Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1842-10-26
The HinGoo Wife.

In small enclosure, DeNlHu d mlSeldOle
howell says an Eastern writer, 'we saw a wo
man tied TO a stake, and man standing over
her with an air Of cruel dcllberallon, beating
her severely. AS each blow Of the thick bam-
boo fell on her naked shoulders she uttered
painful shrek of suffering. She bore the IN
Fiction some time without the least attempt TO
retaliate; but at length, goaded TO madness by
the untiring brutality Of her tyranl, she made a
sudden spring at his leg as he advanced 10 re-
peat the blow, and seizing him by the calf bit
him so energelically that he howled like
scourged whelp. Springing aside, however, he
go beyond her reach, and then beat her with
redoubIed lerocily. She now bore the blows
without wincing, fixing her large dark eyes on
him with an expression which seemed 10 say
" ou may kill me now, | have had my revenge
The rattling blows of the hollow bamboo might
have been heard hundred yards; still she did
not move a muscle, but sat on the ground sui
len and enduring while the anger Of her husband
appeared 10 kinde and gather strength from her
non resistance. He would have fled from a
firm and resolute self-defence, for every crea-
ture in human form that loves to abuse another
is coward, who revengeS his own fears on
whatsoever he can make afraid,
Several persons who were looking with per-
feet unconcern on this disgusting picture OF ig-
norance and oppression, informed me that II
was for some trifng error that the domestic
tyrant was thus beating his wife Unable TO
endure the sight OF this proracted and mercl-
less chastisement sent one OF my native SER
wants TO The enraged Hindoo TO request him TO
have mercy. The moment the woman saw
this interference in their family matters she
broke from the cords that bound her, and rush.
ing upon my unhappy messenger with the Jury
of an excited tgress, she poured upon him a
volley Of such eloquent abuse for meddilng be-
tween man and wife, that | was perfectly as
founded, and the man scampered away as II he
| had been bit by scorpion, though the rest OF
The byslanders only smiled She had no soon
or put to flight the mediator than she quietly,
and as thing of course, went back to the stake,
where the man again bound her, and coclly
proceeded to thump her to her hearts content.
Long ages Of slavery have brought the Hin
doc woman to think the passive endurance OF
ill-treatment virtue and an obligation. She
respects her husband in proportion as he makes
her feel she is slave. If he did not rigorous
Iy exact the most entire submissOn-ll he did
not oblige her to treat him as a master, whose
eve must be watched with fear and trembling,
and whose smile must be received as conde-
scension impossible 10 be repaid, she would de-
spse him. Nothing will cause a Hlndco wo-
man, except among the highest classes, to rebel
against her husbands authority as soon as mild
treatment Once in her life, as part OF the
! bridal ceremony, she eats with her lord; but If
he were afterwards TO permit her TO eat in his
presence, she would despise him, as wanting In
proper sense of his own dignity. Were he
to suffer her TO approach him while he is taking
| his own refreshment, she would cease to respect
him. She never presumes to use word OF en-
dearment or familiarity, and always calls him
| Master using the words and manner OF the
slaves of the family, when addressing him: ohe
is not held TO belong 10 him as companion or
partner, but as piece Of property, and wishes
no further rights.
A daughter from its birth is deemed an in
cumbrance, and its existence hardly tolerated,
while the son is the idol and tyrant of his mo-
Their Yet in old age that mother is TOO lre-
quenly left to perish from neglect and want
The whole life is story Of wrong and oppies-
son Such is the social position OF the women
of India These are the mothers and lnstruc-
tors Of the nation, and the result may be read
in her history: hundred millions in bondage
10 handful of strangers, with the richest SOIL
and the mos, genial climate-siarvlng win all
the elements of wealth and power-poor, ao-
,ect, and despised By an immuiable law, the
moral character of nation depends on .hat oi
| its instructors In India they are umid, lgno-
rant. supersttious slaves; and children can new
er be altogether unlike their mothers