The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1882-1884, 1883-03-08

rible secret. He had daily the most
undoubted evidence that his beautiful
wife was q slave to the terrible opium
habit. 1t seemed that short time
before her marriage she was afflicted
with a very painful illness. To quiet
her and soothe her sufferings her
physician, one Of the leading medical
lights of Maryland. had given her
morphine. When she recovered her
usual health, which she did in the
course of q few weeks, the cravings
for the drug still continued, as is
often the case, and she became in the
habit Of buying 1t at various drug
stores. The fatal appetite rapidly
grew and the happy husband had not
had what he supposed to be price
less treasure year before he dis
covered the awful truth. Then CON-
menced on his part a long series OF
fruitless efforts to conceal the terrible
fact from the argus eyes of the
world and to wean her from her
powerful and perverted appetite.
Earnest reason, logical expOstulation
and loving entreaty were first tried.
All, all in vain. She would promise
reformation, but would soon again
take the temporarily enhancing drug.
Then the husband sent her to a prom
inent institution in Northern city
where they profess to cure this awful
disease. He kept her there nearly a
year and spent money in his efforts
in this direction with lavish hand.
She returned home at the expiration
of that time apparently cured. For
few months happiness once more
reigned supreme in that household,
when suddenly one day the husband
was Mortified at finding bottle OF
morphine in one of the private draw
ers of the bureau in his wife's room.
For several days prior to this time
he thought she acted strangely, but
attributed it to temporary nervous
ness. When charged with again
using the drug she weepingly con.
fessed that it was SO, and with loving
arms entwined around his neck, aud
her still beautiful face pressed close
to his, begged his forgiveness, prom
ising him that it would never occur
again, and he did as she wished.
But, as may be imagined, she did not
keep her earnest promises. She still
continued taking the drug. Matters
went from bad to worse. 1t began
to be noised about among their
numerous mutual friends that she
did as she did. One night, when
she was out ON the street. she be.
came SO much affected by the now
larger doses Of morphine which she
had taken that day, that she was
actually arrested by an officer under
the mistaken supposition that she
was intoxicated. She spent that
night within the dirty and gloomy
confines of the station. house cell.
Her behavior and appearance next
morning before the police magistr ate
was such that she attracted the atten-
ton Of the city reporters. and the de-
tails Of the whole sad case were sped
in glowing English rhetoric and chaste
significant adjectives in the local
papers. T.
This sad blow almost broke the
loving husbands heart. A year
after this sad event, and five years
after their marriage, more terrible
calamity occurred, which was the
final drop that filed the poor fellow 8
cup Of woe to overfowing. Their
only child, bright little girl aged
two years. was scalded 50 badly that
she died in a few hours. After this
sad event. and finding that it was ut.
terly impossible to free his wife from
the terrible malady which was the
bane of her life, the husband lost all
hope, and to quench his domestic
anguish sought the aid of King AL
cohol. The usual results followed
with speedy and destructive steps.
He soon lost his wealth, and his
business became so involved thst he
made heavy mercantile failure.
This once blessed and happy couple
sank lower and lower IN the scale of
degradation. In September 1881,
the poor fellow one day blew his
brains out, leaving the following pa.
thetic note:
''Opium has directly ruined my
wife. l have done everything that
mortal man could do to save her, but
all in vain. Opium has Indirectly
ruined me. Had it not been for the
fatal appetite, l could have saved
her. l would never have tasted
.whiskey and had 1 never drank !
would not be where am, nor fill a
nameless suicides grave. love her
yet. devotedly. and passionately.
May God in His infinite love bless
her. and may we meet where there
are no tears, where there is no sor
row. For without her there would
be no Heaven for me in whatever will
come to me in that life into which in
a few minutes shall usher my soul"
The young widow made another at
tempt to slay the terrible appetite
after the tragic death Of her husband.
Kind trends rallied around her and
assisted her, and for time it really
seemed as if she had actually con-
quered the fiend. However, six months
after his funeral she was discovered
one day in her poorly furnished rooms
QImnot nnonnooinno from fbo offnofo