Through the influence of friends, his former employers were induced to
give him another trial. He had many severe struggles with himself ere he
could refrain from again joining his dissipated companions; but his
watchful wife would almost every evening form some little plan of her
own for his amusement, that he might learn to love his home. In a short
time their prospects for the future grew brighter, his wife began to
smile again; and his children, instead of fleeing from his approach as
they had formerly done, now met him upon his return with loving caresses
and lively prattle. Some six months after this happy change, Mrs.
Harland one evening noticed that her husband seemed very much downcast
and dejected. After tea, she tried vainly to interest him in
conversation.
He had a certain nervous restlessness in his manner, which always
troubled her, knowing, as she did, that it was caused by the cravings of
that appetite for strong drink, which at times still returned with
almost overwhelming force. About eight o'clock he took down his hat
preparatory to going out. She questioned him as to where he was going,
but could obtain no satisfactory reply; her heart sank within her; but
she was aware that remonstrance would be useless.
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