The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-12-19

of fear, some of compassion, some of
disgust, but too often a smile of amuse-
ment is seen. This last should not be.
There is certainly nothing to laugh at,
but there is much to sorrow over.
Think of a young man leaving his
home in the morning we'll and strong.
He gives his wife and child a tender
''good-by" kiss. He returns with stag
gering step, foolish laugh. His young
wife, never having seen him under the
influence of liquor, is startled beyond
expression. 1t has been warm sum
mer day, and she at once conceives the
idea that he has been sunstuck and rea-
son is dethroned, She places him on the
bed, bathes his head, calls her mother
to her assistance, begs her to send for
a physician, and weeps over him as she
never wept before. Is it any comfort to
her that the experienced eye of the
mother takes in the situation at once
and says: lie is drunk" No; she
would far rather believe that God had
laid His affective hand upon her, and
that reason had been dethroned by the
summer sun, than to feel that in the
future she was to be tied to one who
willingly, knowingly, daringly has made
himself temporary idiot, and will
daily grow downward, even to the gates
of hell. She takes this all in at once.
No more companionship; no more con-
fidence; no more happiness; no more
love. Gone, gone forever! In vain he
tells her it shall never happen again.
Every time he is delayed through bust
ness her heart beats frantically; every
time he enters the door she watches,
fearing the fumes of liquor. He grows
angry with her; tells her she is too sus-
picious. Who has made her so? Did
she dream of this when she stood up
with him before the altar and prom
Used to love and cherish him until death
should part them? He promised this,
too. Did he not? Why should he blame
her for being suspicious? He has brok-
en- his marriage VOW. What proof has
she that he will regard her in the future?
Only this time; it shall never happen
again." he pleads. But by and by n
genial companion tempts him. Wife
and child, God and vows are forgotten.
Again the staggering step, the drunken
hiccough. This time the wife does not
weep. She cannot. The fountain of her
tears has dried up. But there is ter
rible gnawing at heart; a desperate
look in the eye. Is her love waning?
Oh, / have seen such a one lying on her
bed, too proud to open her lips even to
her tender mother, whose heart is bleed
ing for her, her first-born. She knows
his love has gone, and she dare not ut
ter it. She loves him still, and longs
TO save him.
l remember one such case. Where
he was the wife did not know. He had
been gone for several nights. Her
heart was well-nigh broken. you
cannot live this life much longer" said
her friends. You ought to leave him."
She sprang from her bed. NO, l will
not, for then he will go to the devil"
she cried, wildly. And she did not!
She stayed with him until the Angel of
Death called for her. Then, as she was
about to die, she snatched the wedding
ring from her finger and placed it on
his. True to him she was until her last
breath. Afterward he wandered
around. Sometimes he would drop
into the McAuley mission. Once | saw
him in city church. Coming out
walked up to him and held ont my
hand. He took it shyly. 1t was evil
dent he was unhappy. tried to con-
verse with him, but could not draw him
out. He looked the picture of misery.
One day l read of his death in u morn
ing paper. We could only hope.
Who smiled over that man?
No doubt many a one. All, they did
not look beyond the surface, much less
did they fathom eternity.
Young man, young woman, don't
laugh at the silly drunkard! His
mother doesn't laugh; his wife doesn't
laugh; his children-eh! they surely
will not laugh when they ea.izo that