The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1824-09-24
From the Trenton IN J J Empo' Jun.
PLAQUES OF MATRiMONY.

scarcely an exception every good wife ~
the village WAS lelt IN the sole possession o
her dou,iril for IN ih. country, few ciihe,
economical ar spendthrin husbands neglect
the opportunity of saving their fines by
personal appearance On the field of action
and AS III. male part at the several
haus. holds were not 10 br expected home
until late in tn. evening. an idea by som.
means crept into the brain Of an apiiquated
widow lady, Mrs. Gray, who lived NJ the
lower eud of the street, To get her neig hbors
together that they might talk over the con.
Germs Of the nrighborhood, and right what
was seemingly wrong IN domestic matters
by general conference. over toast and tea,
aud some fine currapt wine and CAKE, of
which she was always famed for keeping
the very best.
Tabby Gray was the oracle of the vii.
lage ; her ear was made the depository Of
nine tenihs ofthe compliments which her
female friends yended-and the reader will
perhaps be n little asinnished tn learn that
nj least nine tenths at these SILT same com
pllments, even in the peaccable, well man
nered, aud old fashioned hamlcct Of the
Wiliows, lay against Such WAS
the fact, however, aud thus il came that,
IN mr mothrrly care over the peace aud
comfort of her neighbors, she made an es.
pecial resolve that this meeting should he
composed Of such, and such only,
as bad Mt one time or other, express
ed 10 her some manner of dissatisfaction
with the matrimonial moose into which
their neeks had slipped, through various
devices of ,hos. shy rogu.s Cupid and
Hymeu, 50 termed in fashionable cir
Giles.
An haar or two after dinner, therefore,
NIL the discontinued wives sithn n mile
square, were assembled at Mrs. Gray's-
the good old lady, with hat mags
t+rial air, which perhaps the consciousness.
of her long aud undspntcd reign of snperi
oriiy had given her, SAT At tho head Of the
room, with smiic of openness which ban
ishsd reserve, and an ear att.ntiv.ly bent,
seeming, nj once, To- invite the free coinpu
nication of sentiment, and 10 promise n
corrective application.
After the weather and the dust, and n
few III wishes 10 training days, win some
small matter connected with the village
affairs were disposed of, every tongue went
to work, pelI NEIL, discussing the object for
which they had assembled.
Mrs. Hutton entered most gricvous
compl,int against her husband Bill, whose
propensity To romp about with the young
girls She had been trying three long years
To break, without success, and whose com
pany she had long thought he preferred TO
hers. All, said Mrs. Dawson, You may
well put mp with that if he behaves decent
" when M home one would think To see
and hear him abroad that there WAS moi
better tempered fellow IN the village, than
Harry Dawson, bat after adding among nh
the ncigbbors until night, he comes home,
hangs up his fiddle and his hat together,
and sinil' is mo more seen upon his face
until he takes them down again. ! could
put up with any thing but III nature. III
naiure, said m old fat woman IN the corner,
why, I'd never open my mouth upon mn III
naiured hnsband-l'd match him-i'd tire
him out AT that ] wish yau had my hus
band, who laughs from morning to night,
and is so easy and good natnred that every
body imposes on him. I'd rather have n
drunkard than such fellow, III had again
To choose between two evils. To hear
ones husband called soft Dickson-Ssw
ney Dickson---and all such kind of things
lsa misery anbearable-but that is not all I;
Dickson is ust as headstroug ms the old
harry /; not knowing that am the better
hand al managing bargaia, he never even
c0nsnits me--does all his business in This
own foolish way, and never pleascs ne in
IA single thing he does. Still, said little
crimped up dame at her side, | think be
tween you and me, you have much the
hest bargain. My husband for all the world
IS equal 10 yours in every thing but midas
iry---Ir is AS good natured--as careless,
aud all but as stupid /; but IFS intolerably
hard for woman To have her own aud her
husbands work all on her shouidrrs---'Fom
does nothing but hammer away in the
shop have To settle his accounts, collect
his money, pny his debts, aud make his
bargalns--in the name Of heaven, no wo
man in heir right seuscs ought to crave such
d lfe.
Here then in this circle the matter had
come down to point. These good DANES
were mated to sp,ightly husband--a good
natured busy imbecile, aud good natured
idle imbecile, each was heartily dissatisfied.
IN the next corner another group discussed
other qualities with as disconnected an air
aud tone.
One had gamlIer-she wished almost
that he might be hung. Another tiplrr,
she was even more lavish of her wishes
One had husband who was always stick
ing about home IN the way of every body
and polsins his nose into every holy and
corner, AS il master and mistress both
another lam led that her husband was
never at hume. always ding ,donging At hi.
business, she hardly got time to lonk at
him each considered her case peculiarly
unfortunate.
Meantime more clamorous group had
gathered rounl dane Gray, some had gen
erous Observation-Disclosures held their purse
strings So Ioosp tina, every body got their
fingers JUS some had prnnrlnns Ones
thtse kept their purse strings drawn SO
| tight their wives could not get u nile niger
| IN or a sixnencr ont One had a husband