She has been five years a
wife; her countenance is still youthful, and might be termed beautiful,
but for the look of care and anxiety so plainly depicted thereon. She
had once been happy, but with her now, happiness is but a memory of the
past. When quite young she had been united in marriage to Wm. Harland,
and with him removed to the City of R., where they have since resided.
He was employed as bookkeeper in a large mercantile house, and his
salary was sufficient to afford them a comfortable support,--whence then
the change that has thus blighted their bright prospects, and clouded
the brow of that fair young wife with care? It is an unpleasant truth,
but it must be told. Her husband has become addicted to the use of
strong drink, not an occasional tippler, but a confirmed and habitual
drunkard. His natural disposition was gay and social, and he began by
taking an occasional glass with his friends--more for sociability than
for any love of the beverage. His wife often admonished him of the
danger of tampering with the deadly vice of intemperance; but he only
laughed at what he termed her idle fears. Well had it been for them both
had the fears of his wife proved groundless! It is needless for me to
follow him in his downward path, till, we find him reduced to the level
of the common drunkard.
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