The Washingtonian., 1845-06-28
ORIGIN OF THE GREY MARE BEING
THE BETTER HORSE.

ORIGIN OF THE GREY MARE BEING
THE BETTER HORSE.
i had lately the pleasure of passing very
agreeable evening in mixed company OF both
sexes, where the conversation happening to
turn upon the propriety of that power which
men usually arrogate to themselves of ruling
over their wives with despotc sway, young
lady of wit and humor, then present, replied,
sit might possibly be so sometimes, but much
oftenar the grey mare is the better horse" and
very obligingly entertained the company with
the following account of the rise of that pro-
verbal saying, which is made use of when a
woman governs her husband:
A gentleman Of certain county in England
having married young lady of considerable
fortune, and with many other charms, yet find
ing, in very short time that she was of high
domineering spirit, and always contending to
be mistress of him and his family, he was re-
solved to part with her. Accordingly, he went
to her father, and told him he found his daugh-
ter of such temper, and he wa 90 heartily
tired of her, that if he would 't4k6hher home
again, he would return everyenus of her
fortune.
The old gentleman having inquired into the
cause of his complaint, why he should be more
uioQuiCICu az ~ tiioh OthCA ihoaAASS .--S--'
and since it was common case with them,
and consequently no more than he ought to
have expected when he entered into the mar
riage state! The young gentleman desired to
be excused, if he said he was SO far from giving
his assent to this assertion that he thought
himself more unhappy than any other man, as
his wife had spirit in no way TO be quelled'
and at most certainly no man who had sense
of right and wrong, could ever submit to be
governed by his wife.
"Son," said the old man, "you are but little
acquainted with the world, if you do not know
that all women govern their husbands, though
not all, indeed, by the same method. However,
to end all disputes between US, will put what
have said on this proof, if you are willing to
try it.
81 have FIVE horses in my stable you shall
harness these to cart in which shall put
basket containing one hundred eggs; and if, in
passing through the country, and making
strict inquiry into the truth and falsehood of
my assertion, and leaving horse at the house
of every man who is master of his family, and
an egg where the wife governs, you will find
your eggs gone before your horses, hope you
will then think your own case not uncommon,
but will be contented to 60 home and look upon
your own wife as no worse than her neighbors.
If, on the other hand, your horses are gone first,
l will take my daughter back again, and you
shall keep her fortune"
This proposal was too advantageous to be
rejected: our young married man therefore
sat out with great eagerness to get rid, as he
thought, of his horses and his wife.
AT the first house he came to, he heard a
woman with a shrill and angry voice, call to
her husband to 60 to the door. Here he left
an egg, you may be sure, without making
further inquiry; at the next, he met with somer
thing of the very same kind; and at every house,
in short, until his eggs were almost gone, when
he arrived at the seat Of gentleman Of family
and figure in the country. He knocked at the
door, and inquiring for the master Of the house,
was told by the servant that his master was
not yet stirring, but if he pleased to walk in
the lady was in the parlor. The lady, with
great complaisance, desired him to seat himself,
and said if his business was very urgent she
would wake her husband to let him know it,
but had much rather not disturb him.
"Why really, madam" said he, "my business
is only to ask question, which you can solve
as we'll as your husband, if you will only be
ingenious with me. You will doubtless think
it odd-t may be deemed impolite-for any
one, much more stranger, to ask such ques.
ton; but as very considerable wager depends
upon it, and it may be some advantage to your
self to declare the truth to me, hope these
considerations will plead my excuse. 1t is,
madam, to desire to be informed whether you
govern your husband, or he rules over you!"
"Indeed, sir" replied the lady, "this ques-
tion is rather odd, but as think no one should
be ashamed of doing their duty, shall make
no scruple to say that l have always been
proud to obey my husband in all things; but
if woman's own word is to be suspected in
such case, let him answer for me, for here he
comes"
The gentleman at that moment entered the
room, and after some apologies, being made
acquainted with the business, confirmed every
word his obedent wife had reported in her own
favor, upon which he was invited to choose
which of the horses in the team he liked best,
and to accept it as present.
A black gelding struck the fancy of the gen.
tleman most but the lady desired he would
take the grey mare, which she thought would
be very fit for her side-saddle her husband
gave substantial reasons why the black horse
would be the most useful to them, but madam
still persisted in her claim to the grey mare!
"What" she exclaimed, "and will you not
take her then! But Esay you shall; for am
sure the grey mare is the better horse"
"Well my DEAR" replied the husband, I" if it
must be So"
''You must take an egg" replied the gen.
tleman carter, "and must take all my horses
back again, and must endeayor to live happy