The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-04-23 00:00:00

THOUGHTLESS HUSBANDS AND
NEGLECTED WIVES.

A "Neglected Wife," iu a letter to the Daily Tile-
oraph, thus bums up her coluplaiuta agaiwit her
hustiand

I am very fond of reading the articles In The Daily Tele-
graph, awl t wane you to favour me by giving a word of ad-
viet. to husbands I have been married only a little time, at
least long encuA to have one darling child. I couldn't tell
you how much ll' veil soy hmbmd, and still love him, if he
would only be a little morn iculd. Ile tells me wives ought
to submit to their hus.,ands In everything, and when he
COMM hOMO atolie or two o'clock ill the morning. keeping
me waiting te i till t ight or nine, he seri it's quPe right, and
that all married men do no. But I deny it, it they lure each
other. Yesterday 'Sunday) he went out all day to tonne
friend's house, where resides a young lady to whom he was
once engaged to be married, and did not come home till past
midnight. Ha said he did not know how he got away then,
the young lacy played and sang so nicely. I know if he
had not ceased to love me altogether he would not say and
do these things, which are nearly breaking my heart I feel
so unhappy, and I have no friend in Loudon that I can
confide in. So I have decided to write ti you, feeling a--
slued that you will not think me troublesome, and that you
wilt throw out same hints to my husoand, and perhaps,
other., too, who thoughtlessly and unthinkingly condemn
thtir wives to such a tile that, were it not for the little ones
trueting to their love and care, the grave would be • wel-
come rest,

This letter, u may lie readily imagined, evoked
many others on the same subject, from which we have
seletted the following
For many years I have read your paper daily, and
have noticed the invariable fairness ef your remarks ; but I
have never read an article more just, kind, and I hope calcu-
lated to do more good, than the one on a "A Neglected
: Wife." Scolding wives, extravagant wives, in fact, women's
weskeesses in every Shape and term, err constantly held up
to ridietee and reproach in the papers. Very few men would
: have had the fairness to admit there in a revers • aide to Vie
pictere, as yon have now done. Women are guilty of many
follieg. have weaknevea without number doubtless, hut their
hearts are very tender unit emit), bruised by unkindness, or
,ezleet from those they love. C 'old any eloquence of yeurs
teals those men nba have gtmtl wives to remember how
limit,d are woinen's opporturilties for enjoyment without
their husbands, Roil also to realise how the thought ode ht sting
that wife who, waiting up hourafter hour for herhusliand when
he Is euj• tying himself away from hei ! "tie has had all nip
youth and freshnesa ; I have helped him with my brain,
onward to ; I have saved to get him comforts, and
hidden petty difficulties from Mtn that his mind might have
ease and now lam getting pa.3-"e, nip spirits dulled by the
weer and tear of life's troubles on the system. I nnl over-
looked, cast aside for every fresh attraction." I have a hus-
band who by nature is kindhearted, and who would he
horrified at the bare idea of striking me with his fist, 3 et who
lashes me mire severely than with any whip lam approach-
ing thirty, anti there are younger and fairer women now.
He is handsome, of agreeane manners, and my own age, but,
of course, looks younger. Five years ago he couhl not bear
to spend an event, g away from h..ine ; since then my diaries
record that It is seldom before two am. he comes in. He
does not mean to be mild ii, but b'lliard tables are (access-
ing in number very rapidly. Ile goes for one game and
stays longer. Then, if he wins, he must give So-aud.so his
revenge another night. Therefore, with first one attrac-
thin and another, time passes on, and I spend my evenings,
after the children are In bed, alone. Friends say, 'tb hy
situp? Go to lied" Yes, it Is easy to do that. But will
the dull, aching heart aomit cf sleepl7-Youra,