Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1843-10-12
THE SHOEMAKER AND HIS TWO WIVES.
BY ELIzABETH CAKES SMITH.

-. BY ELIzABETH CAKES SMITH.
Every body was plying Mr.. Sampson, the shoe
maker of the village Of B. Now, gentle reader, you
need not guess Brunswick, nor Bethel, nor Bloom.
field, nor any other village beginning with b, for
will assure you beforeha nd you won't guess RICH,
no body knows the identical place beginning with
b, except the writer. Well, every body was pity.
ing the shoemaker, and as he passed daily BY my
window on his way to his workshop, Involuntary
drew down my face in token Of commiseraiion,
though why should do it l could not for my life
have explained But every body said he was an
unhappy man; miserable man; that his wife al
most scolded his life out Of him that she was the
biggest scold in the country, beat Xantippe of elias
steal memory all hollow; that in her fits of passion
she whisked the poor shoemaker about very much
like West India bamboo in a tropical hurricane.
Never was such a scold her tongue might be heard
the first thing in the morning and the last al night.
She was SO constantly scoldng she would never
take time 10 die, SO the poor shoemakers misery
seemed intermnable. All the men we're telling
how they would manage her il they had her for a
wife; and when half dozen oil item collected at 4
farmers house, the shoemakers wife was often the
theme, and many the modes OF punishment de-
vsed by those who had not the shrew to deal with
II might generally be observed on such occasions,
that those who were suspected Of being henpccked,
now fortified by the numbers present, generally talk
ed most yaianily how they would ma mage the shoe
makers wife if she belonged to them, and the n
casting furiire glances at their busting good wives
present. Bot it was plain TO be seen the women
did not relish this theme when discussed by the men.
They would talk patheically Of the shoemaker
grievances among themselves talk eloquently Of the
misery man must suffer in being tied to such a
termsgsnt but no sooner did the unucky husband
attempt to harp upon the same string, than, touch
hornets nest, all the women out with paa-
tives, and warm in the defence of the shoemaker's
wife Every woman had her peculiar trials. Mrs
Sampson, no doubt, had hers well as others
She had no flesh on her bones. and was as yellow
IS saffron, it plain she a sick woman Mr..
Sampson appeared pleasant enough out Of doors,
but for all tina, he might he a tyrant al home
Thus was poor Mrs. Sampson defended in spite
OF her tongue. But, whatever they felt called upon
TO say In behalf of Mrs. Sampson in presence OF
their husbands, their sympsthies actually alto
gelhcr on the side Of Mr.. Sampson Every good
vile wreathed her face into the most becoming
smile when she sccosied Mr. Sampson. merely out
NJ instructive good nature far be il from To in-
snuste that il 10 contrast with the thin lips and
souI vissge OF his good wife. Seeing the state
Of things, began naturally to study the oounte-
nance ofibe poor man as he passed by my window,
in order to read the lines of care the burrows OF mis-
cry, and cringing air Of henpeoked man. But,
truth 20 say, such things were 10 he seen lie
generally passed with careless sturdy tread, hum
ming tame or picking his teeth. As ior wrinkles,
his hale good natured, handsome face, looked IL
il NIGH, bid defiance 10 them for many year to
come His bright open eye looked as II bad new
et iwinkied with any thing but good humor; and,
instead Of being the mos, miserable, ! at once sat
HIM down for The hsppest man in the village OF b.
No one bought oiener gingerbread and candy for
hts children, or new gowns for his wife. When,
arm IN arm. they ,rudged along 10 meeting on SUE
day, seemed more bUsily 10 chat with his
wife, and no woman looked proo5er Of her husband.
The secret seemed to be in hi. having goo1-naiur-
edly accommodated himself TO the disposition Of his
wife, ~i,hoD, compromising his own Independence.
Ahsr all, il depends less upon external eircnm-
stances than our own disposition, WHISTLER We sfe
sppy or miserable In this life.
In process Of time The shoemsker's wife died,
leaving her husband 10 follow her 10 the grave with
a. m.ny children as folls~ej Mr. Rogers 10 the
stake, and whether thai WAS nine or tee we leave
the reader 70 deisrane. COniTarr 10 lbs eIFeeis-