The Washington times., 1920-01-12

A 7 times 1 am almost con-
"A yinced that there is some
truth In the old adsse about
the woman. the dog and the walnut
tree. as claimed by many authori-
ties the one sure passport to wifely
devotion.
A woman writes me who for
eleven year\ has been the victim
OF a drunkea husbands abuse. who
has left HIM on account OF IL three
separate times, and been per-
suaded TO return only TO md con-
ditions worse than before, and who
now having positive proof OF his
infdelity. as she alleges, IL on the
eve OF getting an absolute divorce;
and she actually asks me whether
| would advise her to yield TO his
entneaties and give him another
trial.
"He was a widower some eight
or ten years older than myself
when we married. she says 'and
a good-looktng, jolly sort OF a man,
but even then addicted TO drink.
was little more than spoiled child,
an only daughter. who was m
dulged In every way by my parents.
For a year or two my husband and
! got along comparatively well, In
spite OF his habits; then we moved
TO the city, where my parents re-
side6, and | was never happy after
ward except In their companion
ship. At times my husband would
be kind and normal, but mostly he
was irritable and sullen as a result
Of his excesses.
MY parents. residing in the
same neighborhood, naturally be-
came aware Of his conduct, and my
mother especially was very bitter
toward him. Finally he got so that
he was drinking a pint Of whiskey
"A day, seldom coming home before
5 or 4 o'clock in the morning, and
then staggering In dead drunk.
"On one such occasion, becom-
ing enraged at something ] said.
he held me in the bed with one
hand and beat me over the head
with the other. II was the first
time he had ever struck me, and
il seemed to break my heart.
begged the children lave two.
a boy of ten and a girl of seven
TO say nothing about ii to my
mother, and they didn't. But the
next night, coming home in the
same condition, he grabbed me
by the throat and would have
choked me to death had not the
children run for assistance.
After that 1t was idle to at
tempt TO conceal his abuse of me.
locked the door against him
and obtained legal separation,
allowing him. however, to see the
children whenever he desired.
Then one Sunday he came to
the house and demanded the chill
dren. / saw that he was awfully
drunk. and refused. Instead, !
locked UP my home, gathered the
children to me, after a scuffle on
the street in which he tried to
pull them away from me, and ran
to my mothers. 1 had not been
there more than half an hour
when word came that my house
was on fire. lost everything
piano, clothes, furniture. Practical.
ly nothing was saved.
my husband was arrested, very
drunk. and, after SOLDERING UP, ad-
mitted that he had been in the
house, but claimed he was only
there to get some OF his clothes,
and that If he had been responsi-
BILE for the fire it was an accident.
Two days later he attempted sui
eide and came very near dying as
a result Then, having obtained
evidence which would permit such
a step, applied for absolute di-
vorce.
However, since then my mother
has died, and, as my father had
passed on before, I am now abso-
lutely alone in the world. My
children are beautiful. wonderful
Il.
their sakes. But, oh, I am so sad
and lonely. and / often long for
my husband!
"When sober he was always kind
to me and provided for me. He is
anxious to come back, says he still
loves me and the children, and as
sures me he will be different
man. And l, remember, have moth
ing now in life except those two
graves In the cemetery. l crave