Delaware weekly Republican. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1841-188?, 1857-08-06
ruE NERVOUS MlrE crREn.

TIE NERVOUS WIFE CURED.
My friend Wilkins married a sweet y0un,
girl, Of quiet, amiablc disposition, but in, N,
way skilled in those domestic arts without .
knowledge Of which wite's duties are alway
felt to be hard in the beginning. lie was The
envy OF more than one who had aspred to th,
possession of her hand. | knew him to be in
dustrions, intelligent, and kind-hearted; and
felt sure that he had taken life companion
who would be faithful and loving. The prom.
Use was bright enough to warrant a prophecy
oil more than ordinary happiness.
lhey removed to another town. Ten years
afterwards in passing through that town. |
called upon wilkins, who met me with the old
frank cordially. Eyes and face were in A
glow of pleasure, when, still grasping his
hand inquired after his wife. His counte-
nance changed instantly.
Poor Mary ~ he said, in sad, dscour-
aged way; GO she has no health.''
| am s0rry," was my natural response.
Sickness and the loss of two of our chill
dren have so worn down body and mind, that
sre IS but shadow Of her former SELF Worst
Di %. an, her nerves are completely shattercd.-
Dut you must see her. To mset an old friend
VIII do her good. Win you spend the eve
ming with us 2''
assehted and then made further Inquiries
ABOUT his family and worldly condition. His
story was not very bright one The birth of
tneir ilrst child was followed by Il protracted
sickness, which brought the young mother to
the utmost verge of DEATH
sShe has never had good health since,
SAID W llkins in u depressed voice. Sc NV in
come was small, and we could not afford the
amount OF household assistance in the begin
nlng that She really required and so eyery-
ihlng was against her restoration to sound
health. Children came rapidly, bringing with
.nenl e III more eXhausting cares. And the death
Oh TWO oil our little ones, to which have re-
felred, seemed TO complete the ruin She is
now hopeless inYald-a poor, weak, unhap-
py creature-a mere wreck Of what you saw
zen years ago, moving like a fearful ghost
through her daily round of duties, and only
KEPT awe by the constant and careful atten-
lloh oil Il physician. | don't think the doctor
mas been out of my house for six weeks at a
tlme Tor SIN years, and lam sure he las received
more than three hundred pounds of NV money
~ that tlne. The fact is, what with doctors
bllls, nurses, medicines, and the hundred
nameless expenses u sick and nervous wife en-
talls upon man, my fortunes have been mar
red They keep me poor.''
liklhs spoke in Il fretiul voice. 1t was
PLAN that he had grown impatient under the
trials to which the bad health of his wife had
exposed him.
called at his Office again towards evening,
ana went home with him. Had Imet Mrs. Will
klns IN the street, would not have recognized
IN her the happy bride, who, ten years before,
blnshlng in beauty, l had seen giving her
hand in life partnership, with such loving
confidence in the future, to the husband of her
cholce. Her countunance was wan and vast
ed, all the beautifully rounded outlines gone
hcr eyes, deeply sunlSen, were langnd almost
10 indifference; her hair, once richly uXur-
ant, had fallen oil, until scarce half of it re-
manned, and that looked dry and crisp, with
mere and there premature line Of gray. She
stopped slightly, and her motions were life
less.
A faint smile parted her lips as I erasped
her hand with all the warmth of Il genuine
friendly interest. But it faded almost as soon
as II was born. tried to talk with her in a
cheerful strain, and did succeed in awakening
brief ihtsres In the olden time. But the
present was too painfully real; it would not
permit her thoughts TO indulge in pleasant fan.
cles. l could not help asking about herself
and her children; and thus turned the current
OF her feelings into its wontcd channel; and
listened TO her sad heart-storics, and painful
experiences in sickness, until my own feelings
We're deeply shadowGd. | pitied her. What
a sombre, suffering lite had been hers Into
what world OF misery, instead Of happiness,
had marriage translated her
AS She talked observed her husband care
iuliy. 1t was plain that he had but little SYM
pathy with lis wiio's state of feeling. He was
sufferer with her, though in lighter degree;
and, as his suiferings originated in her, there
was, plainly, a certain lack Of kindly patience
towards his companion. Several times he in
terrnpted her, trying to draw the conversation
into another channel and once or twice he
threw in depreciating sentences, as il She were
eXaggerating the unhappy story of her life.
l learned that Mrs. Wilkins rarely, il ever,
went out Of her own house. Her duties We're
very arduous, and her ability, from i'll health, |
small Every day she worked to bodily eX- |
haustion, and usually in pain. There was no |
recreation of any kind, bodily or mental. 1t |
was living death. No wonder she was |
dropping, wretched, nervous woman.
NcXt.day, called to see my friend having !
made up my mind to have plain talk with |
him. l referred TO his wife, expressing my
earnest sympathy in regard to her.
"Poor Mary" he replied 's her case is |
hopeless, and mine, too, l tear.'
While there's life, there's hope," said |, |
using the physicians halt-despairng axiom.
lie regarded me little curiously.
How often do you take her out?'' in
quired.
lie shook his head.
"Can't afford carriage hire; It's as much |
as l can do to pay the doctor. No, no, neither
Of us have time or money to spend for riding
Out.''
Change and fresh air, you will find better
and cheaper medicines than doctors stuff
~ 9pu tahS lle4 ~ inc SGu-Slue III summer |
!" You are jesting," he replied, with the air
OF one who felt That an undue liberty had
been taken.
:" Far from it, my iriend,' answered, seri-
ously, " ieel too warm an interest in you to
jest on subject like this
GA visit to watering.place is u luxury
he remarked sadly.
''Do not name them as luXuries in your case.
If the cneryated votary of pleasure needs them
Tor recreation, aud to impart new Hest to the
years succeeding round of gay existence, how
much more essential are they for the sick,
the nervous, the exhausted toier in lile's field
of earnest labor | fear, my friend, that YOU
have not thought wisely of your wiie's true
position that in some sense you are to blame
tor her present i'll health and state of mental
depresAon."
How2''
Wilkins looked surprised.
&c The human soul,'' answered, /" is not a
piece Of scnseess machinery not made up of
ascries Of iron wheels that aan do their work as
well in the dark; underground chamber as in
the broad daylight. Even the flower must have
change-air, sunlight, morning, evening, and
the advancing seasons, for its healthy growth
and maturity. But the human soul is OF high
er organization and has multitudnous wants
compared with the flower. Shut up the flow
or irom the warm sun and the refreshing air
anu VIII 1t not grow sickly may, will it rot
tads, wither, and die2 You are treating yolr
wife with less consideration than YOU would