The daily gazette., 1881-08-05
THE DEAD WIFE.
BY T. W. II.

The sun bad long gone down, and the
stars were sh ming pleasantly in the sky
when woman sat In mean apartment
awaiting the coming of her husband
She was about thirty years OF age, and
must have been once very beautiful, fol
even in her poverty aud "unwomanly
rags" the lingering traces of a beauty
which had bern rudely treated could
plainly be discerned. Her deep brown
hazel eyes and dark auburn hair were
all that retained their original bright
ness. Her other features were pInched
and lined, and her whole appearance de-
noted wasting care, hunger and sad
thoughts. She was sewing by the light
of o wretched candle for bread but
where was her husband? he who before
God and man had sworn to love and
cherish her, Not athomel He disdain-
ed the dwelling In which his depraviJy
had placed his wife, and left her TO pine
in a solitude relieved only by her terri
BILE exertions to procure food for herself
and HIM. Yes, for him, tor she loved
him with all the fondness OF early love
strengthened by the tenacity Of welded
affection, and the young wife heavily
sighed as she felt that nature would hold
out no longer. The needle was piled
less and less swiftly, until at length it
fell from her hand the halfmade-Up
garment fell from her lap to the floor,
her head fell back, and she slept and
dreamed. Pleasant dreams are the poe
try of misery, and right pleasant one
bad this poor young wife. She thought
that she was once more child, and that
her fond parents were smiling at her
little gambols and sportiye innocence.
Then she gathered sweet wild flowers In
the bright green fields, while the birds
ny merr ly and sweetly around her,
The sheep spotted the distant hillside.
and the happy rustic sang to tighten his
labor.
Dream on, thou poor abused and de.
serted one for il thou awakest, 1t will
be to the bitter mockery of being SO
wretched aud alive. Dream on, and
think of the old places, old familiar faces
and old times, when in thy meIriment
of heart thou smiled and vert happy in
the long Summer days, and the cold
gloomy ones in Winter. Dream on, for
thou will never waken again: Death,
like venomous serpent, lies coiled at
thy feet, and In few moments thy soul
will be borne away on the mists of eter-
nifty.
What reverie is this that comes
staggering along with rimless hat and
tattered coat, shouting in maniac
tonesP
The disturber of the mornings si-
lence was one of the good fellows of
the world, one of the "bricks' of So
ciety. He loved all places better than
home, and took good care, when he
had the means of staying out, never
Lo approach it until the gray of morn
ing. He belonged to the community
of "Sots," and in tbe cloudy hall of
their revels shone forth star of mag
nitude. This society INDUCED largely
in gross potations and tobacco, and,
when heated, settled the affairs of the
nation to their own unqualified salts
faction. To vary their proceedings,
they frequently indulged in the pas.
time of damaging each others faces,
and having general scrimmage. At
other times two sots would differ on a
point of honor, and the rest of the
community, animated by the purest
chivalry, would stand on the tables and
benches to allow the disputants room
to enable them to arrive at a proper
understanding.
Onward rolled our sot In the direc-
tion of his dwelling, feasting on the
deeds he had done. He had spent
glorious night. All the boys were in
feather and high spirits, and the song
and the glass went round swiftly and
merrily. He had fought for his honor
and conquered. What though he had
torn his clothes in the contest-his
wife would mend them, and be glad
of the job. On he went, .reeling and
staggering, catching at lamp posts and
plunging to area rails, to assist his
progress. Sometimes he tumbled,
and made wide circuits in the middle
OF the street but by dint of crawling,
creeping and passing himself with
marvellous sweeps from lamp-post to
lamp-post, he managed, with the true
instinct of drunkard, to reach the
door of the house in which he snored
away third part of his existence.
There the most serious difficulty he
had met with occurred. He could not
find the keyhole the key must have
certainly got fuddled, for it obstinate
ly refused to enter any of the numerous
holes with which the door was pierced.
A passing policeman cane to his re-
lief, and, after opening the door, push
ed himinside, threw the key after
him, and closed the door with bang
which ELECTED many deep curse from
the disturbed inmates. Our sot crept
up stairs as quietly as he could, and
burst into his room with the air of a
man who had performed wonderful
feat. All was dark and silent as the
grave.
"Jane," said, he imperiously, as soon
as he had found seat "Jane, say
have you any supper for me p"-no
answer-''Sulking, l suppose now !
will just show her who's MASTER"
After long search he found some
matches, and speedily obtained light,
which lie placed upon the table. A
dense smoke pervaded the apartment,
but the sot was too drunk to perceive
it. He staggered to the bedside, with
the cruel intention of compelling his
wife to rise and provide him with
something to eat. But the bed wai
empty.
"Bolted ~ exclaimed he, pulling of
the clothes, to be doubly convinied.
He returned to his seat, half sobered
for in his confirmed selfishness he fell