Page:A hairdresser's experience in high life.djvu/68

70 drunk one day, to his wife's room, threw himself upon the bed in a disgusting condition. She was reading at the time, and continued doing so, until he fell into a profound sleep, when she drove off to the Lakes in company with a gentleman of their party. In a short time he awoke, started wildly up and called for his wife; flew about in every direction asking for her, and when told she had driven to the Lakes, ordered a span of fast horses, and drove after her with all speed, his dress disordered, and his hat blown off, which he did not mind. His wife, who was sitting upon the gallery of the Lake Hotel, saw him coming, and desired the gentleman who was in her company, to leave her, which he did; when the husband approached her in an infuriated manner, and ordered her to get into his buggy. In starting off hurriedly, he dropped his whip, jumped out to get it, and being evidently very much intoxicated, she desired a couple of gentlemen whom she knew, to drive her back to Saratoga, where she arrived a long time before her husband, who was brought home by somebody else. Not being able to find out by questioning who had driven his wife home, he offered a hundred dollars reward—which he placarded upon the columns of the house—to any one who would inform him who had been her escort; but no one came forward, as he expected, and steeping his senses deeper and deeper in liquor, he finally went to bed, leaving his wife the most sorrowful and mortified of human beings. At length she by some means procured morphine and drank it to put an end to her griefs; but only took enough to endanger her life, without destroying it. The husband was frantic at this, and tried in vain to rush from the apartment in