Distinguished Drunkards

If ProTidonce hospital. Washington, could talk. it raight teil tales that would shock many a listener. At the same time the story would cali fofth his utmost syinpathy. Tho strain of political life and its ficrce ups and downs play havoc with uerve and brain tissue. Distinguished tnen in political life too often take refuge in drink. They are so numerous in both political camps, in f act, that by a sort of unwritten undorstanding partisan papers are silent on this grave subject. Persons in glass houses dare not throw stones. A United States senator made a pitiful exliibition of himself in public not long since. The explanation of it was that suggested by our heading. But this was only a surface indication of a mournful current that has been flowing through the capital city from the days of Webster down. Wben the craving fit comes on, the distinguished men who cannot witlistand it often are taken to Providence hospital. There they are kept till the maddening appetite leavee them for the time. Then they return to their official duties. What the devoted wives of some of tliese men endure can never bo told. They watch their husbands with the utmost care. Beautiful, richly dressed women there are whose gayest seeming moments are sometimes passed in an agony of suspense. Wiien love's unerring eyo detects symptoms of the approaching aberration, the care is redoubled. There is a brilliant, charming woman in Washington society whose face wears a set, stern look, strangely at variance with her gay surroundings. Strangers see the look in lier portraits and wonder at it. Her husband, high in office, is subject to terrible attacksof dipsomanía. It is said when its preinonitkms appear she goes with him in the carriage and watches him till she sees hirn seated in his chair for the day. When his hours are over, she meet him with the carriage again, and drives with him to Providence hospital, whose kindly shelter keeps him safe till the morrow. Once moro she comes for him and sees him safe in his seat, only to return in the evening. So she guards him till the attack is over. It is said tliat only thus has melaucholy exposure been avoided more thaii once. No wonilor her face wears the stern, repressed look.