Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-10-22
DRAWING-ROOM DRINKING.
The Love Of strong Drinking In
creasing Among Englishwomen.
london Truth.

Not long ago y strange scene took
place in pretty garden not hundred
miles from London. The tree-shaded
lawn was scattered over with seats,
with here and there II bright-colored
rug for the special behoil' of amy guests
who object to Open-air amusementS on
account Of the damp grass" 're some
minds grass is always damp. 1t was
early III the afternoon, and the only
tenehts of the garden were the servants,
who were arranging refreshments up-
on some tables under the trees. They
seemed full Of mods and becks, and
whispers, Of apparently mysterious i'm
port passed among them. 4 carriage
drives up to the gate, and two ladies,
entering, look around for their hostess,
The servant who has admitted them
goes in search of his mistress, and
few moments afterward II young and
beautifully dressed woman issues from
the house. her face deeply flushed, her
eyes half closed, and her gait uncertain.
Just ut this moment another carriage
drives up, II gentleman and lady being
the occupants. They, too, enter the
house across the lawn. As they APP
proach the uncertain, Swaying figure
of their hostess they look at each
other significantly, and the lady says, in
II low voice: IL was afraid of this.
Where can Mr. y. he to allow her TO
be seen in this statc?' The interpre-
tation Of those wild looks, that dis
ordered hair, and these meaningless
words is that Mrs. X is intoxicated,
though not sufficiently SO to be quite
helpless. she wanders about among
her guests, her condition, how
ever, being SO palpabc, 50
unmistakable, that the majority
laugh and litter, while the friendly few
pity, though they condemn her. The
painful scene was ended by the arrival
of her husband, whose look of misery,
as he led his wife on his arm through
the groups Of gaily dressed people into
the house, touched even the aughers
with pity.
This is no eXaggcration of facts. 1t
is, unfortunately, Il scene from real
life, and, fear, not an uncommon one.
The love of strong drinks appears to
be increasing among the educated wo-
men of our day. During the season
Just past, instances of this were SO fire.
quent rs to lead to the conjecture that
a kind of epidemic of drink was per
vading those classes of society in which
culture, position, and possession of ev-
cry comfort IN life would appear to be
Il sufficient guarantee against So degrad
ing vice. society ladies, i'll fact,
live too much upon excitement not to
suffer from the inevitable reaction. For
il few months in the year they endure
continued fatigue i'll treading the social
mill, and for the remainder they are Il
prey to eum. They try the first dose
Of choral As M experiment. My
eyes look SO dull and heavy this morn
ing. So-and-so says ehloral is such il
capital thing; | think III try it." In
this case, rs in that Of rogue, it is not
the first step that costs. 1t is easy
enough But, from an experiment it
becomes practice, and from prac-
tice il develops into necessity 1t is
no longer servant, but master. Ny
lady has her half pint If champagne
about IN hour after breakfast, another
1T luncheon, 4 glass Of liquor instead
Of afternoon tea, a regular sequence Of
wines IT dinner, and brandy III her
post prandial coffee Her choral III
her drcssing-room is Is permanent and
indispensable III arrangement ~ her
bath, and much sooner missed fronl its
usual position than her bible.