Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1879-06-10
TON SPECTATOR AND GENERAL ADVERTISER.-

sober man, too, of strong good sense and
firm prinei pie, the thought Of his ever
partaklng too freely never crossed the
mind of his wife.
Regular in his habits, he was rarely
out after ten o'clock on any OCCASION
But this time ten came, and eleven, but
he was still away. This was circum-
stance so unusual, that his wife could
not help feeling a degree of uneasiness.
| She went to the door and listened for
him, after the clock struck eleven and
stood there for some time, expecting ey-
cry moment to hear the sound OF his
footsteps in the distance. But she wait
ed in vain, and at last re-entered the
house with troubled feeling.
At last the clock struck twelve, and
almost at the same time she heard her
husband at the door, endeavoring to
open it with latch key. In this he was
not successful, from some cause; and
thinking she might have turned the
key, Mrs. Peters went quietly and open
ed the door for him. She found that she
had not locked it.
AS she lifted the latch, the door was
thrown suddenly against her, and her
husband came staggering in. AS be
passed her he struck against the wall OF
the passage struck the 9TH
er side, and then fell heavily upon the
floor.
The dreadful truth instantly flashed
upon her. He was drunk. For a mo-
ment her heart ceased to beat, ner head
reeled, and she had then to lean against
the wall to keep from falling. Then all
the tender emotions of her heart rushed
freely into activity. 1t was her OWL
husband who lay before her overcome
by the master spirit of strong drink.
With almost superhuman strength shs
raised him up, although q large man,
and supported him with her arm unit
she got him up stairs and laid him on the
bed. BY this time he seemed perfectly
stupid, and only mumbled incoherent
replies to the frequent and tender i'm
. portunities of his wife.
After some time she got him undress
ed and in bed. But he grew more anG
more stupid every moment.
ooh what if he should die ~ the poo
wife moaned anxiously, while the tear:
that had at first gushed out still continu
: ed to flow freely. She also washed his
face with cold water, and tried various
means to arouse him from the letha4sy
of drunkenness. But all to no purpose
: At last, despairing of success, she lay
down beside him, in tears, threw he
e arms around his neck, and laid her face
/ against his. She had lain thus for abou
five minutes, when her husband callet
her name in whisper.
e Oh, how eagerly did she listen, afte
t her response to his call
'If my husband were to do So"
AS he said this, still in whisper, bu
t a very expressive one, he looked he
! steadily in the face, with roguisi
twinkle Of the eyes, and quivering O
the lips, the muscles of which could will
e difficulty restrain from wreathing thos
y expressive organs into a merry smile.
Mrs. Peters understood the Who'll
scene in moment, and boxed her hus
e bands ears soundly on the spot for yer,
s joy, while he laughed until his side
ached as bad as his ears.
y In all after discussions upon the vari
Gus unfortunate relations Of man ant
4 wife, Mrs. Peters was very careful how
> she declared her course of action. wer
d she placed under similar circumstances
It If in any case she was led unthinkingl,
q to do SO, the remark of her husband
e made with peculiar infection OF th
voiee-"Oh, yes! If my husband wer
to do so'-had the happlest effect i'm
aginable, and instantly put an end t
the improbable discussion.