The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-08-06
From Noah's Times.
The Lawrence Divorce Case.-Paint and
Petulance. "A Mothers Advice
to her Daughter.

Mr.. / Dl9eloW Lawrence, oil Boston,
whose recent advertisement that he would
pay no more debts Of his wife's con-
tracing provoked indignant comments
from the press, has published state,
ment, drawn up by his counsel, Of the
causes which led to course Of conduct
IN his part which has been generally
looked upon as unnecessary or unchlv-
alrous. In all honesty and fairness, we
are hound to say that his vindication is
absolute and complete. Mrs. Sallie B.
Lawrence, and her parents, Mr.. and Mrs.
Ward, of Louisville, have been unwsc
in goading the husband TO this erpose,
for it exhibits them (and that from the
testimony of their own letters) in any
thing but an enviable light.
The first serious difficulty between
Mr.. and Mrs. Lawrence appears to have
arisen from the free and frequent use
of paints and other cosmetics " by Mrs.
L. The husband represented that what.
ever aids TO beauty the spoiled daughter
and ballroom idol might have resorted
to in Kentucky, the use of paint and
powder could not be tolerated IN the
wife of a Boston merchant. This was
the commencement of the storm and
it would seem from the statement that
Mrs. LawTcnce's storms were by nc
means teapot tempests.
"A vulgar tempest 'twcrc TO Typhoon,
TO match a common fury with her rage
for 'she was accustomed, when opposed
no matter how trivial the caIse, 10 shriel,
at the top Of her voice, p" and she prac'
tised this emphatic species Of vocaliza'
ton indifierently in her own house, and
in public hotels. Mr.. Lawrence was
however, shrek proof. lie insisted thai
the rouge and lily white should be dis
pensed with; and thereupon Mrs. Law.
renee wrote to her mother for advice
and counsel. That exemplary paren
turned not deaf ear to the plant of hel
prosecuted daughter, but, on tie 10Th o
April, lS49, thus responded by letter tc
the history Of her matrimonial grievan
ces:
" am going TO write you real wal
letter.-You say you are acting by MIR
Lawrence's command, and you are un'
happy by so doing. Then let me advise
you IN this case ; seem to obey, but do a:
you please. Ifyou use proper caution he
can never know it. You say can i'm
agine your appearance now ;yes, Sallie
! can, ard nothing TO object to, either
You are better looking without complex
ion than with too much This have
always said. But il you think diff, r
emily, then do what would make you
happy.
"You could not be less SO, should
Judge, under any circumstances. Then
never fear Mr.. Lawrcnce's anger; it
could not be more than you are now en-
during. Now, dear Sallie, il you would
take the right means, he could never dis
cover it. You must begin with caution,
and keep it up.-The most delicate tint
possible is all you want. IL you have
no more, defy the opinion Of the uni
verse, the commands of Mr.. Lawrence,
and any one else. Stick TO it with some
Of your mothers spunk. Could you be
worse of than nowi You are misera>
bic now; could you be more so then !
1t can, last long, and you leave giving
out to others. My dear child, determine
one oftwo ihings-to give it up at once,
or stick to il in defiance OF all and every.
thing that may oppNse.-lou cannot live
long as you are. Then Saille be wo'
mau, and act as one in future. " The
letter further says" know you are
careless with your letters. Now do burn
this as soon as read "
But Salle-imprudent woman did
not burn the document, and by some
means not explained in the Statement, !"
/, found its way into Mr.. T. b. Laws
,rcnce's hands I, is a cuiiosi'y in is