The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1878-11-26
Selfft Shry.
Death by Deliriun, Tremens.
TRANSLATED BY PROF. s M. HOPKINS.

TRANSLATED BY PROF. s NJ. HOPKINS.
From "L'Assommoir" of Emile Zola)
NOTE By TIE TRANSLATOR LAS
soimmoir," one of series by Emile To-
la, has made great sensation in Paris,
as appears by the extraordinary number
of editions it has passed through. 1t is
not with any moral purpose, temper.
ance story, though it really is one of the
most impressive character. Its object
Is merely to illustrate certain phase of
low Partisan life Itis written in coarse
and brutal style, though with a vast pow
er Of graphic detail, and in the slang of
the gamias and 5louses, most t.of which
Is untranslatable. "L'Assommoir" is
the name of one of the brandy-shops at
which the deadly alcohol is dealt out, the
effects of which on the French working
class are depicted with so much power
in this novel IS. NJ. H
AS Gervaise came up the stairs she
heard a, bowling which chilled the very
marrow in her bones.
"Oh, yes" said the keeper who had
admitted her, she's making music, be
is." @aas -el s.-, - 8
"Who9 who p said Gervaise.
"Why, your man; he's been going it
like that ever sirce day before yesterday ];
but you ought just to see him dance r.
1 "Gracious heavens what sight! she
stopped horror-struck. The, cell was
padded with mattresses on the four sides
to keep the man from dashing himself to
pieces. On the floor, were two straw
mats one over the other. Upon these
mats, Coupeau was jumping and bowling
like a mad dog; his blouse torn to
shreds; his hands paving the air; yell
to make your hair stand on end. At in
tervals he flung himself against the bar.
red door then backed of to the rear end
of the cell, shaking his hands and arms
furionsly as if he meant to tear them
from his body. Clowns in circus some
times 60 through such performances in
q tipsy dance, but the imitation is poor.
You should see the style of drunkard's s
break down when it's done in deadly
earnest. The song, too, has it's own in
imitable cadence; one steady howl for
bours, with the mouth stretched it's wild
est, like the hoarse roar Of a trombone
Coupeau sometimes yelled like dog
With his paw crushed. .geas'v ~
80, Lord! what is 1t, what is n" said
Gervaise, trembling. s1,hfA
E. ~ ~ d. . -.
A hospital servant in white apron
was seated before the door taking notes
The case was curious, and the interests
of medical science required careful re-
port Of the symptoms.
"You may stop awhile if you want"
he said, shut keep quiet; no use speak
ing to him be won't know you"
In fact Coupeau took no notice Of his
wife. Those eyes, filled with blood, saw
nothing. He kept twisting his face
about; the mouth suddenly snatched un.
der, the nose sniveled up, the cheeks
drawn, making muzzle like an animals.
His flesh was SO hot that the air smoked
about him, his skin at the same time
locking vanished, and dripping with q
neaVy sweat. q. ssiiaa tzG 20 eA5 II gaa e 81
Gervaise approached the assistant, who
sat indiferently beating tattoo with his
nails ON the back of the chair, III, ,.sy.
."What makes him 60 on 2" she
said,l white with fear. i systss es5 sss.
"Things he sees, said the young man !;
"keep still, and let me listen to him."
Coupeau continued his pas seul from
the door to the mattress, and from the
mattress to the door; tearing himself TO
pieces, dripping with sweat, yelling and
beating at, the same time. .Gervaise
could stand it no longer she,fed from
the corridor and down the stairs; but all
the way to the cutter door she heard the
same Internal chorus. sac + ri&svae d
She came again next day. There was
no need to ask news Of Coupeau, AS
soon as she came to the stair she heard
the bowling and the trampling dance -
She might have supposed she had only
been gone for moment. The guard
who had admitted her the day before
was carrying some hospital mess along
the corridor, and recognized her with an
amiable wink SIS he just the same ?"
she said. 30 yes," he replied without
stopping he keeps it up jolly"
She went in, but waited by the door,
because she saw there were VISITORS
The hospital assistant was standing, hav-
ing surrendered his chair to bald-head
ed old gentleman with Keen face, wear
ing decoration in his button-hole -.
This was the surgeun-in-chie All those
dealers in sudden death have that sharp
look out of their eyes like gimlet. H
Gervaise crept up behind the doctor,
looking with horriied eyes at Coupeau!
He was dancing and bowling worse than
the night before. His mouth seemed to
have stretched wider. The sweat drip!
ped from him, and he smoked more than
ever.
The doctor and his assistant consulted
| together. The latter was giving the de.
tails of the night in terms which Ger.
vaise did not comprehend only she
gathered that her husband had kept ur
the yelling and pirouetting all night
The bald old gentleman seemed after 8
while to become conscious Of her pres
ence, The assistant explained who she
was. He turned abruptly to her with The
tone of Commissary Of Police:
"Was the father of this man drunk
ard 2' aa.kI 5GmedE
80, sir, please !'.vsaid Gervaise, "hs
drank a little like every body else; ht
was killed by falling from roof ont
day when he was tipsy."-' ta.eaif,v -
"Did his mother drink 2" saa
ssPlease, sir, not very much; just a.
other people do; drop now and then
be had brother who died OF fts."' 49,
| The doctere looked at her sharply
"You're drinking woman yourself
Gervaise stammered, laid her hand
upon her heart, and would have excused
herself. set,,.,s
| 81 say you drink" said the doctor
"Look out for yourself; you see wha
drinking leads tot You'll die like thai
some day. daado e.lsiaa5 hi sf5t-tts,s
He turned his back on her and leaned
forward, looking into Coupeau's cell and
studying the phenomena. The convul
siye jerking which before had been con.
fined to the arms had now seized the
legs He looked like jumping jack
pulled with string; the trunk rigid, thf