in some degree her feelings and OBJ
scurcd ber perceptions. She did not note
that some change had passed upon him
change that, if marked, would have caused
her heart to leap in her bosom.
As soon as Jarvis had arisen from the ta-
bic he took his hat, and kissing the youngest
child, the only one there who seemed to re-
gard him, passed quickly from the house. As
the door closed after him his wife heaycd q
long sigh, and then rising, mechanically, pro-
cced1d TO clear up the table Ofhow .Aany
crushed affections and disappointed hopes dd
that one deep, tromulous sigh speak
Jarvis returned to the work and applied
himself steadily during the whole afternoon.
Whenever O desire for liquor returned upon
him, he quenched it in copious draught Of
water, and thus kept himself as free from
temptation as possible. At night he returned,
when the same troubled and uneasy silence
peryaded the little family at the supper table.
The meal was scanty for Mrs Jarvis's inccs-
SAINT labor could procure but poor supply Of
food. After the children had been put to bed
Mrs. Jarvis sat down, as usual, to spend the
evening in sewing. 4 deep sigh heaved in.
voluntarily her bosom as she did so. II
caught the ear Of her husband. and smote
upon his heart. lie knew that her health
was feeble, and that constant labor fatigued
her excessively.
" | wouldn't sew tonight jane he said
" You look tired rest for one evening"
Mrs Jarvis neither looked up nor replied
There was something in the tone OF her hus-
hands voice that stirred her feelings some
thing that soltened her heart towards him
But she dared not trust herself to speak, nol
let her eye meet his she did not wish to ut
ter harsh or repulsive word, nor was sh,
willing to speak kindly to him, for she did moi
feel kindly, aud kind words aud affected
cheerfulness she had already found but en-
, couraged him in his evil ways and so sh,
continued to ply her needle without appear
ing to regard his presence Her husband die
f not make another effort to induce her to sus
, pend her labors; for, under existing eircum
! stances he was peculiarly desrous of not pro
voking her TO use towards him the language o.
I rebuke and censure. After sitting silent fol
about half an hour, he rose from his chaii
and walked three OF four times backward,
+ and forwards across the room, preparatory t,
going out TO seek public house and ther,
, spend the eycning-as his wife supposed
r But much to her surprise, he retired to thei
chamber in the adjoining room. While still
8 under the expectation Of seeing him return
/ his loud breathing caught her quick ear. II,
. was asleep.
| Catching up the light, as shea sudden
y to her feet, she passed with 4 hasiy stel
into the chamber. He had undres.ed him
self, was in bed aud sound asleep. She hol,
the candle close TO his face il was calme
p than usual and somewhatpaler As she ben
over him, his breath came foil in her face
n 1t was not loaded with the disgusting iume
/ that had so often sckened her Her hear
beat quicker-moisture dimmed her eye-he
i whole frame tremhled--theu looking upwards
# she uttered a single prayer tor her husband
n and gliding quietly FROM the room, sat dow
. by her little table, and again bent over he
work Now, she remembered that he ha
said, with something unusual ia his tone
q would not sew tonight, Jane YOU loo
.e tired rest for Que evening land her hea
i was agitatcd with neS hope but that hopl
If ike the dove from the ark, found uothin
N upon which 10 rest aud trembled back agai
into teeliugof despondlucy What had sh
a TO nope for Surely pot that her husban
would reform She had seou too many C
# forts at reformation, commenced under bette
auspices than could possibly now surroun
II him and all had failed. At each successiy
failure, hrs state became worse than befor
ne 1t was past twelve O'Clock When she laid he
work by, from exhaustion aud pain, and sougl
n. a few hours Of troubled repose.
is On the next morning, the trembling han
Il Of Jarvis, as he lifted his snucer to his lips o
% the breakfast table, made his wife's hear, sin
a again in her bosom. She had felt u hope, u
,e most unconseiously, She remembered that
ne suppcr-tiue his hand was steady--now it va
4 unneryed This was conclusive TO her min
M that, notwithstanding his appearance. he ha
e been drinking. But few words passed durir
5. this meal, for neither felt much inclined
~. converse.
After breakfast, Jarvis returned to II
IN shop, and worked steadily until dnper-tim
ID and then again until evening. AS on Il
4. night before, he did not 20 out, but retr,
ID early to bed. And this was continued a
/. the week, But the whole was mystery
bis poor wife, who dared not even to hope Il
!" any real change for the better On Satu
,e day, towards night he had laid by his wor
put on his coat and hat, and went into Il
front store
so you have really worked week sob
q man, John said Mr.. Lankford
" Indeed have. Since last Sunday NOR
III ing, no kind Of intoxicating liquor has pass'
my lips"