Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1856-03-20
ORIGIN OF THE GRAY MARE BE-
ING THE BETTER HORSE.

ING The BETTEh dohSI'
| had lately the pleasure of passing very
agreeably evening in mixed company of
both sexes, where the conversation happen
ing to turn upon the propriety Of that power
which men usually arrogate to themselves
of ruling over their wives with despotic
sway, young lady of wit and humor, then
present, replied: sit might possibly be so
sometimes, but much oftener the gray mare
is the better horsep and very oblgingly
entertained the company with the following
account of the rise of that proverbial saying,
which is made use of when woman governs
her husband.
A gentleman of certain county in Eng
land having married young lady of consid-
cradle fortune, and with many other charms,
yet finding, in very short time, that she
was of a high domineering spirit, and always
contending to be mistress of him and his
family, was resolved to part with her. Ac-
cordingly he went to her father and told him
he found his daughter of such a temper and
he was so heartily tired of her, that if he
would take hake her homo again, he would
return every penny of her fortune.
The old gentleman having inquired into
the cause of his complaint, asked him 'why
he should be more disquieted at it than any
other married man, since it wast the common
case with them all, and consequently no more
than he ought to have expected when he en-
tered into the marriage state?' The young
gentleman desired to be excnsed, if he said
he was so hr, from giving his assent to this
assertion, that he thought himself, more un-
happy than any other man, as his wife had
spirit no way to be quelled; and as most
certainly no man, who had sense Of right
and wrong, could ever submit to be govern
I'd 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 husbanus,
though not all, indeed, by the same method.
However, to end all disputes between us, |
will put what have said OH this proof, if
YOU arc willing to try it; 1 have five horses
in my stable, YOU shall harness these to a
cart, in which shall put Il basket containing
one hundred eggs and if, in passing through
the country, and making a strict inquiry in
to the truth or falschood of my assertion,
and leaving horse at the house Of every
man who is master Of his family, and an egg
only where the wife governs, you will find
your eggs gone before your horses, hope
you will then think your own case, not un-
common 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, I 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,
set out with great eagerness to get nd, as he
thought, of his horses and his wife.
At the first house he came to he heard a
woman with shrill and angry voice, call
to her husband to go to the door. 'Here he
left an egg, you may be-sure, without max
ing further inquiry at the nexthe met with
something of the same kind, and at every
house, in short, until his eggs were almost
gone, when he arrived at the seat of gen.
teman of family and figure in the county
lie knocked at the door, and inquiring for
the master of the house, was told by ser
want that his master was not yet stirring
but if he pleased to walk in, his lady was in
the parlor. The lady, with great complais-
ance, 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 bus
iuess is only to ask question, which you
can solve as we'll as your husband, if you
will be ingenious with me. You will doubt
less, think it odd, and it may be deemed i'm
polite for any one, much more stranger
to ask such question; but as 4 very con-
siderable wager depends upon it, and it may
be some advantage to yourself to declare the
truth to me. hope these considerations
will plead my excuse. Iti<. madam, to de-
sire to be informed whcthcryou govern your
husband, or he rules over YOU
.Indecd, sir, replied the lady, this qucs.
ton is rather odd, but, as think no one
ought to be ashamed Of doing their duty, |
shall make no scruple to say that have al,
ways been proud to obey my husband in all
things but if the woman's own word is to be
Susnr,.t.,l i'm Such =, f,sr lrt him answer fuI
me, foI here he comes
The gentleman ut that moment entering
the room, and aftcr-sonc apologies, being,
made acquainted with the business, con,
tirmcd every word his "bcdicnt wife had re
ported in her own favor, upon which he wa:
invited to choose which horse in the team h,
liked best, and to accept Of it rs present
\ black gcldin. struck the fancy of the
gentleman most, but the lady desired h'
would choose the graymarc which she though
would be very fit for her side saddle; he
husband gave substantial reasons why the
black horse would be the most useful to then
but madam still persisted in her claim to thu
-ray marc.
:, What" she exclaimed, 'and will you no
tuke her, then! But say you shall, t"r
an <~rc M" gray mare * tie m"ch Gctte'
hprSc.'
We'll, my dear, replied the husband, ii
it must be so-.
You must take an egg replied the gen