Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-07-06
SUFFERING HUSBANDS.
ty for Protectio. Against
Dr..ken Wives.

A peculiarly pathetic bond of union
existed between small company Of
men gathered In one of the rooms of
st. Georges hall, Westminster Bridge
road. They were husbands with
drunken wives, aud they had met for
the purpose of forming a society for
themselves and others in like case.
Intellectual Petruchios with a differ
encel All, no; that would be cheap
gIbe IN face of the pitiful statements
made to ears which could detect no
degree of difference in their dreadful
import. 1t was not a woman with a
froward temper each had to master.
but woman with a passion for
strong drink.
They were mostly superior work
ingmen-one might have been Ste
Phen Blackpool, stepped straight out
of the pages of "Hard Times"-but
others were evidently in a better po-
sitioD. They all had the same tale
to tell.
1T was to be May day all our
lives" said the chairman, "when we
took our girl wives to church, but
this curse of drink has broken our
hearts and ruined our homes" AL.
though the company was small, the
organizer of the meeting, cabman
with rs years experience of drunk
en- wife to look back upon, gave the
assurance that he might have got
many thousands to attend. But some
would not come because their wives
had pawned their only decent suit OF
clothes for drink. Others did not care
to make their Affections known in
any gathering of their fellow men;
number could not afford to take a
long journey to Westminster.
For grim tragedy there was u h
ing to choose between a1y of the
tales unfolded. Some had left theil
wives in bed recovering from the Sat.
urday's bout; all dreaded the effect
of the mothers example on the chill.
dren, especially the girls. One work
ingman had bought back his house
hold effects six times in 20 years, his
wife having sold them article by arti,
Gle for drink.
Here" exclaimed another, with
dramatic effect, as what I found be.
fore / left home this morning." and
he produced bundle of IS pawn tick
ets-mute witnesses of wrecked
home.
Floating all over the place, / sup.
pose, said a deep voice from the
back Of the room, and an asserting
murmur ran through the audience.
I've got hundreds of EN-" said q
weather-beaten cabman; II sell 'em
every six months
And so the terrible indictment ran
its course, but with a strong chival.
rous sentiment in it, in spite of it's
fierceness.
81 love my wife" said one; INV
wife is perfect angel when she is
sober!' exclaimed another, with the
emphasis of strong conviction.
I'VE married these women, and we
cannot utterly cast them on" said a
gentlemanly young fellow, "but we
must have more protection than the
law at present gives u.s. II there
was any dissent TO this casting off,
sentiment ii came from man of 30
years experience, who admitted he
was weary of IL. His wife YVES O
drunkard, and he said, with some
n ny like a wall in his voice: MY
daughter. young thing OF IS, only
lately married, has been led away by
her mothers example, and is now
lost-lost"
One speaker suggested the forma-
ton of sort of isolated community
of men with drunken wives, and, in
the ultimate resort, emigration with
the children, leaving the women as a
burden upon country which would
give no remedy to the men. 1t was
agreed to form an association to be
called THE Husbands Protection So
ciety Against Drunken Wives" and to
agitate for an amendment to the
bishop of Winchester's habitualI
drunksrds' bill which would put the
husbands on an equality with the
wives with regard to facilities foi
procuring separation order.-Lon-
don Chronicle.