be careful of your attentions to Mrs. Abercrombie to-night, for he
will construe them adversely, and pour out his wrath on her
defenceless head when they are alone."

"This is frightful," was answered. "I never heard of such a case."

"Never heard of a drunken man assaulting his wife when alone with
her, beating, maiming or murdering her?"

"Oh yes, among the lowest and vilest. But we are speaking now of
people in good society--people of culture and refinement."

"Culture and social refinements have no influence over a man when
the fever of intoxication is upon him. He is for the time an insane
man, and subject to the influx and control of malignant influences.
Hell rules him instead of heaven."

"It is awful to think of. It makes me shudder."

"We know little of what goes on at home after an entertainment like
this," said the other. "It all looks so glad and brilliant. Smiles,
laughter, gayety, enjoyment, meet you at every turn. Each one is at
his or her best. It is a festival of delight. But you cannot at this
day give wine and brandy without stint to one or two or three
hundred men and women of all ages, habits, temperaments and
hereditary moral and physical conditions without the production of
many evil consequences. It matters little what the social condition
may be; the hurt of drink is the same. The sphere of respectability
may and does guard many. Culture and pride of position hold others
free from undue sensual indulgence. But with the larger number the