Page:Drunken husband, or, The fatal effects of drunkenness.pdf/14

 As they had no children his wife, when he thus abſented himſelf, uſed to go among her neighbours, and make his irregularities the conſtant theme of her diſcourſe, and very often was wicked enough to wiſh him dead. One time in particular, after a quarrel they had had, he was miſſing, and no tidings could ſhe hear of him, ſo ſhe went her uſual goſſipping round, talking of him as the moſt profligate huſband that ever poor woman was plagued with, and wiſhing all manner of miſchief, to beſal him. In the midſt of her complaining, news was brought that Joſeph Randall (which was his name) was taken out of the river, drowned; having accidentally walked in, not being ſober enough to keep the proper road. In an inſtant her reproaches were exchanged for the bittereſt lamentations; ſhe wrung her hands, ſhe core her hair, ſhe accuſed herſelf as the cauſe of all the miſery' which now afflicted her. Conſcience immediately ſtuck a thouſand daggers in her heart-She ran like a diſtracted creature to her own houſe-She threw herſelf on the lifeleſs body of her huſband, which the bathed with tears-She called to mind many inſtances of his tenderneſs to her, and of her ingratitude to him. The laſt quarrel in particular wounded her to the bottom of her ſoul.-She looked upon herſelf as the author of his death. There was no pacifying her; the violence of her