Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1892-10-06
HER HUSBAND WAS DRUNK.

HER HUSBAND WAS DRUNK.
81 would not submit to suchdisgrace, ~
saidMrs. Stone setting DOWN hercup with
such force as to shake the pretty enam-
eled spoon off its Dresden resting place;
IF my husband were weak enough to
ignore his duty to himself, his family
society to such a degree as to become
intoxicated, l would take no RESPONSE
bility whatever"
"But, my dear Mrs. Stone, said Miss
Foss, would it not be your duty? You
know you promised"
II made no promise to a drunkard.
Mrs. Van Voorhees, has never recov-
cred from the shock of seeing her hus-
band return from the S. P. G. club din
ner intoxicated; her maid told Eugene
that her mistress tainted; now if Frank
should come home affected by liquor in
any way, well, l would turn the hose
on him and leave him to dry as best he
could outside"
This vehement remark was accom-
panied with most expressive g%lances to-
ward Mr.. Stone, who stopped his dis
cussion of high license laws to smile
affectionately upon his beautiful wife,
quite unaffected by such terrible threats.
Driving home that night Mr.. Stone
seemed more %preoccupied than usual;
in fact, about his only remark was,
"Didn t you think you were rather hard
on yourself and me this evening while
speaking of Mr.. Van Voorheese's con-
duct?"
Just a fortnight has passed since Mrs.
Foss' reception, and seated costly by
an open fire Mrs. Stone is reading. Her
little book has proved SO exciting that
10, II. IL have struck, and Mrs. Stone is
surprised to hear the carriage driving
in. What can be the matter with the
door? Could James have bolted it? I'll
run down and open it for Frank; he
must be wornout having to talk to a
dozen men all this time, thought Mrs.
Stone. But what is the matter? Why
don't you come in, Frank" said she,
seeing that the bolt was back and moth
ing to prevent her husband from in
stantly turning the key, as he had done
SO many times.
"Mish Stone, whash the matter with
thish door? You ought know better
than shtuff keyhole."
One look at her husband was enough.
He was drunk.
Frank, my dear Frank, what is the
matter? Where have you been?"
Matter? Should shay was matter
'nough! Friend, sh, all drunk; driver,
sh, drunk; horches drunk; kish me love;
you are only person shober."
BY this time Mrs. Stone had tenderly
e%xtricated her husband from his coat,
and half carrying him up stairs was
endeavoring to quiet him, as he con
tinued talking in painfully loud voice.
With loving patience she undressed
him, but everything seemed glued on.
When she tried to take off his coat and
vest they seemed too small, and she
dared not ask him to change his atti-
tude for fear he would speak with that
awful thick voice or look at her with
that vacant, tipsy expression. All this
had taken time, and such exertion had
quite exhausted Mrs. Stone. Now as
she sat on the floor before him with a
frightened yet loving expression on her
face it seem a pity that her husband
could not realize how deep her love
must be. He must be terribly stupefied
to permit his beautiful young wife to
work over him SO hard and long. And
Mrs. Stone has stopped exhausted.
Looking up at him she said in a low.
sad voice:
"Oh, Frank, how could you be so
cruel to me? Have you so far forgotten
me, your wife, who loves you SO, and
little jock My husband, who was SO
handsome, SO loving, so good a few
hours agol"
His answer was a sleepy, tipsy grunt,
and striving in vain to keep back tears
Mrs. Stone began to struggle with his
boots. How had he aver walked in
them, they were so tight Again and
again she tried topull them off, but her
strength seemed gone, and she was
about to raise and ring for the maid
when she heard her husband s voice:
where's you cold water hose, Beth?n
Looking up she saw a twinkle in his
eyes that none but a sober man could
have, and the voice she heard was as
clear, as true as she had ever heard it
She saw it all.
What a cruel joke! But she was too
happy in the truth to reproach him.
l do not think Mr.. Stone ever regretted
his cruel test, as it show him how deep