Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-02-15

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knew my husband would be in in less
| than half an hour, and nothing ready te
make him comfortable, though he had
had hard days work at the saw-pit, in
wet weather, could have cried with
shame and vex alton. My resolve hao
been SO strong-in what Pin my owr
poor, weak strength Well, 1 hurried
but it is hard racing after misspent
time. Ny husband came in, dripping
wet, about five minutes before his usual
hour. He looked at me, and at the
clothes line, that was stretched in front
of the fire, and, with small chopper
that he had in his hand, he cut the
line, and down went my half-dried
clothes on the not over-clean sanded
floor. A soft answer turneth away
wrath, saith the proverb but l die MOI
give the soft answer, and the wrath was
not turned away.
"' Very well, Katie he said there
is no place here for me to sit and rest
and no supper ready but l can get
sitting, resting, and supper at the Blue
Lobster, where many a fellow is driven
| by an ill-managing wife, And with
| that he turned out of the door, 1t was
| in my heart to follow him, to lock nv
arms round his neck, and, begging his
pardon, bring him back. But | was
vexed about the clothes, and forgot the
provocation. That was his first night
all out at the Blue Lobst ter, but it aoaS
not his last. l saw my error, and l
prayed then for strength to do nv
duty; but somehow my husband had
got taste for the popularity that grows
out OF good story and fine voice, and
he had felt that woful night whatit was
to be warmed, when he was cold, by the
fire of brandy, instead of sea-coal. DAVIS
passed; our little boy, our Willy, grew
worse and worse. Time had been when
Mr. Grey would walk the night with
him on his bosom, to soothe him to
sleep; but now, if the poor child walled
ever SO heavily, he could not hear it.
Another child had been given to us, but
she only added to our difficulties. Then,
indeed, | labored continuously to recall
what had lost, but drink had got the
mastery. We were backward with our
rent my poor husband lost his custom
ers, for he neglected his business and
both clothing and furniture went to
which cries for more the more it gets.
L could not bear the sympathy of my
nelghbors-for they would give me their
plty-held me up as suffering angel
while every hour of my life | recalled
the time when neglect of my wifely du-
ties first drove my husband to the pub
lic-house.
" When sober, my poor dear was full
OF sorrow, but he had not the strength
to avoid temptation. He never used
any violence toward me, though if | at
tempted to hold any thing he wished to
turn into drink, he would become fu-
rious, and tear and rend whatever he
could lay his hands on. One terrible
night he broke every remnant of
glass that remained of what once,
for bridesmaids wife, l had such
store. Every thing was shattered, every
thing trampled on and broken-every
thing but that one catp.n
And how did that escape 2" ques-
toned Lucy.
ut contained the infants supper"
replied Mrs. Grey. ~ saw his hand
hover over it, and the same moment his
poor blood-shot eyes rested on the baby,
whose little outstretched arms craved
Tor its food. Some silent message at
that moment must have entered his
heart; his arms fell down, and without
an effort to support himself, he sank
into heap upon the floor in the midst
of the destruction he had caused.
tried to get him on to where once bed
had been we had still mattress and
a couple Of blankets"
Lucy did not speak, but her eyes were
overlooking, and she stole her hand into
that Mrs. Grey. The good woman soon
resumed her story:
!" saw that even there sleep came to
subdue and calm him. NY poor child
ate her supper and fell asleep, and my
sick boy was certainly better, and also
slept. | crept about, gathering up the
broken pieces, and endeavoring to light
the fire. A kind lady to whom l had
taken home some needle-work that
morning-for several weeks | had been
the only bread winner-in addition to
the eighteenpence 1 had earned, gave
me small quantity Of tea and sugar
and an old pewter teapot that, however
battered, would not break, seemed to
me comforter. He would awake, l
knew, cold and shivering, but l hoped
not until the Blue Lobster and every
house of the same description were
closed, and then his thirst would com
pei him to take some tea. | heard the
church-clock strike one, and it was a
joyful sound no open doors, even to
old customers, then. | knelt down be-
tween the children's blankets and nv
poor shattered husband, and prayed as
| never prayed before.
Z" / had managed sufficient fuel to boil
the kettle and create some degree of
warmth, and l waited patiently and
prayerfully for the waking 1t came at
last. The anger and the violence that
had been almost insanity were all gone
only the poor broken-down man was
there. He asked what o'clock it was.
| told him the church-clock had gone
halfpast one. He then asked for water.
l brought him cupful, another, and
another. and then cup of tea. After
he had taken it, he gathered himself
up and took the stool moved toward
him. | poured him out fresh cup of
tea. He looked for some little time
vacantly at the table, and not seeing
another cup, he pushed that one toward
me. | drank, half filed it again, and
,,0ro6 II t< h,c borl